Applications are now closed for the 2023-2024 WTS Cohort.
We anticipate opening applications for the 2024-25 cohort around February 2024.
What’s the Story? (WTS) empowers young people to become informed, strategic, and empathic change agents on topics of social concern they choose. WTS is an innovative, credit-earning program that invites teams of middle and high school youth to work on a year-long, inquiry-based project united by a common passion around a topic of social concern or celebration. These teams each create video documentaries as one way to synthesize and showcase their private learning while making it publicly relevant.
Cohorts of young leaders extend across geographies, schools, ages, and academic interests. At no cost to students or schools, WTS nurtures and networks self-reflective young leaders through authentic, challenging, and collaborative work.
WTS is proudly connected to the Middlebury Bread Loaf School of English, the Bread Loaf Teacher Network, and the Next Generation Leadership Network, all of which are filled with incredible people who are pedagogically and practically committed to responsible and involved citizenship.
To learn more or get in touch, please email us at whatsthestory@gmail.com.
To apply, please complete both parts of the application:
(1) Google Form
(2) release/permission/credit forms.
Key Dates for the 2023-2024 year
Please put the Key Dates in your and your family’s calendar when you apply.
Current Program Format
What’s the Story? has evolved to expand beyond Vermont. Our current model connects youth and adult partners from across Vermont as well as from across the country. In 22-23, WTS participants joined from Vermont; Aiken, SC; Santa Fe, NM; Louisville, KY, and Lander, WY! In order to connect locally and nationally, youth and adult partners will join the full WTS cohort remotely. However, in mid-July, everyone is invited to Vermont for an in-person weekend of networking, learning, and celebrating across distances and differences. Grant funds are available to pay for or substantially subsidize travel to Vermont, accommodations, etc.
* For VT students applying to WTS, it’s possible we can meet in person during some or all of the dates and meet the larger cohort through Zoom. It’ll depend a bit on how spread out we are. We can decide together.
To learn more about WTS VT, please explore the resources below. If you have questions about the program or application, please contact us at whatsthestoryvt@gmail.com.
- What’s WTS?
- Their Films
- What Matters Most (aka Outcomes)
- “Disruption in the Classroom.” Middlebury Magazine. Fall 2016.
- “Screen Doors: Five Tech Programs Opening up New Worlds for Kids.” Kids VT. October 2016. Five innovative programs leveraging technology in innovative ways in Vermont.
