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A look into the journey
Twelve youth joined for our first Leadership in Storytelling cohort.
Read through their journey below.
The First Gathering
January
What happened
The group of young storytellers came together for the first time, building trust through play, shared curiosity, and orientation into the program.
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These students were selected for the Leadership in Storytelling (LiS) program through an application and interview process earlier that month, and now gathered in person at the Mycelium Youth Network office.
The group plays a storytelling game: dice with images are rolled & stories are improvised based on what is seen
Key Learnings
Storytelling begins with trust, presence, and community.
Our community agreement discussion in this first session led to us creating these values:
Courage: to be honest and bring our full selves.
Kindness and Friendship: to be kind to each other, listen to each other, and value each others' voices.
Focus and Determination: to stay on task, be persistent, not give up and finish things.
Stamina, Speed, and Sanity: to take care of ourselves and show up for the group, to maintain energy and endurance, to be mindful of ourselves & others, and to keep our heads clear so that we can be alert and perceptive.
Creativity: to think outside the box, to make plans while being adaptable.
What happened
Students bonded as a group during our field site visits to the MLK Jr. Regional Shoreline and Eden Landing Ecological Reserve.
We planted native species at Eden Landing with Save the Bay, observed differences in the salt ponds, and journaled while murmurations of birds flew overhead.
Our discussions connected ecology, history, and storytelling.
The cohort went to Eden Landing Ecological Reserve to plant native species, such as Western Goldenrod and Marsh Gumplant, with Save the Bay.
Students write reflections in their journals at Eden Landing: “What does having a healthy Bay look like to you?”
Spotlight Moments
At Eden Landing, Lyra tries pickleweed - a native plant that grows in the wetlands of the Bay Area. It provides the main habitat for the Salt Marsh Harvest Mouse, a species endemic to the area.
It tastes salty, sour, and tangy!
Xavier takes a closer look at shells he found on the boardwalk nearby Arrowhead Marsh, a critically important wetland tract within the MLK Jr. Regional Shoreline.
The tract provides habitat for the endangered and endemic Ridgway’s Rail and Salt Marsh Harvest Mouse and serves as a stop on the Pacific Flyway.
A sneak peek into our Lessons...
Key Learnings
Wetlands & Ecology
The vital role of wetlands: their ecological functions, the species they shelter, and the growing threats of sea level rise, pollution, and development in the Bay Area.
Storytelling & Worldbuilding
How storytelling through games builds self-expression, socio-emotional skills, and radical imagination — the ability to envision the world not as it is, but how it could be.
Native, Non-Native and Invasive Species
The difference between these species and how each shapes the health and balance of local ecosystems.
Stories of place
History of development and industrialization, restoration and interwoven ecologies
Where Land and Story Meet
February
What happened
Youth combined restoration work, somatic practices, and storytelling exercises that explored memory, imagination, and collective care.
At the Palo Alto Baylands: LiS youth collaborated with other members of the public at one of Save the Bay’s volunteer restoration days. We removed invasive species like horehound, milk thistle, and mustard.
Looking at birds on MLK shoreline
Youth look out on the MLK Jr. Regional Shoreline, spotting birds through binoculars and making observations about what they’re experiencing. There are thousands of birds that visit the MLK Jr. Regional Shoreline, and the SF Estuary is a critical stop for migratory birds on the Pacific Flyway, one of the four major bird migration routes in North America. Wetland areas like this provide shelter and food for visiting species like the Western Sandpiper, and for those that live here year-round, like the endangered Ridgway’s Rail.
Another day's lessons...
Key Learnings
Every Voice Shapes the Story
Collaborative narration through roleplaying games is a method of storytelling that builds upon the contributions of everyone, and each game is unique.
Invasive Species & Intentional Stewardship
Invasives species arrive to new places in many ways, and we must emphasize intentionality, compassion, and caretaking of the land when we remove invasive plants from the environment.
From Seed to Restoration
From Save the Bay, we learned more about how plants spread their seeds, how seed is collected in the field, and the steps between the seeds being collected to when they can be transplanted at restoration sites.
Collaboration, Connection and Care
March
What happened
Students designed characters, narratives, and place-based quests while drawing from folklore, myths they felt connected to, and ecological knowledge.
They began planning the Community Day of Action and participated in restoration efforts at the MLK Jr. Regional Shoreline, where they imagined magical stories based on their experiences there.
Prompt: Choose one activity we’ve done so far on the shoreline or while outdoors and reframe it as something magical
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Sade writes her answer...
"During our Palo Alto Baylands clean up, it felt like walking into a wonderland and taking all the bad things that was hurting the land.
It was like lifting curses from a dark spell.
The Bat Ray, native to San Francisco Estuary, is a silent guardian of hidden knowledge.
Its wings are moonlight, gliding through the waters, as if it had a goal to hunt something down. Something that could sense the emotions in the water, absorbing sadness and releasing calm wherever they swim.
When a Bat Ray circles a person, it’s said they leave behind a layer of protection."
Back at the MLK Jr Shoreline on Earth Day...​
Crab Found
Storyteller Emily shows off a crab molt she found while searching for litter in the muddy flats of the MLK Jr. Regional Shoreline. Students found all kinds of interesting wildlife while navigating the area!
Crab explained
Youth learn from a Save the Bay staff member about how to figure out the gender of a crab.
Key Learnings
Learned to create place-based stories Youth mapped out parts of the narrative to different areas of the shoreline. The landscape was integrated into and essential to the plot.
Learned to plan and prepare for an event. We worked backwards from the date of June 28th to plan and produce the Community Day of Action. Youth were thoughtful in their ideas about ways to promote the event, and who the target audience would be.
Deeper learning about plants and positive interdependencies - Which native plants are medicinal and how have they adapted to live in the wetlands - Different properties and adaptations of native plants - How they have been used by people in the past to treat wounds, heal ailments, and provide sustenance.
Building Our Stories
April
What happened
Youth collaborated to refine, playtest, and prepare storytelling activities for the culmination of the program (Community Day of Action), while continuing restoration efforts at the MLK Jr. Regional Shoreline.
LiS youth assisted Save the Bay with transplanting seedlings into individual pots, where they will hopefully grow strong and resilient when they’re planting at a restoration event! Youth worked to plant around 150 Califorina Mugwort seedlings.
Youth brainstorm and create plans for their individual quests, in preparation for the Community Day of Action
Back in the classroom...
Key Learnings
Strong stories are built through collaboration, iteration, and intention.
How Save the Bay plans for future restoration efforts and how the transplanted seedlings represent a new generation of hope for native plants.
Becoming Co-Creators
May
What happened
Youth led an immersive, community-wide day of storytelling and restoration, guiding participants through imaginative quests.
Want to immerse yourself in the world the students built?
​​Click here to experience the Community Day of Action yourself!
Coming soon....
Key Learnings
When stories are shared, they can mobilize community and inspire action.