What is a story?
 

The word "story" is one that we hear every day. Sometimes many times a day. And it has many connotations. So just for clarity, in terms of the School Chameleon program, let us look at what a story means.

 

A story is a sequence of events. It's not a single moment or an image or a 10-second video. A story is a series of happenings and as a result of all these things happening, something CHANGES. What do we mean changes? We mean that to be a story, something must change about the world itself.  Generally speaking, the more the change, the better the story.

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We love stories not ONLY because they are entertaining and fascinating, but because through stories we get to know ourselves better as well as everyone (and everything) around us. It's that change in how we feel and think that makes stories so valuable.

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What makes a great story?

 

A great story has the potential to alter the course of our lives. But what are the details that make a story not just interesting, but truly great and unforgettable?  Here is a short list that can help us get started:

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1) Identify a story which teaches you something new and valuable

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2) Ensure that the challenge that it addresses is clear to the audience and what would happen if it was not addressed.

 

3) Go "behind the curtain", meaning tell the listener the truth behind something they think they know but really don't.

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4) Reveal vulnerability and failures as well as passion and success.

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5) Describe the struggle while making it relatable to the listener.

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The most important thing to remember about submitting a story to School Chameleons is that the story must be true, authentic and must address a Sustainable Development Goal.

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What will happen with the stories?
 

We are collecting genuine stories. These stories should already have happened and are not just a plan.

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Hundreds of stories will be submitted to School Chameleon, but the most important one is yours! If your school story is chosen by us, we will help you make it even stronger. We do that by our Story Coach giving you some tips and small edits to bring out the learnings in your story more impactfully.

 

Then you will be invited to share your story at an online event, a Stoffee (Stories over Coffee). These stories will then be shared with our jury members and the top stories will be felicitated at a ground event in Mumbai.

 

All the chosen stories will be displayed on our website and on different social media platforms.

 

 

Story Structure
 

Context: Back Story/Coordinates/Global situation
Ensure that a context is set with location and time frame and the situation at the start of the story.

Challenge: People/Profit/Planet

Why was there need to change? What was the challenge? Why was it important to address? What if the challenge was not addressed?

Catalyst : Culture/Experience/Tacit Knowledge

What triggered the solution? It could be a person, an event or some information received which allowed for the next step to follow.

Climax: Achievements/ Experiences/Failures/Learning/Impact

This could be set of situations that had to be addressed and dealt with before the solution could be achieved.

Conclusion: The new reality

What changed and for whom? How impactful was it and how did the impact get measured? What was possible now that could not have happened earlier?

 

Make sure these details are ready before you start writing the story, While writing the story, start the story at a point where it would get the attention of the listener before moving to the context and then the flow could follow.

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