The Montessori Borealis Filmmaking workshop is a three-week film intensive with 7th to 8th grade students at Montessori Borealis in Juneau. Students will create films about topics of personal interest to them, chosen from the theme of “community and place”. Students will make films from topics ranging from profiles of local businesses in Juneau, documenting local science research, or a profile of their school community and projects. Students at Montessori Borealis will receive support on learning skills related to researching, independent writing, speaking and listening, and critical analysis in text through writing interview questions, facilitating interviews with community members, and research using primary sources.

See Stories will utilize culturally responsive, brain-based, and trauma-informed approaches to digital storytelling education. We will honor the oral traditions that many of these students come from through the integration of storytelling / interviewing. The workshop will have a science, social studies, and English focus based on student interest. Students will have the freedom to focus on a narrative of their choice and be provided daily direct instruction that will guide them through the process of documentary filmmaking. 

See Stories mission is to build inclusive communities through film and storytelling. Through our workshops, we aim to empower students to creatively express themselves and share their stories. As students learn the fundamental skills of digital storytelling, they will gain vital media literacy skills to equip them for their futures. See Stories is partnering with Montessori Borealis teaching partners, Bridget Braley and Thomas Schwartz, who intend to use the tools learned in this workshop to equip their adolescent classes with vital digital storytelling and literacy skills for years to come. By working closely with teachers at Montessori Borealis, this three-week media intensive will not only empower current students with the digital media skills necessary to tell their stories, but provide a framework for teachers at Montessori Borealis to sustain digital media projects into future curriculum/student cohorts.

This project is funded by Alaska DEED with the Afterschool programs grant.

This workshop is open to 7th – 8th grade students at Montessori Borealis in Juneau, AK. 

Interested in partnering with See Stories to bring a filmmaking or podcasting workshop to your community? Reach out to us here!