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Education & Information

Want to up your storytelling game? Put these 5 elements into every tale you tell.

Storytelling educator Philipp Humm says these five things make every story more interesting.

Photo credit: Canva

Being an engaging storyteller might be simpler than you think.

If there's one thing nearly every human on Earth appreciates, it's a well-told story. Our ancient love of stories is what leads us to read books and watch movies and spin tales around a campfire. A masterfully spun story can capture the attention of every ear in a room, and professional speakers know that one of the best ways to make a powerful impact on others is through storytelling.

Unfortunately, not all of us are skilled in the art of storytelling. Some people seem to have an intuitive sense of what to include and what to exclude to make a story shine, but others do not. A meandering, confusing way of telling a story can ruin a perfectly good tale, while excellent storytelling skills can make even seemingly mundane events engaging.

stories, storytelling, elements of a good story, how to tell better stories, engaging stories Storytelling is an art that we can all get better at.Photo credit: Canva

So how do master storytellers do it? What are the elements of a good story? Bestselling author, speaker, and coach Philipp Humm teaches people the art of storytelling and he shares five key things that make every story better.

First, Humm explains that the goal of a good story is to "zoom" the listener into the moment of the story and put them directly into the action. Then he shares the five elements that help you do that without getting bogged down in unnecessary details.

- YouTubewww.youtube.com

1. Location (Where are you?)

"Two weeks ago, I'm sitting on my couch in my living room taking a deep breath…"

"September 2019, I'm standing in front of the conference room ready to walk inside…"

As Humm shares, the moment you say "living room" or "conference room," your audience starts to visualize it. Importantly, you don't have to describe these locations. Let people create their own version of the place. Details that don't matter to the story itself don't need to be shared.

where are you, location, setting, storytelling, stories Where Are You Cordell Walker GIF by Sony Pictures TelevisionGiphy

2. Actions (What are you doing?)

Leave out the extraneous context or details and simply state what you are doing in that moment. Walking? Biking? Shouting? Waiting? "Whatever it is, just state the actions," Humm says. "State the verbs."

Example: "I'm in my office, I open my laptop and start reading a message by my manager…"

Stating the actions brings in forward momentum, Humm says, bringing the listener right into the moment. "When you do that, your audience will immediately know you won't waste their time. You're straightaway taking them into the most important part of the story.

what are you doing, setting, action, storytelling, exposition Schitts Creek Wtf GIF by CBCGiphy

3. Thoughts (What are you thinking?)

Sharing the specific thoughts you were having at the crucial moment in the story can help bring a listener into your inner world, adding another layer of interest to the story. Instead of "I was excited to see my crush," try sharing the actual thoughts you were having—"I thought, 'Ah, this will be so cool to see her after all this time.'"

"It's a tiny tweak, but it makes any story more interesting," Humm says. However, he says, make sure the thoughts you share are worded the way you really would think them. The goal is to personalize the experience for people, not to sound professional or intellectual. "Give us the raw, unfiltered thoughts" he says. They will make your story more relatable.

what are you thinking, what, thoughts, storytelling, stories Jaz Sinclair Gen V GIF by Amazon Prime VideoGiphy

4. Emotions (What are you feeling?)

"The best stories? They're emotional," says Humm. "They take the listeners on this emotional journey." You can simply state the feeling—I was excited. I was disappointed. I was angry. But if we want to paint a picture for our audience, we need to show the emotions. For instance, instead of "I was relieved," you can describe how relief felt in your body. "I leaned back on the sofa and let out a huge sigh." Instead of "I was super excited," you might say, "My heart felt like it was going to beat out of my chest." Showing emotion this way makes the story much more visual.

how do you feel, feelings, emotions, storytelling, thoughts, stories What Do You Think Schitts Creek GIF by CBCGiphy

5. Dialogue (What are you hearing?)

Many stories have more than one character. What did they say at the crucial moment of the story? You can show emotion with body language, and you can also show it with dialogue. Of course, you want the dialogue to actually be catchy and concise, not boring, so don't include dialogue just to include it. Share the things that made the moment what it was.

"Dialogue is such a simple tool to make any story much more interesting," Humm says. "It is actually the tool that I use the most."

what did you hear, hearing, thoughts, conversation, dialogue Season 3 Episode 6 GIF by Parks and RecreationGiphy

People who struggle to tell stories well are sharing their appreciation for Humm's mini-lesson:

"I thought this was just a clickbait title, but bro over-delivered 1001% value. Absolutely brilliant, actionable insights!"

"Thank you! Thank you so much! I've been saying it. Big creators will tell you to use storytelling and confuse you on what storytelling is. This video is literally the easiest video any beginner will understand, without pressure too! Thank you once again."

"This is so freaking good! I’m sharing this with some of my coworkers who coach TED speakers so they can share how to better tell their stories. We’re often saying these things, but it’s so well said here!!!"

"This is one of the best breakdowns of storytelling I've seen! The five techniques—location, actions, thoughts, emotions, and dialogue—are so simple yet powerful. I especially loved the point about 'zooming into the moment' instead of just summarizing events. Definitely going to use these tips in my own storytelling!"

stories, storytelling, elements of a good story, how to tell better stories, engagement Storytelling skills can come in handy both professionally and personally.Photo credit: Canva

And some even made their praise into…you guessed it…a Humm-inspired story:

"Abe sat in the cafe, sitting hunched back in his chair as he listened to the intro of this video. In that moment he thought to himself, 'THIS is why my youtube videos are flopping... How the heck did I not know this stuff?! WTF?! This is GREAT!'... He quickly changed his posture, moving to the edge of his chair, and sitting upright. He scrambled to close his YouTube Analytics and quickly opened google docs to take notes. He sat there, staring intensely at his computer screen, all he could think was, 'I'm so lucky to find this video.'"

"I was lying on my bed, feeling sleepy but not quite ready to sleep, so I started browsing YouTube. Suddenly, a video caught my eye. I thought to myself, 'Great, another boring video to help me fall asleep.' I clicked on it, expecting to drift off. But as I watched, I found myself becoming less sleepy and sitting up in my bed. It was like discovering a whole new world. I never imagined I'd have such an Aha moment tonight."

"As I sat on my couch and scrolled on my YouTube home feed, I saw the title of this video. I thought 'great, another promise on getting better at storytelling that will likely simply focus on why storytelling is important.' After all, every single book I’ve read on the matter so far has disappointed me in this way. Imagine my surprise when as I kept watching, I felt the eyes in my mind clearing up, catching more light, the light of insight. This video over delivered, and for that, I am grateful."

You can follow Philipp Humm on YouTube for more storytelling tips.

From Your Site Articles

communication

Education

Teachers says she runs her classroom like a 'corporate office'—she even gives PTO

Do you agree with this approach?

@bored_teachers/TikTok, Photo credit: Canva

Some say it's a brilliant idea. Others call it corporate indoctrination.

Teachers provide students with the necessary skills and education to serve them in adulthood. For one teacher, that means introducing them to the office environment as early as possible.

While appearing on the Teachers Off Duty podcast, high school teacher Leslie Robinson broke down how she treats her Family and Consumer Sciences (previously known as “Home Ec”) classroom “like it’s an office building.”

“Each desk simulates a cubicle so each student is like, working in a corporate office — their desk, their office, their business. If they’re listening to music, if they’re on their phone, if they are eating their snacks — that’s your office. As long as your office is clean when you leave, that is your responsibility,” she explained.

However, if any choice affects a student's "productivity," Robinson will note that on her "job assessment,” and it will affect a student's “job score” and “paycheck,” aka their grade, which Robinson updates on a biweekly basis.

@bored_teachers Would you try this in your classroom??
♬ original sound - Bored Teachers

In addition, students “clock in” and “clock out,” and even accrue “PTO” on a points system—An A gets 15 PTO, a B gets 10, and so on—which also affects their grade every two weeks, and comes in handy if a student is in need of a break.

At this point, the podcast hosts wondered how Robinson could possibly keep track of all that. To which Robinson said, “I don’t…I write it on a slip of paper in cursive, because they can’t duplicate my handwriting, and then they have to keep it, just like they keep their dollar bills. If you go to a store., and you lost your dollars, I can’t pay you..”

Across TikTok and Instagram, where the clip was shared, opinions were mixed. On the one hand, some viewers were concerned that it more or less churned out more employees for the corporate workforce.

“This is just indoctrination to Corporate America. Gross.”

“Immediately no. This is fast tracking to an employee mindset and fueling the status quo. There’s creativity in the behavioral process, sure. However, the mindset here is limiting.”“I understand her perspective, but she’s essentially training these kids to be employees rather than employers and entrepreneurs.”

“This is smart but also kind of sad.”

Another person pointed out that this approach reflects a culture that is quickly being dismantled.

“Not gonna lie… I hate this. lol! I hate the idea of teaching kids 9 to 5 clock in clock out culture. Particularly because the world is rapidly changing. The jobs we see emerging now don’t follow that. A better analogy would be running a business to teach self motivation and entrepreneurial thinking because those are the skills kids will need.”

Still, others found the idea to be incredibly creative, fun, and incredibly relevant.

“You are showing life skills.”

“This teaches you to show up on time. How to complete tasks, how to follow rules and instructions, teaches you responsibility by not losing the ticket and much more but also freedom to use your time wisely [and] say if you are having a bad day. I think this is a system that should be used more.”

“The way I would’ve had straight As if my classes had been run this way. Music, snacks, and works at my own pace. The one time

“I totally love this concept!! Talk about a real world connection 👏👏👏”

Whether or not you jive with Robinson’s exact approach, it’s hard not to agree that students need more than just academic learning. They need to learn crucial adulting skills as well. And the opportunity of putting it in a classroom setting is that learning these skills can be far more enjoyable that learning them the hard way later in life. Thank goodness we have teachers lie Robsinon who even attempt unique strategies in order to get their students entering adulthood with as much savviness as humanly possible.

Catch the full Teacher Off Duty episode below:

- YouTubewww.youtube.com

From Your Site Articles

kids

Education

8 classes that should be required for all students before they hit adulthood

If we want to prepare kids for adult life, we've got some glaring gaps to fill.

Photo by Sam Balye on Unsplash

Why aren't we teaching students the things they really need to know as adults?

I remember sitting in advanced algebra and trigonometry class in high school wondering if I was really ever going to use any of what I was learning. Math at that level meant nothing to me in a practical sense. I planned to study English and education to become an English teacher, so I couldn't imagine why I'd need to learn the ins and outs of trig.

As it turned out, some of what I learned came in handy in the functions class I was required to take to fulfill my math requirement in college. But again, I found myself sitting in class with zero idea of why I was learning this level of math and suspecting that I was never going to actually use that knowledge in my adult life.

Now I'm a middle-aged adult and I can say with absolute certainty that I was right. In 27 years, I have not used anything I learned in functions. Not once. Not even a little bit. I agonized my way through that class to eek out a B-minus and to promptly forget everything I'd learned because it was utterly useless to me.

To be clear, higher math isn't useless—it's amazing. It was just completely useless to me.

You know what would have been useful? Learning about financing a car or a mortgage or understanding how and why and where to invest money. In all that time I was doing trigonometric proofs and calculating polynomial functions, I could have been learning all the various real-life math-related decisions I'd have to make as an adult.

I see the same thing happening with my kids in high school and college. It totally makes sense for students who are interested in going into math and science fields to take math beyond basic algebra and geometry, but for those who aren't—why bother? There are so many more valuable things for them to take the time to learn—things that every single person really needs a basic knowledge of, such as:

Basic Psychology/Mental Health Maintenance

Every one of us has a brain and mental health is an issue for a huge percentage of people. According to the World Health Organization, 1 in 4 people globally will be affected by a mental health disorder at some point in their lives. Even those of us who don't struggle with mental illness benefit from learning about how our minds work, gaining strategies for managing our thoughts, emotions and behaviors, and understanding why people do the things they do.

How many people would have been saved by learning how to spot a narcissist before getting into a relationship with one? How many people could mitigate an anxiety spiral right when it starts because they learned to recognize the signs earlier? How many people would appreciate the support and understanding of everyone having a basic understanding of their mental health disorders?

Basic Sociology/Human Behavior

Similarly, every one of us lives in a society. Understanding social connections, relationships, and group behavior might just come in handy. If we don't understand the causes and consequences of human behavior, we're going to be confused by society at best and allow or enable atrocities to occur at worst.

From learning how cults and conspiracy theories work to recognizing how our prejudices can blind us to reality, sociology has useful knowledge we all need to internalize.

Media Literacy

If we're going to be bombarded with media 24/7, we'd better know how to process it. Understanding how journalism works, what makes a source credible, how information can be skewed and how to recognize misinformation and disinformation is vital. What is bias and how can it be mitigated? How can we recognize when an outlet values accuracy?

So many of the problems the U.S. is facing currently are due to people watching or listening to dubious news sources. Mandatory media literacy courses would (hopefully) go a long way toward changing that.

The Stock Market and Other Investments

I underestimated how much I'd need to know about the stock market when I was younger. None of that economic stuff interested me, but I wish I understood it better now.

But really, it's investing in general that we need to understand more about when we're younger, especially since starting young is the No. 1 best advice any financial advisor will give you.

How Banking, Credit, and Credit Cards Work

Every single one of us uses a bank or credit union and credit is a huge part of adult life. And yet, most people I know have had to piece together how credit and credit cards actually work through advice from friends and family and good old trial and error, sometimes with devastating consequences.

Taxes

Good gracious, right? Not just how to do taxes, but what taxes get used for.

Financial literacy is what I'm saying. We need mandatory financial literacy classes. (In 2022, Florida became the first state to require personal finance education to graduate, so yay Florida.) I think I was required to take economics in high school, but it was much more high-level economic theory than personal finance. We need personal finance first, then the bigger picture.

First Aid/Safety/Self-Defense

Most of us probably got some first aid and/or CPR training in health class, but how comprehensive was it? Did it include infant CPR? Do we know how to recognize if someone is having a stroke? Signs of infection?

What about basic everyday safety, like why you shouldn't leave a car running in a garage or common household fire dangers or how to spot asbestos?

Self-defense seems like a no-brainer. Basically, a "How to Stay Alive and Keep Others Alive" course that includes most everything you need to know to protect yourself and your loved ones on a daily basis.

Navigating our Healthcare and Health Insurance System

Ugh. I've been an adult for almost three decades and everything about our healthcare system confuses and frustrates me. Maybe if we required schools to teach young people how it works, it would shine a big spotlight on how ridiculously and unnecessarily complicated it is because no one could possibly explain it in a way that's understandable. Maybe that would push lawmakers to actually do something about it, because honestly, it's just a gigantic mess.

There are surely others, but those are the major subjects that come to mind as vital after being an adult for a long while and seeing what my own kids need to have a decent grasp on as they make their way into the world. And honestly, there are some classes that adults should be required to take well into adulthood. Parenting classes, for example. Or local government and voting.

All subjects and courses have value to some people, but if we want students to be prepared for adulthood, we should make sure they are given the vital knowledge and skills every person actually needs and will use.

This article originally appeared three years ago.

From Your Site Articles

life skills

Parenting

Mom sets up 'Montessori-inspired' home to increase independence and boost confidence toddler

You can also do this by using aids like stools and kid safe utensils.

Kampus Production|Canva

Mom creates 'Montessori-inspired' home to increase toddler independence

Having children can present challenges that you may not always think about until it presents itself. Parents spend time preparing for a baby by baby proofing the house to make sure there's nothing dangerous that a newly exploring baby could get into. But when they become toddlers the focus shifts slightly to making the home more accessible to their little curious minds.

One mom decided that she would create a "Montessori-inspired" living space for her home to cater to her daughter's development. Roxan posted a video on social media showing how her home is set up with smaller versions of things in order to make sure her toddler can reach them. Cereal dispensers are on a small shelf that comes to the toddler's hip. There's tiny sink and soap dispenser so she can wash her hands and brush her teeth. Even the coat rack is down on the little girl's level.

The caption on the video reads in part, "Setting up a Montessori-inspired spaces at home helps your child learn and do things independently. Creating a special spot in a closet or drawer with reachable items allows them to practice everyday tasks by themselves. These prepared spaces not only promote independence but also boost confidence, making your child feel valued and included. Everything at Kalia’s height and everything in its own place ensures easy access to all her needs.Encouraging age-appropriate tasks fosters important life skills. Children thrive when they can do things on their own."

Parents in the comments were impressed with Roxan's system but expressed how expensive it looks to be. The mom pointed out that these are things you can do without going out and buying expensive play kitchens to convert.

"No need for extra furniture. Get creative with what you have, like using stools to reach the bathroom sink or placing utensils and snacks in lower cabinets. Simple adjustments can go a long way in making your home more accessible for your child," Roxan explains to another mom.

But for those who think this is extremely expensive to do, while the mom doesn't point it out, she has most of the items linked in her bio and people may be surprised at how affordable most of the things are. If you're curious at how a Montessori-inspired house could work, check out the video below.

View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Roxan | Montessori Inspired | Toddler Activities (@roxybondoc)

From Your Site Articles

montessori school

Culture

People are sharing the 'best advice they ever received' and it's simple but powerful

via Martin Westin / Flickr

Hearing the right words, at the right time, from the right person can have a tremendously positive effect on our lives. Good advice can help us get through the toughest times or avoid getting into trouble altogether.

But, of course, receiving good advice only really matters if we put it into use and share it with others.

Reddit user noob_24 asked the online forum, "What is the best advice you have ever received? The advice that has impacted your life the most?" and some of the answers are truly life-changing.

The advice ranged from simple ways to look at complex problems to lessons on how to treat your spouse or friends.

Here are 12 of the best responses.

"Use your vacation hours, and don't be afraid to call in sick every now and then either". No need to work like a dog and ignore your benefits to please a boss who doesn't notice. Vacation/staycation days are gems that everyone should take!" — CBtheNomad

"My current boss says something as a joke that has helped me a lot more than he realizes, I am a mechanic but am not always the most confident (even when I know what I'm doing). He says "only one way to fix it, fix it." Weirdly enough it always makes me focus and remember there's no secret trick he knows that I dont, just got to do it. Applied that to other areas of my life and it helps so much more than I would have thought." — gumbypunk95

"Under promise and over deliver." — Ajegwu

"Marriage shouldn't be a 50/50 split. It should be a 60/40 split where both are trying to be the 60%." — fluggelhorn

"Do your future self a favor. This relates to prepping for the next day (clothes ironed, lunch packed) to saving money to making healthy choices. It makes for easier decisions and a better life." — smom

"Nobody's looking at you. They're worrying about how they look." — the-keen-one

"When my late wife was initially diagnosed with Stage 4 breast cancer, a friend who had lost his wife to the same disease a few years earlier took me aside and told me, 'When this nightmare is over you have to be proud of yourself.' Over the next 3+ years she fought valiantly and I lived my life and based my decisions on that piece of advice from my friend. I quit my 75% travel job to spend time and help care for her - I would never wish o spent another night in a Hampton Inn rather than with her. I cashed out my 401(k) and Pension so that she could live comfortably and we wouldn't be scrimping and saving - I have decades to rebuild a plan for retirement. I will not have decades to spend with the woman I loved. She has since passed away and I am so incredibly thankful for that advice and for my following that advice. I am proud of myself and how much I loved her. I thank my friend every time I see him." — liquidreno

"I posted it elsewhere, but my step-dad once told me that: If there is a problem and you know the solution, you can solve it, so stop worrying about it. If there is a problem you can't solve, then there is nothing you can do, so stop worrying about it." — RealistMissy

"If you are ashamed to tell people what you are doing, you shouldn't be doing it." — LeeciXo

"What you did wasn't wrong, it was illegal. There's a difference.
My dad to me when I got caught with a bit of weed and thrown in a jail cell at 17." — Dragonet17

"When I was 19 I got busted selling drugs and got some time for it. 2 months in my girlfriend at the time admitted she had slept with someone and on the jail pay phone I lost my shit on her. I was mean. .. This mid-30s guy from Maryland I had made semi friends with asked me what was wrong so I played out what she had done in an unpleasant way. Jeff looks at me and says, 'doesn't she have your kid?' I respond 'yeah and she's out doing that with a 6 month old at home.' Jeff pauses for a long moment, looks me dead in the eye and replies 'Do you think you are the hero of her story?' I don't know why but that hit me like a bus being pushed by a crashing plane.

I wasn't even the hero of my OWN story and I had gone to jail after knocking her up because I wouldn't (couldn't really but I got myself into addiction) stop being a selfish ass. She wanted to break up with me but was having a hard time with it and she felt all alone in the world and uncared for and grabbed at the first person that showed her attention. Who am I to destroy the story of her life and expect something in return?

I gave it a couple days and called her back, told her I was sorry and I understand, I would never do that again and she deserved to be happy. I told her that no matter what I would straighten out and take care of our daughter and give her room to live her life. She said it was more adult than she thought I was capable of and wanted to start with a clean slate when I got out. 21 years later we are still together.

I will NEVER forget Jeff and him saying "Do you think you are the hero of her story?" It changed me fundamentally and all I want is to not be the villain in someone else's story ever again." — khavii

"I was in a pretty negative place in college, being quite cynical and sarcastic and really insecure with myself, so much that I was ragging on friends and generally trying to build myself up by putting other people down (you know the type, the friend who thinks he's busting chops but really is kinda just being a dick). My well-liked, popular roommate/friend noticed this and sent me this little bit, which I always hang onto:

'Immediately stop picking on peoples weaknesses, do what I do, expose their qualities and strengths, it makes them feel good about themselves and you too for noticing. When you make people feel good when you're around, they are going to remember that feeling whenever you show up, you'll be well received and missed often. Plus don't you want your friends to feel good about themselves?'

It made me re-visit the way I'd been treating people around me." — DangerousPushon

This inspired Saturniqa to share a story about a friend who's "universally loved."

"This! One of my friends is universally beloved and the most popular person I've ever known. He has a big circle of close friends (real ones and not including good acquaintances) who are extremely protective of him and deeply care about him. I kid you not, everytime we hang out, 1 - 3 people on the street stop and greet him heartily with a hug, chat with him for a few minutes before they move on. It's insane.

Since I struggle often in social situations (Asperger's), I started observing him whenever he interacted with me or others, in the hope of learning something. I noticed:

He never talks badly about others, regardless of whether this person is present or not.
He never partakes in trash talk, even when everyone in the group does.
If he talks about someone, he only mentions their positive qualities without exaggerations or brown-nosing. If someone pissed him off, he tells the story in a way that is focused on the situation itself and the way it made him feel.
He always praises others for their big and small achievements. There are no traces of pettiness, jealousy or envy. You know he means it.

He shares other's happiness over things he doesn't have. Like, when one of his wealthy friends buys a second fancy car while he can't afford a single one, he'll still be like "Wow, nice man! Let me take a ride or two with this one." They'll drive around, have lots of fun and go have a drink. He also openly compliments a male friend's super fit body without fearing he might come off as "gay" and is proud and supportive when that friend gets female attention like he always does even though he (my friend) himself isn't particularly trained and didn't have a serious relationship until recently (he's 26).

Yeah, I love this guy."

From Your Site Articles

Parents create a 'Common Sense Camp' to teach kids the life skills so many are lacking

Throughout human history, older people always complain that the younger generation lacks the common sense and life skills they learned growing up. Then, when the younger generation gets older they judge the one that came after them.

It's a dance that's been happening for centuries. However, this time the old folks may be right.

Studies show that younger Americans are incredibly tech-savvy and great at academics but aren't quite up to snuff when it comes to basic life skills. Studies show they are much more likely to order take out than to cook for themselves.

They also don't know how to check their tire pressure, sew, make basic home repairs or drive a manual transmission.

So they're stuck having to pay people to perform basic tasks that they should have learned at some point in their first twenty-some-odd years on Earth.

Parenting coach Oona Hanson and her husband Paul, have decided to reverse this trend in their family by sending their two children, daughter, Gwendolyn, 17, and son, Harris, 12, to Camp Common Sense.

— (@)

Due to social distancing, the camp has two campers, two counselors and takes place in the Hanson's home.

The camp has eight themed weeks that include kitchen confidence, anti-racism, DIY, laundry and cleaning, safety and emergency preparedness, personal finance, city savvy, and social skills.

Oona says she teaches the topics to her kids through a mixture of "direct instruction, independent research, and hands-on practice." They also watch movies that support to the themes to further drive home the message.

The family uses Catherine Newman's book "How to Be a Person: 65 Hugely Useful, Super-Important Skills to Learn Before You've Grown Up" as a basic camp manual.

via Debbie Fong / Twitter

"I chose to use this book as a guideline because it's written and illustrated with charm and joy and infused with humor and empathy," Oona told Today. "It's not an adult talking down to kids; it's an adult inviting kids into the world and explaining how you function in daily life."

The Hansons saw quarantine as the perfect time to teach their kids the skills they always planned to "someday."

"It always seems like we're going to get around to teaching them these things 'someday,'" she said. "There's that fantasy that before they go to college, they're going to learn these thousand skills that actually take time to learn and practice. Right now, we have the time it never seems we have to do it."

Camp days aren't all work and no play though. The kids still get time for physical activity, arts and crafts, and a little screen time.

The Hansons hope the lessons they teach now will pay dividends over the long haul.

"I'm OK if the kids are rolling their eyes at us now if later they can look back and say, 'I'm so glad I know how to make pancakes for 12 people.' That will bring so much joy and connection," Oona said.

From Your Site Articles

What do at-risk teens do with $1,000? Turns out they help each other.

True

When Heather Campbell-Lieberman first applied to teach at Lakota East High School in Ohio, she had one request:

She needed the school to let her students give away a thousand dollars.

In her previous teaching position, Campbell-Lieberman had incorporated the values of Magnified Giving into her curriculum. The Ohio-based organization inspires and engages students around philanthropy by offering them a $1,000 grant to give away to the charity of their choice.Alumni of the program have even gone on to work in the Ohio State House.

But each school only gets one grant per year, which means the students have to work together to decide the best way to spend it. That's where the education part comes in.

[rebelmouse-image 19528205 dam="1" original_size="1200x581" caption="Butler County, Ohio, where Lakota East High School is located. Photo by S&Mj Adventures." expand=1]Butler County, Ohio, where Lakota East High School is located. Photo by S&Mj Adventures.

The celebrated stories of student philanthropy typically come from private schools and honor roll programs. But the students at Lakota East don't fit into those categories.

Cambell-Lieberman was hired to teach a course called English & Connections, which she describes as akind of applied hybrid of life skills and writing, reading, and storytelling that caters to at-risk students — those who come from low-income or undersupported families or who struggle with disabilities or other marginalized identities. (Other Magnified Giving programs have engaged students with autism as well.)

"Many of the population in my classes are students who are typically served by nonprofits, so it's a whole different mindset for them to get in a place to be on the giving end," she explains. "You get to kind of turn it around and say 'You have something to give,' whether that's your time, your talent, or your treasure."

Photo by Heather Campbell-Lieberman.

Magnified Giving allows Campbell-Lieberman's students to apply lessons from English and life skills in one project.

Each student in Campbell-Lieberman's three class sections spends four months working on a research paper about a charity of their choice. Then they pitch their case in a class presentation. In order to succeed, students need to explore things like overhead costs, operating budgets, volunteer arrangements, and more: Where is this money going, and what's it being used for?

Students vote on the best presentation in each class, and representatives from the three winning organizationsare then invited to an assembly to speak directly to the students and explain why, exactly, their charity deserves the funds.

"Whether or not their agency is selected by the classes, the students are informing their peers about the power and impact of that agency. So they take a lot away from that opportunity," Campbell-Lieberman says."It's something personal they can research and ultimately have an impact on."

A student activity involving empathy for people with disabilities. Photo by Heather Campbell-Lieberman.

The most remarkable part? The students almost always end up picking projects that have directly helped their fellow students.

A lot of Campbell-Lieberman's students spend their time at the local teen community center, and technically, they could put that thousand dollars toward a renovated basketball court or a cutting-edge computer lab for everyone to enjoy — you know, something fun and enjoyable and still technically nonprofit.

But that's not what happens, Campbell-Lieberman says. "Almost always, the students have ultimately selected a charity that one of the students has benefitted from."

She lists a cascade of examples: a student who pitched a homeless shelter at the local Ronald McDonald House, without telling the class they had lived there themselves; cancer charities that bonded the class through shared tragedy; mental health care initiatives; and this past year, a nearby support center for victims of domestic violence.

Campbell-Lieberman goes on to explain that, "The at-risk population sometimes has more experience with these things, and so it's a highly personal connection for them, and a huge shift to be able to give back to agencies that have impacted their lives in a significant way."

Photo by Heather Campbell-Lieberman.

The takeaway is clear: Teens really do care about their communities. They just need a chance to make an impact.

That's why, after eight years of success with Magnified Giving, Campbell-Lieberman is stepping out of the classroom and into the role of a teaching coach, helping other educators launch these kinds of interdisciplinary philanthropy curriculums in their own schools and communities.

"I think the real issue in creating new philanthropists is for people to understand that everyone can contribute to the betterment of their community and their society, and you don't have to be wealthy and you don't have to have money in your pocket to make that happen," she says.

"The more we can do that and connect with kids who would not volunteer for the philanthropy club, would not be in national honor society, the more difference we can make."

Interested in Magnified Giving? Learn more (or consider making a donation).

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