What's Your Story?

I came across this touching digital story via Jim Gates (who came across it via Alec Couros who got it via Josh Spear). I can't figure out a way to describe it that does it justice, so you just need to go read/see it.

I think this is an excellent example of digital storytelling in the best sense of that phrase. It combines text and images in a way that tells a powerful story that I just don't think could be told as well with either text or images alone. I also think the presentation style that the web allows, how it transitions from one screen to the next, also adds to the impact of the story.

I think this is a story that could/should be shared in a variety of our classrooms, from Language Arts to Social Studies to Consumer and Family Studies to Art to Photography to Theater and most likely others. It should be shared because it's important, because it's a story that fits well into each of those content areas, and because it should serve as inspiration to our teachers and students to figure out their own story and then tell it in a similarly moving and graceful way.

So, what's your story?

It Takes a Whole Village (or High School)

Like in most school districts in the U.S., the high schools in my district have a pretty intense rivalry. But I just had to share this great story - and video - from our "rival" Heritage High School.

Via Dan Maas's (my CIO) blog:

During MAD Week, the school hosted a visit from Ishmael Beah who wrote a book (A long way gone) about his personal experiences as a child soldier. When Ishmael came to Heritage, he was greeted with a heroes welcome. Part of the welcome was to present a video about the effort that the students had put forth.

"MAD" stands for Make A Difference, and boy did they. They raised over $14,000 to help children in Sierra Leone, and one of their students delivered the aid in person. Here's the powerful video they made.

Way to go Heritage!