National Youth Storytelling Showcase

How to Find Your Story

Make sure that you are interested in the story. The fun comes when you explore someone or some event that you have a desire to know more about.

Talk to your family and neighbors. Ask them questions about who they know or what they did to make history come to life. Firsthand accounts of history are always more interesting than the history you will find in a textbook.

a. Veterans
b. Doctors or Nurses
c. Volunteers
d. Ambulance Drivers/Paramedics
e. Police Officers or Firefighters
f. Counselors

g. Soup Kitchen Workers
h. Charitable Teenager
i. Senior Citizens
j. Teachers
k. Custodians
l. Homeless Shelters

Ask questions about the five (5) senses. How did you feel? What did it sound like? Do you remember a particular smell?, How did it sound?, Did it taste good or bad?
Read. Research a story from a non-fiction book or article.
Visit with your local librarian, or local historians at a history museum. You may want to visit American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Disabled American Veterans, AMVETS, or veterans affairs organizations. Perhaps Senior Citizen Centers, civic club, church organizations or Homeless Shelters may be of interest to you.

Places To Find Stories

There are many places that you can start finding National Youth Storytelling Showcase. Here are just a few:

Family. Sometimes the best stories can be found in our homes. Interview parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins about significant points in history or people.

Ask your grandfather what it was like to live during the Depression; ask your Uncle about anyone who he would consider a hero; ask your cousin if he or she spends their time helping the homeless.

Neighbors. Your next door neighbor or the neighbor two streets over may run their own soup kitchen, help needy children in other countries, have rescued someone from a burning car. The most important thing is that you ask them about their lives or what they have seen over the years. Sometimes a story is right in your own back yard.

Ask at your local community center, church, and town history museum. You will be surprised at the marvels that will appear.

Historical Markers in Your Region. Often within a 200 mile radius of your community are historical markers or places. How far are you living from Martin Luther King's birthplace, the first flight of Wilbur and Orville Wright, and a Civil War Battle Place? You will be amazed when you discover how much history and also the history keepers in your region.

Places and Events of Personal Interest. You may have been fascinated with a certain topic in school or college and now is your chance to discover more about it. For example, the Gold Rush, The Cold War, Vietnam, Rocket History, and so much more. When you work from a personal interest, your drive for the story increases.

Topics from books or short stories that you would like to Explore. Some of the great books or personal books only touch on stories. Perhaps you would like to interview people from the Deep South, the Railroad Days, or The San Francisco Quake. You can take this time to honor the real story behind the ideas in the book.

Look behind the story. Sometimes a book merely mentions a person or event. For example, Orville and Wilbur Wright are known but did you know that they had a sister who wanted to fly as well? Her story would definitely be worth telling. Sometimes a passing word or two about a person can bring on a worthwhile inquiry about the person.

Most of all have a vested interest in the research. Only you can tell the story your way. See it as a way of honoring a person and a special time marked by your perspective of history. Let us know if we can help you in your search along the way.

We know your story is one worth telling.