Storytellers in Parks

Develop video, audio, and photo production skills and techniques with an emphasis on digital storytelling and historical research of parks.

Storytellers in Parks

Storytellers in Parks is a youth employment program that focuses on sights, sounds, and stories of Boston’s diverse history, landscapes, and communities. Youth develop skills in video, photo, and audio production tools and techniques with an emphasis on digital storytelling and historical research of the parks. Through hands-on assignments, youth will research, produce, capture, and edit projects based in and around the National Parks of Boston.

Apply for this position if you:

  • ✓Are interested in learning the tools and techniques of audio production, videography, and photography.
  • ✓Want to use creative storytelling to share your thoughts and ideas to a park audience. 
  • ✓Enjoy working independently and being part of a team.
  • ✓Are eager to explore the National Parks and public lands!

*Image background credit to 2022 SiP member, Cenicia

Meet Our 2022 Storytellers!

"My passion for photography, videography, and other multimedia formats brought me to the National Parks of Boston as well as the history of Boston along with my own history. "
Sa'id (He/Him)
Sa'id (He/Him)2022 Storyteller
"I was drawn to this position at Storytellers in Park because I enjoy learning about history, and the history behind places, or events."
Eva (She/Her)
Eva (She/Her)2022 Storyteller
"I decided to join Storytellers in Parks because I saw an opportunity that included one of my passions, so I had to take it."
Kevin (He/Him)
Kevin (He/Him)2022 Storyteller
"Our mission is to share diverse perspectives of Boston’s history, communities and landscapes, through digital media, while making these things accessible for people who might not live in Boston or travel to National Parks."
Cenicia (They/Them)
Cenicia (They/Them)2022 Storyteller
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Read the Storytellers in Parks Blog

The SiP Evolution

Historias de Boston August 8, 2022 No Comments

Cenicia  first day May 21st:   Sa’id and I got on the same bus without knowing we were going to be working together. We were

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dark wall with writing at Georges Island

Legacy of Fort Warren

Historias de Boston August 23, 2021 No Comments

Fort Warren is a location with a very storied history, one that can be easily misinterpreted. It presents itself as an extensive military base, but

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Projects

Charlestown Navy Yard Then and Now...

Members of Storytellers in Parks photographed the Charlestown Navy Yard while exploring and learning about its history.

The photos that you see in black and white are from 1958-1962; there is an additional print depicting the Commandant’s House, the image is dated 1852. In the four year period in which these photos were taken, people used the Navy Yard as a place to find community, entertainment, and relaxation. In 2022, members of Storytellers in Parks find similar joy from hanging out in the Navy Yard while learning photography, videography, and employability skills.

Enjoy these photos that Storytellers in Parks members replicated from this time in history. 

*Hover over the photos to read the image description.*

Image Desc: Left: Black and white photo of kids hanging off an anchor, behind them stands a white four-story building. Right: Colored photo of three Quarters D inhabitants hanging off an old anchor in front of the transformed marine barracks with a bright red sign.
Image Desc: Left: Black and white photo of three young kids standing in behind a large anchor, in front of the U.S.S Constitution. Right: Colored photo of three NPS employees standing behind a large anchor.
Image Desc: On the left, there is an old black and white photograph of three young boys standing behind the anchor from the USS Constitution. Behind the anchor, there is the USS Constitution itself. There are also people walking on a ramp onto the ship in the background of the photo. In the modern-day, colored photo on the right, three people stand behind the anchor. This spot is still very popular for people to visit, and it is still a very important landmark on the freedom trail.
Image Desc: In the old black and white photo on the left, the front entrance of the Navy Yard is shown. The building to the left in the has a Budweiser sign and the building to the right is just a brick building. Next to it is a USS Constitution sign. The photo shares a small glimpse into the Navy Yard. In the modern-day photo on the right, the brick building on the right is shown, and behind the USS Constitution sign, you see the USS Constitution itself. Many visitors, and locals walk past this every day, whether they’re going to visit the ship or just going to work.
Image Desc: Here is a side-by-side photo of a boat anchor in black and white vs colored. The black and white image on the left features kids out in front of a tennis court climbing the anchor. The background has small bushes and the marine barracks in the frame. The colored photo on the left is similar to the photo on the right except a tree has been planted in front of the anchor which slightly blocks the top half of the anchor.
Image Desc: Here is a side-by-side photo of the Commandant's House in black and white versus colored. The black and white image on the left features the Commandant's House on a grassy plot of land behind a fence with people walking around it. The colored photo on the left has a similar setting but the Commandant's House lawn has been altered to appear bigger and wider.
Image Desc: Here is a side-by-side photo of the flirtation walk in black and white versus colored. The black and white image on the left features the Flirtation Walk with many trees lining the path and minimal seating. The colored photo on the left is similar but has less trees and more seats to fit a more relaxed setting.
Image Desc: Here is a side-by-side photo of Quarters D in black and white versus colored. The black and white image on the left features Quarters D in the background with trees with missing leaves and people out at front. The photo on the left is similar to the photo on the right, except it is in color and the trees have lots of green leaves with minimal people out front.
Image Desc: On the left, there is a black and white picture of a large anchor in the Charlestown Navy Yard with three children playing on it. Behind this is the marine barracks along with some old cars. On the right is a colored photo of three Storytellers in Parks workers in the same positions as the children were. These two photos were taken during different centuries with the second photo having a new bench behind it which was not in the previous photo. This is an area that has only mildly changed with a bench being added.
Image Desc: On the left, there is a black and white photo of the flirtation walk, a place where Navy Yard workers would hang out after hours. There are rows of trees, a long building, and a very long path. On the right is a color photo of the same area but in 2022 with a wider path, bike racks that weren’t previously there, and a whole new building to the right. The trees are also a lot fuller in the modern photo. This is a spot in the Navy Yard that has experienced much architectural change.
Image Desc: On the left, there is an old black and white picture of train tracks next to what is now the U.S.S. Constitution Museum. There is a train on the track and only two people. In the modern photo to the right, the train tracks are more low profile with more people and more brick. This spot has become the hub for all things in the Navy Yard.
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two tanks and a playground on Georges Island
Anti Aircraft
Arched doorway showing a tree on Georges Island
Door
bridge leading to fort on georges island
Bridge
Series of doors on Georges Island
Hospital
dark corner with writing on walls on georges island
Etchings
archway on georges island
Dark Arch
man walks on grass near series of rodman guns
Rodman Guns
three windows in a dark wall
Demi-lune
Picnic Table in a grassy area of Georges Island
Picnic Table
Single ray of light in the center of a dark cave-like room
Cold Room
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How to Become a Storyteller

To be eligible to apply you are:

  • Between 15-18 years old for the duration of the program.
  • Available 4 consecutive Saturdays in May-June and 8 consecutive weeks in the summer late June-August.
  • You are local to the Boston Area.
  • Eligible to work in the United States.
Application Closed
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The 2019 Historias de Boston team pretend to interview a member on camera
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Image of 2019 HdB Cohort at the Charlestown Navy Yard
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Photo of 2019 HdB Cohort in front of the Marine Barracks at the Charlestown Navy Yard
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Check out the Archives

Projects created during the Historias de Boston are also archived with the Northeastern University's Archives and Special Collections as part of Boston's Latinx Community History Project.
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