By Jenny Walton
Second Story Intern
While driving last Saturday, I was listening to NPR which usually only happens when every other radio station is simultaneously playing “I Gotta Feeling,” another Black Eyed Pea lyrical conundrum that inexplicably incorporates mozoltov into the other two lines of the song: “I gotta feeling that tonight’s gonna be a good night” and “let’s do it.”
Anyway, back to NPR, I found myself listening to man read a ghost story that takes place in India and is about faceless people in the woods. As it turns out, the librarian I was listening to, David Wright, is a librarian at the central library in Seattle where he hosts a regular event called Thrilling Tales: A Storytime for
Grown Ups where adults come and eat their lunch while David reads. And I wondered why this sort of event isn’t more common. Or, if it is, why nobody’s told me about it.
A little different from Wright’s tales and a personal favorite of mine is Mark Twain’s essay on How to Tell a Story http://www.timsheppard.co.uk/story/dir/twain.html. Twain tackles the art of humor especially as it relates to the telling of a story.
There’s plenty of research explaining why parents should read to their children. And we all at least know about the importance of continuing to read, but maybe we should reconsider the importance of reading to each other beyond childhood even if Dr. Seuss or Bill Peet remain the authors of choice. “Cause I gotta feeling . . .”
Can’t be sure if I’m alone in this dilemma or not, but I really don’t like watching hours of TV. Don’t get me wrong I like TV. It’s just that I can’t really sit down and watch The Biggest Loser for two hours and walk away feeling like it was time well spent, especially because you can’t really walk away. For the last hour the station’s been playing clips of what’s next and the news sounds like it’ll be interesting tonight.
I guess I just like having something to show for my time. If I put off work or cleaning the bathroom for three or four hours, I want it to be because I did something besides look through all 748 Facebook pictures of that kid I haven’t talked to in three years. But it can be hard to find something that’s fun with a product and doesn’t cost $10 for the plain mug and $15 for the glaze and firing.
This week though, while observing a 7th grade English class at the Center of Inquiry (Indianapolis Public School No. 2), I was introduced to Storybirds, the answer to my indoor free time predicament. This website provides for hours of engaging and creative entertainment for anyone who enjoys writing or art, or especially those who enjoy both.
It’s a site where you select an artist, and then you create a story using the work of your chosen artist to illustrate your online book—and the artwork you can choose from is good, I promise. Then when you’re satisfied with your book, you publish it, which means other Storybirders can read it and make comments on it.
You can do it with your family or your friends, too. Make a game out of it. Take turns writing each page. Or have one person select the picture and have someone else write the material.
All you do is go to storybird.com, set up an account (which by the way is free! and doesn’t require you to download so many programs that you have to delete the pictures from grandma’s birthday party), and you’re ready to go. There’s a tutorial video for those who feel a little shaky on their internet-feet, but the site is relatively easy to navigate. Did I mention it’s free? So, do yourself a favor and at least check it out. If nothing else, it’s a really good reason not to do the dishes.
Visit storybird.com here.
October Second Story News:
1. New Fall Programs Seek Kids and Volunteers
2. Fundraiser Event this Saturday, Oct. 10 at Radio Radio
3. In-School Program at CFI Gets Started
4. Check Out Our New Website
1. Volunteers, Young Writers Needed for 2 After-School Programs
Join Us for Drop-In Writing help for kids:
After School Mondays in Fountain Square
Second Story is hosting a unique and free after-school program on Mondays this fall for students in the grades 3-6 located at the Wheeler Arts Community at 1035 Sanders St. in Fountain Square. Programming starts October 12 and runs through December 10, for a total of ten Mondays from 3:30-5:30 p.m.
The first half of each session will be dedicated help with writing or reading related homework. The second half will be set aside for creative writing games and writing prompts that are meant to be both accessible and fun for the students. Some of the work produced during this time will be published online and in a semester anthology. All young people in grades 3-6 from anywhere in the city are welcome to attend this free program. Parents will need to arrange for transportation for children participating in the program.
We are currently seeking 20-plus volunteers to help with this program. You don’t have to be a professional writer or teacher to help (though writers and teachers are more than welcome!). We’re looking for volunteers who are interested in creative expression and helping kids succeed. We’d also like volunteers to make a regular commitment to being there each week, but we could also use others who can fill in on occasion. You will receive training and support as a volunteer instructor.
For more information, reply to this email, visit http://www.secondstoryindy.org or contact Jim Walker (317) 408-1366.
Volunteer on Thursdays at MLK Center
Our second fall after-school program happens at the Martin Luther King Multi Service Center at 40 W. 40th Street by Tarkington Park. This program starts on October 29 and runs for seven weeks this fall. It is linked with existing programs at the center for kids from the neighborhood, so we are mainly seeking volunteers. Our programming will happen on Thursdays from 5-6:30 p.m. and will work in pretty much the same way described above. Please let us know if you’d like to participate.
2. Support Second Story at our Corporate Rock Off Fundraiser
Six bands featuring co-workers from Indianapolis companies and organizations will compete this coming Saturday, Oct. 10 to see who has the most mojo in Corporate Rock Off, a fundraising event for Second Story — a local nonprofit organization offering free writing workshops and tutoring for inner-city kids.
The bands in the event presented by Well Done Marketing include Vibe Dial, sponsored by rippleFX; The Raidiators sponsored by Raidious Digital Content Services; The Long Dong Bomb Poonan from Hong Kong sponsored by Bradley and Montgomery; Sea Krowns, sponsored by Big Car; Accordions, sponsored by Nogginwerk; and Indianapolis Monthly’s team, Misprintz, winners of this year’s local battle of the media bands.
Each band will play a 20-minute set in a one-round battle. Winners will be chosen through a combination of audience vote and selections by expert judges. The winning team will be announced that night and will conclude the event with an encore set. Teams or their sponsors chipped in $500 as a donation to Second Story, and 75-percent of ticket sales also go to the organization. As a prize, 25 percent of those proceeds go to the winning team’s charity of choice in the name of their company. The winning band also gets an opening slot at this year’s Tonic Ball.
Big thanks to board member Matt Mays for taking the lead on making this new and awesome event possible. And thanks to Radio Radio and all of the companies and organizations sponsoring teams. Thanks also to Well Done Marketing, HiDef Pictures and Mays Entertainment for their donations.
Also, we’ll have Second Story t-shirts for adults available for purchase at the event!
Calendar Information
What: Corporate Rock Off
When: 8 p.m. on Saturday, Oct.10
Where: Radio Radio, 1119 E. Prospect St.
Cost: $10, $5 with college ID. 21 and over.
Info: (317) 408-1366; http://www.secondstoryindy.org
3. Second Story Partners with Butler, IMCPL and IPS School No. 2
We’re very excited to have just started last week with our first middle school program, working with all of the 7th graders at IPS School No. 2, Center for Inquiry on Fridays at Central Library. This partnership with Butler University and the Indianapolis-Marion County Library’s Learning Curve brings graduate and undergraduate students from a for-credit course at Butler to the library to work in two-person teaching teams with workshops of five or six students. The class, taught by Second Story managing director Jim Walker, includes six very skilled, talented and creative students. The program will culminate in print and online materials and a public reading event in December the students and teachers. Thanks to everybody at Butler, IMCPL and CFI for helping make this exciting partnership possible.
Please visit our website http://www.secondstoryindy.org for more info or to make an online donation. And please forward this update to anybody you know who might be interested… Thanks!
Jim Walker
Managing Director
Second Story
1014 Prospect St.
Indianapolis, IN 46203
(317) 408-1366
Second Story is a nonprofit creative writing project for young writers in Greater Indianapolis. Through classroom exercises, after-school tutoring, and other special programs and events, Second Story helps kids 6 to 18 find joy in writing as they discover their voices, explore their world, and embrace a life of curiosity and self-expression. Learn more at http://www.secondstoryindy.org.
You’re here, so you know it is live. After working with a blog site for our first couple of years, Second Story’s new website—designed by our friends at MediumLarge—is up and running. We have lots left to do. But we didn’t want to wait any longer to make the switch. All of the gaps will begin filling in as we finish up the site in the next few weeks. Our goal is to create a site that does a great job sharing Second Story’s mission while working as a great resource for students, parents and teachers. Please let me know your thoughts on our new site and any suggestions you have for additions and improvements. Thanks!
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