“I always tell people that storytelling is one of the most natural things that we do.”

“I think it is very important for students to be able to experience firsthand that they are capable of doing something valuable for people in need”

“I love the authenticity and vulnerability of [Narrative 4]. It encourages folks to get through the glamorous shells we polish for the world to see and forces us to move beyond the surface… to the heart.”

“I saw firsthand how storytelling can help us to understand each other better and foster a sense of understanding, care and compassion.”

“N4 has allowed us to build a sense of community and has established connections between peers and staff that wouldn’t have been possible [before]…every youth should feel supported during their journey.”

“Through my work, I strive to create a safe and inclusive learning environment where every student feels valued and supported.”

“Stories have made all the best things in my life possible, so it is my mission to make that transformational potential of stories as widely accessible as I can to as many people as possible, including those who least expect it.”

“I’ve seen so many enduring relationships come out of these exchanges that have transformed individuals and given the participants a sense of new possibility.”

“By sharing our story and retelling each other’s stories, suddenly that person in front of me fills up with humanness and experience, sense and emotion. It’s not just a surface anymore.”

“[Narrative 4 allows us to be] able to be present in real time so that we can understand that judgment prevents us from connecting”

“When students share stories of resilience, challenges, problem solving, personal passions, and successes, they affirm a part of themselves that often is silenced.”

“Sharing another person’s story…you are invested in sharing that person’s experience as if it were your own”