In 2010 Story To College collaborated with the City University of New York (CUNY) to plan and implement pilot programs that adapted Narativ’s storytelling methodology in a variety of different classroom settings to students of different ages and diverse academic and economic backgrounds.
Based on data from approximately 250 NYC students who have taken our College Essay Writing Workshops and Seminars – from both public and independent schools – our initial findings include:
Strong metrics from pilot courses:
- 100% of students surveyed say they would recommend to friend
- 97% report increased ability to listen to self and others
- 94% report improved confidence in writing and public speaking
The storytelling methodology cuts through adolescents’ obstacles to self-expression.
Students report increased attributes of college readiness, including stamina, confidence, teamwork, and sense of belonging.
Students also report improved writing skills for high school course work.
While our courses initially targeted students in eleventh and twelfth grade, the tenth graders in our sample showed some of the most dramatic improvements and said that the storytelling principles helped them plan and organize their writing in their other school courses.
