The StoryLab at Dennison Memorial Center needs your help!

StoryLab at Dennison Memorial Center is a weekly creative education program for elementary through high school students focused on writing, public speaking, and the importance of storytelling across multiple creative disciplines.

Through hands-on lessons, collaborative projects, and regular showcases, students learn how stories are shaped and shared through writing, performance, film, music, and media. The program emphasizes confidence, communication, creativity, and teamwork, helping students develop skills that apply both inside and outside the classroom.

Using a multi-age, mentorship-based structure, older students, instructors, and creative professionals support younger participants. The program culminates in collaborative group projects—such as original songs, screenplays, and a short film submitted to the New Bedford Film Festival. The year concludes with a public showcase celebrating student work and creative growth.

We are seeking working creatives and professionals to collaborate with us by sharing how storytelling plays a role in what you do.

This is not about teaching a full course. It’s about showing young people what’s possible.

Who We’re Looking For

We welcome collaborators from a wide range of creative and professional backgrounds, including:

• Writers & journalists
• Filmmakers & videographers
• Musicians & songwriters
• Visual artists & illustrators
• Marketing & advertising professionals
• Designers & brand strategists
• Content creators & media professionals

If storytelling is part of your work, you belong here.

How Collaboration Works

Collaborators are invited to participate in one session per year, in a format that fits your style and availability:

• Lead a single class or workshop
• Give a presentation or talk about your creative path
• Share a project breakdown and how storytelling shaped it
• Participate in a Q&A or discussion with students
• Offer a short hands-on exercise
• Be available for class project feedback

Sessions are supported by StoryLab instructors and designed to be age-appropriate and welcoming.

Why Get Involved

By collaborating with StoryLab, you:

• Inspire young people to see themselves as creators
• Show how storytelling connects creativity to real careers
• Support confidence, communication, and creative literacy
• Give back to the local community in a meaningful, manageable way

Time Commitment

• One session (approximately 60 minutes in New Bedford, MA)
• Flexible scheduling during the program year
• No long-term obligation required
• Attend project showcase (optional)

The Impact

StoryLab culminates in collaborative student projects—including songs, scripts, and short films—with select film projects submitted to the New Bedford Film Festival. Your participation helps students connect classroom learning to real-world creative outcomes.

Interested?

We’d love to talk with you about how your experience and perspective could fit into StoryLab. For more information please contact Bob Unger at (508) 542-1252 or email rvunger73@gmail.com