In 2021, Story Xperiential, an online visual storytelling experience inspired by Pixar and shaped by former Pixar and Khan Academy veterans, launched its pilot program. One of the first schools to join was from O’ahu, Hawaii. Kamehameha Schools (KS) Kapalama, and its students, were pioneers in showing how storytelling can teach real-world skills. A couple of these students not only told beautiful stories but also joined the Xperiential team to help build its offerings and streamline the Story Xperiential experience for future participants.
“The Fall ’21 Story Xperiential industry expert presenters demonstrated limitless curiosity about where each student might take their story from any given starting point, with innate trust in the artistic instincts of every individual. They set the tone for a vibrant, inclusive, and productive peer forum where youth of all backgrounds felt safe to explore and share their ideas, emotions, and artistic creations, with plenty of constructive feedback exchanged between professionals as well as peers. Several students told me that after completing Story Xperiential, they are more confident about pursuing creative passions in college and in their future careers. The exhibition galleries are a testament to the amazing work youth are capable of, if unleashed with the right prompts and support from a positive creative community! Mahalo!” said Sally Nhomi, Internship Coordinator, Kamehameha Schools.
Since then, the Story Xperiential community has grown into the thousands, with users from all around the world joining the youth (13 - 18) or the adult (18+) cohorts. Among these users are over 650 students from Hawaiian schools and afterschool programs, like the one run by Lanai Union Church.
“Part of our ministry with the youth is to help expose them to opportunities beyond the island and to help them recognize their own gifts and skills that can contribute to the world. Story Xperiential is one of those opportunities. I hope that our participants will grow in their confidence in themselves and their ability to share their story and view of the world. Mahalo!” said Ben Sheets, Pastor, Lanai Union Church.
By delving into visual storytelling, these students have had hands-on experience with Pixar's storytelling process, creating and showcasing their own stories along the way. It's not only about creativity – the program helped them build portfolio pieces they could be proud of, while giving them a head start on creative career skills, like storyboarding, sound and music editing and visual composition, story development and creating authentic characters. Equally important are the real-world skills, like communication, problem-solving, and teamwork that they developed.
During the course of the last five years, Story Xperiential has seen many students in Hawaii recognized for their commitment to providing valuable feedback and creating meaningful visual storyreels.
When asked about this, Elyse Klaidman, CEO of Xperiential said, "Hawaii students bring a rich cultural perspective to Story Xperiential, drawing from deep storytelling traditions rooted in their history, land, and community. Their stories reflect a unique connection to place and heritage, adding voices that enrich the global storytelling landscape."
Images from Yearbook Memories
KS Kapalama seniors Maile Hoe, Kieren McKee, and Nova Sonomura, known as the 'Dream Team' won Best Storyreel in the Youth Cohort for Yearbook Memories, while their classmate Paris Kekua earned the Excellence in Feedback Award in 2021. The school celebrated these achievements in a post on the KS Kapalama website: KS Kapalama seniors win award from Story Xperiential.
Siblings Nova and Skye Sonomura from KS Kapalama and Heaven Palakiko from Hawaii Technology Academy joined the Story Xperiential student advisory team, helping improve the program for future participants. Nova and Skye were then hired as Xperiential team members, working on the Story Xperiential website and front end platform interface. In May 2024, Kay Kurylowicz from William P. Jarrett Middle School placed in the top 10 for the Peer Recognition Award: Best Storyreel with Honor of the Fight.
Images from Honor of the Fight
Sean Abe, English Teacher at William P. Jarrett Middle School in Honolulu, who has had many students go through the Story Xperiential program in the last few years, said, “Some of the highlights are seeing the deliverables the students create and seeing students who you would least suspect really getting into the drawing and video making.”
As part of this initiative in Hawai’i, Xperiential co-founders Elyse Klaidman, Tony DeRose and Brit Cruise along with Dennis Henderson (Xperiential: VP, Education and Strategy) have visited Oahu several times to host in-person workshops and community talks with students and community members connected to the Hawaii Technology Academy: Waipahu Campus and Punahou School.
X in a Box Co-founders Tony DeRose, Elyse Klaidman and Brit Cruise attended a three-day residency hosted by Case Accelerator for Student Entrepreneurship in Hawaii.
“The residency was a valuable opportunity for the Punahou community to hear directly from experts in a creative field, who undoubtedly sparked imaginations and inspired new passions.” Rachel Breitweser, Punahou Communications Officer, in her article: Pixar Creative Greats Visit Punahou.
Tony DeRose, Elyse Klaidman and Brit Cruise also attended the Aha Lokahi CommUNITY Conference 2023 presented by the Hawaii Afterschool Alliance, where they spoke about how storytelling is an important life skill and is critical to who we are as humans during their presentation ‘We Are All Storytellers: Story Xperiential’.
Punahou School visit October 2023
"Visiting Hawaii and working with students has been an unforgettable experience. The warmth, creativity, and deep cultural connection they bring to storytelling make every session inspiring. Sharing and learning together in such a vibrant community has been a true privilege." said Elyse of her own experience with the youth in Hawaii.
As Xperiential looks ahead, the continued relationship between the organization and Hawaii schools will be a big part of Story Xperiential’s future. A partnership with Creative Industries Division (CID), a part of Hawaii’s Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT), has launched for 2025 with the aim of opening doors for youth and adult learners from all the island communities, starting in Hawaii.
The Xperiential team meeting with the CID DBEDT to discuss their future partnership
“By providing access to hands-on, project-based learning tools, we’ll be helping students build the skills they need to thrive in the competitive 21st-century job market. As part of this partnership, CID is sponsoring 530 Story Xperiential licenses for students in Hawaii, empowering the next generation of storytellers and creative thinkers." Elyse Klaidman, CEO of Xperiential.
The Xperiential team is excited for the months ahead and want to encourage schools from the prioritized areas of Leeward Coast and Maui to sign their students up for Story Xperiential and to schools from other areas, please inquire about your eligibility status. Through this initiative, schools will have access to Story Xperiential licenses for free and their students will learn visual storytelling from some of the animation industry's most talented professionals. For more information contact info@storyxperiential.com and keep an eye out for the announcement on our news page!
Xperiential would like to acknowledge the Hawaii schools and organizations in Hawaii that have been part of the Story Xperiential Community over the years:
William P. Jarrett Middle School
The Hawaii Technology Academy: Waipahu Campus
Kamehameha Schools Kapalama
James Campbell High School
Punahou School
Lanai Union Church
Creative Industries Division, part of Hawaii’s Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism
Olelo Community Media
X in a Box, the legal name of our LLC, is rebranding as Xperiential, the name of our growing platform, to allow for the inclusion of our expanding offering which now includes Entrepreneur Xperiential in partnership with Run the Future. Learn more about it here: https://www.entrepreneurxperiential.com/