Blog, Featured Posts, In the News, Partners
A Masterclass in Peacebuilding: College and High School Students Connect
Narrative 4’s facilitator community is continually adapting the Story Exchange in new contexts. In the past, we have seen police and high school students exchange stories, older people and young people, students from different parts of the world, and even people on different sides of polarizing divides like gun control. The result of the Story Exchange is always the same: participants describe an incredible sense of closeness, not only with their Story Exchange partner but also with the wider group.
But what happens when you bring local high schoolers and university students together in the name of peacebuilding? You don’t just get a conversation, you get a masterclass in deep, barrier-breaking human connection.
Read on to find out the details of this program.
Recently, high schoolers in the peacebuilding class at Claremont Academy (Worcester Public Schools, Massachusetts) were partnered with university students from the College of the Holy Cross, also in Worcester, Massachusetts. The goal was to take peacebuilding concepts out of the textbook and put them into practice.
The next generation of peacemakers
The project aimed to prove that peace isn’t just the absence of conflict, but the active presence of compassion. It gave students a practical toolkit for navigating a polarized world. In total, 72 student participants took part in this program. Working in concert with N4 Training Associate and Lead Trainer Malia’Kekia Nicolini, certified faculty and teachers from both schools co-facilitated the process. Throughout the semester, students conducted Story Exchanges within their respective classrooms to prepare for the final day of the project. Building this early familiarity with the Story Exchange process was key to the ultimate success of the project.
Deirdre Carlson, a teacher at Claremont Academy, said:
Our Story Exchange with Narrative 4 was truly something special. It was inspiring to watch students listen so thoughtfully, share so openly, and step into one another’s experiences with compassion and respect. The level of trust and authenticity in the room made it clear that this experience left an impact on everyone involved.
In Massachusetts, throughout the United States and across the world, we’re honored to play a role in building compassionate, connected communities.
Find out more about how you can bring Narrative 4 to your campus here or your school here.
Do you have a Narrative 4 story to share? Get in touch with us here.
Photos by Avanell Chang.
Related Blog Posts
-
Narrative 4 Brings the Power of Story to the University of Michigan
Blog • September 25, 2026Narrative 4 joins the University of Michigan for The Stories We Carry, featuring Colum McCann and a Community Story Exchange in Ann Arbor.
-
A New School Year
Blog • September 3, 2026A new school year is a chance to build connection from day one. In this post, we explore how Narrative 4 uses the power of storytelling and deep listening to help K–12 schools create a culture where students feel connected, heard and valued.
-
Boosting Confidence in Teenage Girls
Blog • August 26, 2026Narrative 4 delivered a summer program ‘Connect 4’ to equip young teenage girls to make positive changes in their community through the power of stories and art.