We need your help to publish an
illustrated print and e-book of children’s stories created by and for children!
What do magic wolves with supersonic
hearing, flying book people and a Medusa whose hair of slithering, signing, snakes all have in common?
They were created in our collaborative storytelling workshop with first, second and third graders from PS 347 The
ASL and English Lower School. PS 347 serves deaf and CODA (Children
of Deaf Adults) students from diverse cultural and socio-economic backgrounds. Every day, these children navigate visual, spoken and written language and as such have a unique relationship to literature and
literacy. For three days teaching artists, performers, documentarians and
teachers worked together to ignite students’ imaginations, to validate
their creativity and to show them, through action, how much their ideas
matter.
The free workshop was only the first
of three components for our collaboration with PS 347. The second is to
create an original piece - inspired by the students' stories to be
performed on the High Line on April 23rd. The third is to create both a
companion print book and e-book (with ASL embedded in the storytelling),
filled with the students' stories illustrated by professional
theater designers and Deaf artists.
Why a book?
We all know books play a crucial
and vital role in a child’s development and never more so than when that child
is bilingual.
As beloved First Grade teacher, Dr.
Gary Wellbrock said:
“It is incredible to witness the way children
shine with a self-confident glow when they see themselves reflected in the
books they read. It helps them forge connections between the story
narrative and their own lives in a way that grabs their attention and
inspires them to read. When they heard that their stories would be published,
in a book, the room erupted with cheers of glee. What an amazing gift
Our Voices is giving them!”
Imagine the burst of pride these children will feel when they hold and see stories they created, transformed and dancing across the pages of a book illustrated by Broadway designers. Upon the book's completion, each student will receive a free copy of the book, and in an instant they will have concrete proof that their stories matter, that they matter. Copies of the book will also be donated to PS347 to provide inspiration to future generations of students, storytellers, and artists.
Our hope is students will see how a
seed of an idea can grow into something magnificent, taking on multiple
forms and return home richer for the experience of collaboration.
There are several ways you can help
us:
*Please note that to have your name in our book, we need to hear from you by APRIL 1, 2016.
Bookmark (15+) A special thank you in the book.
Booklight (25+) A special thank you in the book and one copy.
Little Librarian (50+) A special thank you in the book and two copies.
Librarian (100+) A special thank you in the book and four copies to share with friends!
Bookworm (250+) A special thank you in the
book, eight copies to share with friends and an illustrated thank you card from a PS347 student.
Editor (500+) A special thank you in the book, ten copies to share with friends and an original, illustrated story from one student beautifully framed.
Publisher (1000+) A special thank you in the book, ten copies to share with friends and an original, illustrated story from one student beautifully framed PLUS an ASL lesson with one of our amazing teaching artists and your own personalized ASL sign name.
From all of us at OUR VOICES, Twelfth House Productions LLC and PS 347...