This article was written in collaboration between Staff member Dani Fletcher and the Senior class.
The Project Vine family set forth to accomplish a Moth-style live story-telling event at the Old Nathan Mayhew Schoolhouse – now called the Morgan Learning Center -- on the Monday before Halloween.
The senior class wrote “Haunted Island Stories,” retold from their research of haunted history on the island or made up: inspired by actual events or artifacts that we learned about and saw for ourselves at the MV Museum.
We brought baked goods and small finger foods to eat as the community gathered to hear the seniors’ stories. Family, friends and community members were also welcome to tell their own stories to the group.
Here are some of the ways this project benefitted our seniors in their own words:
“This benefited me because I learned so much about the Island I never knew about and now have a better understanding of the history behind this small Island.” -Nauamy Alves.
“I learned a lot about speaking to a different group of people. This project also taught me how to retell a story, which I have never been able to do without almost telling the same exact story.” -Annie Bettencourt.
“I discovered my ability to write stories, and my creative capability. I also learned that public speaking is not as bad as it seems if you forget the people are there.” – Jake Baird
“I learned a lot from this event: good ghost stories and stories of hauntings from the Island I never knew. It was really amazing.” – Shammai Thompson
Students were graded not only for their performance, but for the narratives themselves, the research they did, and their individual contributions toward making the event happen (such as cooking, decorating and creating advertising).
The project began in the spring as a brainstorm about what projects the class would be interested in doing in the coming fall. Annie Bettencourt had the idea for our own Haunted History tour, though the logistics of actually touring the Island proved a bit challenging! Instead, thanks to the help of Ann DuCharme at the MV Museum, students were able to explore the museum’s collections, write their own retellings or original stories based on that research, and use the Morgan Learning Center space to host an extraordinary community event just perfect for the stormy night before Halloween.
Our thanks to all the family and friends who came out, and a special thanks to Ann DuCharme and the MV Museum, and to the parents who were brave enough to share their haunted tales, as well!
The Project Vine family set forth to accomplish a Moth-style live story-telling event at the Old Nathan Mayhew Schoolhouse – now called the Morgan Learning Center -- on the Monday before Halloween.
The senior class wrote “Haunted Island Stories,” retold from their research of haunted history on the island or made up: inspired by actual events or artifacts that we learned about and saw for ourselves at the MV Museum.
We brought baked goods and small finger foods to eat as the community gathered to hear the seniors’ stories. Family, friends and community members were also welcome to tell their own stories to the group.
Here are some of the ways this project benefitted our seniors in their own words:
“This benefited me because I learned so much about the Island I never knew about and now have a better understanding of the history behind this small Island.” -Nauamy Alves.
“I learned a lot about speaking to a different group of people. This project also taught me how to retell a story, which I have never been able to do without almost telling the same exact story.” -Annie Bettencourt.
“I discovered my ability to write stories, and my creative capability. I also learned that public speaking is not as bad as it seems if you forget the people are there.” – Jake Baird
“I learned a lot from this event: good ghost stories and stories of hauntings from the Island I never knew. It was really amazing.” – Shammai Thompson
Students were graded not only for their performance, but for the narratives themselves, the research they did, and their individual contributions toward making the event happen (such as cooking, decorating and creating advertising).
The project began in the spring as a brainstorm about what projects the class would be interested in doing in the coming fall. Annie Bettencourt had the idea for our own Haunted History tour, though the logistics of actually touring the Island proved a bit challenging! Instead, thanks to the help of Ann DuCharme at the MV Museum, students were able to explore the museum’s collections, write their own retellings or original stories based on that research, and use the Morgan Learning Center space to host an extraordinary community event just perfect for the stormy night before Halloween.
Our thanks to all the family and friends who came out, and a special thanks to Ann DuCharme and the MV Museum, and to the parents who were brave enough to share their haunted tales, as well!