Gathering Stories - Showcase of High School Women's Digital Storytelling / July 2023

Author: Dylan Blumkin

Dylan has unfortunately struggled with sleep her whole life because of this issue concentrating and maintaining her social battery hasn’t always been the easiest for her. Dylan enjoys the outdoors as well as reading sci-fi novels, architectural photography, and hanging out with friends at the beach. This multimedia story objective is to narrate Dylan’s story while also following her different sleep struggles and what the impact of a tired person can do to an otherwise very ambitious woman. Dylan hopes to find people who may relate to these issues, but also to show how sleep can affect identity.

Author: Lillian Rowe

Lillian Rowe is a high school writer who mainly focuses on writing fiction pieces. Even though her work is usually fiction, she tells her stories as if they were real. Lillian has spent a lot of her time developing the stories she makes and practicing writing with the hopes to captivate the audience she has by telling a meaningful story that holds power through a clear or underlying message. 

Author: Maddy Leahy

Madeline Leahy is an 11^th grader at Penfield High School. She lives with her wonderful mom, dad, and brother, as well as her adorable Boston Terrier, Tucker. She likes to sing, learn piano, read, go to Starbucks (a lot), and of course, write. In addition to this, Madeline performs in many musical theatre productions in and outside of school. As a child, she was always very interested in writing and storytelling, and often hoarded notebooks. In these notebooks, she wrote short stories, poems, songs, plays, and eventually tv scripts. Her love of storytelling evolved through performing with her cousins in plays and a tv show they created called Helping Peaceville. While she has not fully outgrown Helping Peaceville, Madeline has moved on to other projects and primarily focuses on film scripts. She is currently shooting a short film with her friends.

Author: Amanda Lozy-Lester

Amanda Lozy-Lester, 17, writes to connect. She seeks truth and understanding, and this motivates her authorship. Her love for reading and writing began at a young age, but developed further in recent years as she seeks to discover her identity and beliefs. In this effort, she welcomes different perspectives and diverse genres, searching for what is unknown to her. As an avid reader, Amanda takes inspiration from her favorite authors. Despite this, she seeks to create and cultivate her own unique style as she progresses in her storytelling.

Author: Daphne Hix

Daphne Hix, 16, is an author who focuses on character development and thought, typically writing in a style which combines realism and fictional dramatization in her works. A rising junior at Hilton High School, Hix draws her inspiration for storytelling from her lifelong passion for reading as well as from her consumption of articles and essays on international crises, which stems from her continued involvement in her school’s chapter of Model United Nations. Hix is passionate about her community and education, participating in dance and creating art. Hix hopes to inspire young girls through her works, which helps readers to better understand their own thoughts and emotions through realistic, relatable characters.

Author: Elise Noyes

Elise Noyes was born in Rochester NY and currently resides with her family in Penfield NY.  She enjoys participating in community theater and spending time outdoors.Elise loves reading the genres of Historical semi-fiction, fantasy, and suspenseful mystery and her passion for English and History is prominent in her work. She loves analyzing classical works of literature and the art of rhetoric. She consumes inspiration from Rochester’s participation in the progression of individual rights, and her ancestor’s place in the Women’s Rights Movement.

Author: Hannah Divine

Hannah Devine is an author who enjoys many things including running, singing, and reading. She also enjoys small things like eating chocolate, making lists, and long afternoon walks through her neighborhood with friends. Hannah has been telling stories for as long as she can remember, from creating fairy tales with her sister to participating in this workshop today! Hannah takes inspiration from her family and friends and is considering studying journalism in college.