Hi there! If you follow me on Twitter, you probably saw me at this year’s Star for a Night charity gala. You can also learn more about it in this recent blog post.

So many of you shared positive feedback and ways you give back, so today, I want to tell you about another charity that I absolutely love – Young Storytellers.

Young Storytellers Foundation is a nonprofit that helps kids develop their creative writing skills through storytelling. It was started in LA over 20 years ago when a group of film students decided to take action after seeing public schools cut back their creative programs due to budget cuts. Young Storytellers hosts programs in local schools across the country to help bring creative arts education back to students’ curriculums at no cost to the schools.

One of the programs, Script-to-Stage is a volunteer-based ten-week program for public elementary schools. Students write their own original short script and they get a chance to see their scripts performed by professional actors volunteering their time – like me!

During the program, each student works one-on-one with a mentor who guides them through the writing process and encourages them to be creative as they develop their own short story.

Then, it’s time for the main event, the BIG Show, where I, along with fellow volunteer actors, perform the kids’ scripts. My favorite part of the BIG Show days are the warm-up theatre games we play with the young writers before the show. It actually looks like a real casting audition. Each actor needs to showcase their skills and tell the script authors why he or she is the best choice for a particular role. Believe it or not, I always get nervous as if I’m on a real casting audition. Trust me – those kids are always on-point with their critique!

After the writers cast the show, we get our scripts and then it’s curtain time! We perform each script in front of the audience. For me, the most rewarding part is seeing how proud the kids are as their own stories are being performed on stage. It’s amazing to see the look on their faces!

I really believe that this program not only helps children to discover the power of their imagination, but also inspires them to believe in themselves and know that their dreams can become reality.

If you want to learn how you can volunteer or donate to Young Storytellers visit their website. Who knows, maybe we’ll share the stage together at the next event!

Thanks for reading my blog. Make sure to follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @RonniHawk and check out my new pages on About.me, Pinterest and LinkedIn.

 

About the Author

Known for her roles in such hit shows as “Stuck in the Middle” and “On My Block,” Ronni Hawk is a popular actress and model. Ronni Hawk is also actively engaged with a number of charitable organizations. She regularly volunteers at animal shelters, goes on mission trips abroad to help people in need and is very passionate about protecting the environment. She shares her thoughts and experiences on several blogs, including Blogspot and Medium, as well as her YouTube channel.