By Sophie Schreiber

Every one of my cousins had the opportunity to participate in the family talent show, but not every cousin chose to appear on stage and make my grandparents happy. Luckily, my brother and I did.  I have always been entertaining people since I was a tiny toddler singing songs in front of a department store mirror, or singing a Fourth of July medley in a pizza restaurant in front of our new neighbors. The entertainment aspect combined with the storytelling aspect, is what really drew me to Story Jam. 

I first heard about Story Jam through an email in my DePaul student inbox, where I am currently working on a graduate degree in the literary field. At first, I applied just for the sake of applying, because an internship would give me something to do in the summer in addition to my part time job.  Later on, however, after meeting with Steph and doing more research about what Story Jam is and what they do, I began to admire Story Jam’s originality and creativity. My favorite part about working at Story Jam has been reaching out to people in an effort to help organize our events. It has really helped me feel like I’m part of the team, and it also brings me joy because I’ve always been the one in my family who loves celebrations. 

If I had to choose a particular story that encapsulates me, I would choose the one where I stood up and participated in the family talent show when none of my other cousins would. Like my favorite literary character, Anne of Green Gables, at that moment I was kind, thoughtful, trustworthy, and eager to please. My grandparents’ smiles were worth it.