r By Lexi Vaughn & Amy Chandler
Early Tuesday morning Sept 25, 2018, the sixth-grade students of Spring Creek Elementary School buzzed with excitement as they anxiously awaited their turn to participate in My Story Matters’ “My Path” event. Over the course of the event, 65 students enjoyed the spotlight as stars in their very own photo shoots where our talented volunteer photographers captured the students’ bright faces and unique personalities in a variety of settings. As the sixth-graders completed their personal photo sessions, they made their way to a room with over 30 outstanding volunteers, including many youth volunteers from Merit Academy, who were instrumental in the success of the event. These volunteers dedicated several hours of their day to personally interview each of the students. The interviews allowed students to talk about their life experiences with questions ranging from their favorite colors and activities to how they have overcome challenges in their young lives.
My Story Matters loves partnering with local high school service groups & English classes to help make a difference in our community. For this project, we partnered with Merit College Preparatory Academy in Springville, UT. Over the past couple of years, they have been instrumental in preparing many of our storybooks for print. Their teacher, Lorena Moody, asked that her students be given the opportunity to not only continue creating the storybooks but also to come experience the actual event in interviewing the children.
Lorena Moody, faculty at Merit High School commented, “It was a wonderful opportunity for me and my students to participate in these field trips to help My Story Matters. It’s a great opportunity for our students to sit down with another student and expand their empathy and understanding to lots of different demographics. We all walk away better for having participated.” We have been very impressed with the students of Merit Academy and greatly appreciate the ways in which they continue to serve and help the children and families of My Story Matters. If you’re involved with a high school group looking for a fantastic service opportunity in 2019 reach out and let us know questions@mystorymatters.org.
To learn more go www.mystorymatters.org or follow us on Facebook; search for our page “My Story Matters”.
