What's your story type

When I was asked to do a program for the Bridge House Brats in Phoenix, NY, I was stuck on the idea that these school aged kids from 8 to 18 years old were cleaning up the park by the lake for their summer vacation. Seems to me that should be a consideration for creating their own stories of their experiences as youthful park tenders. They cleaned up at the boat launch right on the Oswego River.

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The, on August 1rst on a bright. day ,I discovered the Launch was on the way back from a garage sale the other side of town.

An older gentleman got talking to us, and I presented my card, we chatted about history, and the need to preserve it and I shared my book work with him. "Perhaps you should come and speak to the kids, if you can. It would be a good program for them. You can contact our director!"

Back at home I thought about all the inspirations I had to write, and in the process kept discovering my own voice. I thought about using one of my interactive art pieces, and improv exercises to pull them up our of their heads, and encouraging them to express with their own style of storytelling.

Some would be illustrators, who just loved to draw. Others liked taking pictures, and yet some liked scribbling in journals. I contacted the director and set the date.

I pulled up to the boat launch on August 7th ,, 2025 with hopes I could inspire. According to OPS Director Kathy,, there was a full assembly of 40 children. What happened that day was a

group of 11, who gathered with me in the gazebo and I set up my interactive art piece .

I instantly saw in that environment, with motorboat and bridge sounds in the heart of summer behind me, I had to get really animated!

I urged the children to search themselves for their story style. And emphasized that all were

capable , where were my photographers, illustrators, writers? . It was a bit tough breaking through , but employing some jokes, using some improv exercise, with animals and nature , shook them alive.

A few got a bit rowdy, once their energy unleashed. MY headless guitar player art piece, offered

ample opportunity to see the hams in the group.

Ending on that note I suggested that they all consider making a story of their individual content and style, and discussed with Kathy the possibility to create a book of stories that would promote

the Bridge House Brats and the unique park clean up and tending that the children do each summer.

Feeling very grateful as some of the older children help re load my interactive art piece in the van, I wished them a great rest of the summer. Kathy said shed let me know any success in getting the children to produce some stories.

And I have another great summer memory and a new idea to enhance my programs. And there may be some stories being produced up in Phoenix, NY.

Group improv