Interested in Applying for Cohort 5 in January 2027?

The Story Lab

Project Category:

Community Engagement via Skill Development

This passion project invites students ages 15-18 years old to strengthen their literacy skills and explore self-expression through the art of storytelling. Through the after-school club: The Story Lab, students will engage in writing-based activities at the Liberian Learning Centre, both individual and collaborative, that nurture creativity, communication, and confidence.

Literacy is more than a measurable skill. When youth develop the tools to articulate their thoughts and experiences, they gain the power to shape their own narratives and share them with others. This club aims to help students build tangible writing skills while fostering a sense of voice, agency, and community. Creative writing has been an important source of resilience in my own life, and my hope is to create a space where students can experience that same sense of empowerment through the written word.

Project Lead(s)

Misty Macdonald

Key Objectives & Goals

Enhance Literacy and Writing Skills
1. Support students in developing foundational writing skills by bridging verbal and written storytelling, journaling, and creative writing activities
Foster Self-Expression and Confidence
1. Create opportunities for learners to use writing as a means of self-expression, helping them build confidence in their voices and ideas
Build a Supportive Learning Community
1. Establish a collaborative environment where students can share their work, give and receive feedback, and grow together as writers and thinkers
Cultivate a Lifelong Appreciation for Literacy and Creativity
1. Inspire students to view literacy as a lifelong skill and creative outlet that supports personal growth, communication, and well-being

Project Process & Activities

I am in the process of drafting how this program would be structured before the recruitment stage. I will be generating a list of activity ideas that can be adapted based on student needs, including an initial and concluding benchmarking activity to capture goals and monitor skill development. A key element of this club is that it is student-driven; I will need to develop initial resources/activities that focus on student goal-setting and writing levels.

Project Process & Activities

Liberian Language Institute Blog (1).pdf

Saturday Reading Program Blog (1).pdf

Project Outcomes & Deliverables

Upon completion of this project, I will have compiled an organized toolkit of creative writing materials that can be used within the LLC community. My hope is also that the participating students would be able to contribute to a collaborative anthology that encompasses their learnings from the club and can be widely shared post-completion.

Challenges & Learnings

My biggest barrier in starting this project has been my initial effort to leverage existing LLC programs and connections. The top of my passion project brainstorming reads: there’s no need to reinvent the wheel. Difficult questions like is there a need that aligns with my interests? have surfaced throughout this process. Child literacy programs are already underway through two avenues at the LLC, with a heavy focus on assessment and skill development. It has been challenging to gather information on the demographic of these students, their schedule, curriculum, materials etc. The Story Lab aligns with a fundamental need for literacy skills and my passion for writing in the community. It appears equally challenging to engage with an existing program (task-based) vs. create one from scratch.

Future Plans & How To Get Involved

Creating an initial framework to jumpstart recruiting. Getting feedback on that program plan + what target groups (students near the LLC) would be appropriate are the immediate next steps.