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Voices that matter, stories worth telling: Young writers at Boys & Girls Club turn imagination into reality through playwright program

Students in the Colorado New Play Festival's Youth Storytelling Program putting their imaginations to work.
Courtesy Photo/Colorado New Play Festival

A unique collaboration between the Boys & Girls Clubs of Northwest Colorado, the Craig-Scheckman Family Foundation and the Colorado New Play Festival is inspiring youth to create and share stories through the mediums of pen and stage. 

This year’s Youth Storytelling Slam, or Youth Playwriting Slam, as it is sometimes called, began Jan. 8. Entering its fourth year, it provides students in grades 4-7 the opportunity to write their own plays and see professional actors and actresses bring them to life on stage. The power of storytelling, the importance of teamwork and the vital role of community and organizational support are all key learning objectives of the program. 

The idea for the Youth Storytelling Slam was born in 2021 when the Colorado New Play Festival approached the BGCNWC with an outline for the event. The program launched with a small group of participants, cautious optimism and a lot of energy.



“We didn’t know how the program would work,” said Kelly Landers, development director at Boys & Girls Club of Steamboat Springs. “But with (local author) Dagny McKinley as the initial instructor, the kids were hooked, especially when they saw their work come to life with professional actors. It’s just grown and grown since then.”

This year there are 20 children participating. With such a high level of interest, program facilitators are reflecting on how to effectively share 20 plays without making the night of the final performance too long. 



“It’s a good problem to have,” said Colt Neidhardt, executive director of the Colorado New Play Festival. “We are probably at a point where we are looking at expanding the program to serve more students due to ever-increasing interest.”

Sherry Holland, a retired librarian and passionate storyteller who now leads the program, shared her methodology for engaging students. 

Sherry Holland teaches students how to create the magic through writing plays.
Courtesy Photo/Colorado New Play Festival

“We start with fun prompts, stories, riddles or rhymes to get them thinking,” she explained. “From there, we teach them how to build a story with strong adjectives, descriptive details and a clear arc. It’s amazing to see how their ideas develop into full stories.”

One of the most magical moments in the program comes during the final performance, when professional actors perform the students’ plays before an audience of family, friends, community members and program supporters. For many students, it’s a defining moment in their creative lives.

“You see them sit a little taller when their work is performed,” Landers said. “It’s a boost of confidence that carries into other areas of their lives.”

The performance is also an opportunity for constructive feedback from a panel of experienced artists and writers. This feedback allows students to reflect on their work and gain a deeper understanding of storytelling. Students receive a bound copy of their stories at the end of the program, which serves as an enduring and tangible reminder of their creativity and hard work.

The program’s success is a testament to the dedicated and collaborative coordination of multiple stakeholders.

The Boys & Girls Club provides a supportive environment for students to explore the arts while the Colorado New Play Festival supplies expertise and resources, including Holland’s engaging instruction and the professional actors who bring the plays to life. Key donors, such as the Craig-Scheckman Family Foundation, provide necessary support toward the cost of production, the staging of the final performance and other vital aspects of the program. 

“We are grateful to Kelly Landers and the Boys & Girls Club for hosting us, and to the Craig-Scheckman Family Foundation for their generous financial support, which allows us to offer this program free of charge to families,” said Neidhardt.

The program’s impact goes beyond writing and performing. By giving students a platform to express themselves, the Youth Storytelling Slam fosters creativity and confidence. Holland believes the program plays a key role in enhancing artistic offerings to youth in the community.

“This program allows kids to engage with storytelling in a way that’s not often available in a town that loves sports,” she said. “It’s a chance for them to go beyond classroom assignments and really explore their imaginations.”

The stories are diverse as the students who write them, ranging from whimsical tales of time travel portals to deeply personal narratives. One particularly memorable play from a past production centered on a young girl and her magical notebook, reflecting the student’s own passion for writing and imagination. 

“It’s wonderful to see the pride of authorship in students,” said Neidhardt. “They build technical writing skills, confidence, and a sense of collaboration, all while having fun.”

The program has grown each year, with more students returning to participate while also serving as mentors for their younger fellow playwrights. This year’s session incorporates earlier deadlines to allow for more peer review and revisions, ensuring an even richer experience for participants.

The culminating performance is set to take place at 6 p.m. March 27 in Library Hall at the Bud Werner Memorial Library. The event, which already has a high level of excitement building around it, promises to be a celebration of young voices, community support and the transformative power of storytelling.

Mentors and students of the Youth Storytelling Slam pose following a previous year’s culminating performance.
Courtesy Photo/Colorado New Play Festival

For Landers and her colleagues, the ultimate goal is simple — to empower young people to see themselves as creators. 

“This program shows kids that their ideas are valid, their voices matter and their stories are worth telling,” she said. “That’s something they’ll carry with them for the rest of their lives.”

Tickets to the March 27 performance will be available at the door with donations going toward the program being greatly appreciated.

For more information, visit bgcnwc.org. Information on the Colorado New Play Festival’s Youth Storytelling program is at cnpfsteamboat.org/storytelling-slam.

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