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Sustainability Invitation
Emerson Sustainability is currently preparing for the annual Campus Race to Zero Waste competition that runs from February through the end of March. It’s a friendly competition between universities in North America to reduce waste on campuses and raise awareness about waste-related behaviors. In celebration of Campus Race to Zero Waste, we are participating in the Green Event Certification program and we hope you will join us in this challenge. In advance of your travel to Boston, we encourage you to bring a reusable water bottle and/or hot thermos and utensils to reduce the need for single use products.
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Our Stories: Utilizing Story Theatre Practice as Mental Health Modality in School and Community Settings
Sunday March 23, 2025 10:15am - 11:30am EDT
LB 229
Session Evaluation
OUR STORIES: We Can Be Heroes/Heroines
Presenter: Dylan Russell
OUR STORIES: We Can Be Heroes Utilizing Generative Theatre Practice as Mental Health Modality in Community Settings. We are at an emergent moment where arts in public health and the arts as civic engagement are being accepted and integrated into the fabric of community well being. From music therapy being utilized to heal Parkinson's patients to the Massachusetts Cultural Council's first statewide arts prescription program in the US, we are seeing the arts accepted as a treatment for physical and behavioral health issues. Five years ago, I created OUR STORIES  - a community arts venture between Orange County Healthcare Agency and Laguna Playhouse. This program was created as a response to studies showing depression and isolation experienced by youth 16-25 and a belief that engagement in the arts could make a difference in this health crisis. Participants will experience an OUR STORIES workshop utilizing storytelling and devised theater exercises to explore the lived experiences that form one's identity. Activities tap into memories and stories of our lives and are shared collectively. This act of having others witness your story creates a shared place where we can bridge isolation and the differences that often separate us from one another. We discover the hero/ine within ourselves. This theatre in health workshop will demonstrate the healing that emerges from storytelling. We will explore the ways this work can be used in formal and informal settings to support development of students' SEL and create connection. Together, we'll collaborate to define a core set of outcomes for this learning and ways to bring transformational arts to your community or classroom.


Exploring Mental Health Through Story Drama  
Michelle Gram Giesen
In this interactive workshop, attendees are guided through a Story Drama or immersive storytelling experience of the picture book Dark Cloud by Anna Lazowski. The main character, Abigail, suddenly has a dark cloud following her around.  Participants will predict, observe, and identify how the cloud affects Abigail's social-emotional and mental health, and determine potential strategies to support the young girl. Participants will use movement, tableau, writing in role, role play, improvisation, poetry, large and small group collaboration, and more to experience the story rather than listen to it as passive audience members. The drama unfolds as the story unfolds. This workshop illustrates how drama can be explored as an inquiry process. Dark Cloud will be read in segments, with periodic pauses to use drama, movement, writing, and music exercises to investigate key moments, evaluate character perspectives, question choices, build environments, and explore present themes. This workshop offers step-by-step guidance to successfully implement Story Drama into regular storytelling sessions for Grade 1-8. Additionally, attendees will be provided a collection of 15+ Story Drama exercises that elevate and activate storytelling using rich picture books, a sample unit plan, and various assessment templates.  
Speakers
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Michelle Gram Giesen

Story Drama Suite
Michelle Gram Giesen has worked at the Toronto District School Board in Canada for 16 years, as an elementary teacher, drama specialist, integrated arts teacher, librarian, and presently as an Arts Teacher Mentor with the board. She is an actor, puppeteer, voice actor, and the founder... Read More →
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Dylan Russell

STORY613
Dylan Russell is a professional stage director, producer and teaching artist. Dylan is an award-winning educator who has taught every age group in formal and informal learning environments for over 20 years.  She created OUR STORIES Program that utilizes storytelling and devised... Read More →
Sunday March 23, 2025 10:15am - 11:30am EDT
LB 229
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