By BECKY KISER
Hays Post

DOWNS — Cellphones were silenced and the focus was on telling their own stories for 10 students who recently participated in the  first #mystory workshop. It was sponsored by the Kansas Storytelling Festival in Downs.

Coordinator Glennys Doane and other supporters of the annual Kansas Storytelling Festival want to encourage and mentor young storytellers.

“This outreach is a natural extension of continuing the storytelling tradition from one generation to another,” Doane said.

The pilot session was taught by Joyce Slater, a professional storyteller from Kansas City who has appeared at the annual Kansas Storytelling Festival and has extensive experience working with young storytellers in schools and libraries.

The afternoon clinic mixed games with teaching the elements of storytelling such as using descriptive adjectives, experimenting with puppets and different voices, and taking silent cues from body language.

Simple stories told and retold through the ages and around the world were read and rewritten.

“Joyce was a wonderful clinician to help jump start imaginations and to provide so many basic storytelling tools for the students’ performance toolbox,” Doane said.

Personal, original stories were written, and then the stories were told.

The public was invited to hear the young storytellers give an evening performance utilizing the tools they had practiced in the afternoon.

“The festival is pleased that young people are interested in continuing the tradition of passing along their slant on the world through the eyes and voices of storytelling,” Doane said.

Photos courtesy Glennys Doane