#Day7 and the Palmer Award

Day 7 is all about Staying in Action. So this month we are eager to highlight someone who has embraced the idea of “Staying in Action”, this year’s Palmer Award recipient and the work she has done moving her vision forward. We are so excited to introduce you to Carolina Ruggero, Institute graduate from the 2014 Florida State University session of the Institute.

“When I attended the Institute, I was a marketing major with dreams of learning the craft of video production.” Carolina Ruggera, Palmer Award Application

The Vision

To use film as a medium to give people the chance for their voice to be heard, to serve as a resource for those who feel alone, and to promote a society in which we accept and understand one another.

“With every story I share, I become more convinced that a single story has the potential to change how someone sees the world.”

The Inspiration

After staying up late one night reflecting on the kind of videographer she wanted to be, Carolina made the connection between her goals of video production and the value she places on relationships. The very next day she took her camera equipment to campus to begin filming.

“I have been able to able to further develop my personal identity and values because of experiences working on this project.”

The Results

Tell Your Story: Tallahassee (TYST) is Carolina’s vision in action. It is a video project series that allows the people of Tallahassee to tell their stories. It sounds simple, but the impact is tremendous.

Additionally, this experience has solidified Carolina’s commitment to story-telling in a documentary style fashion. This clarity has also provided the space for Carolina to invite others in this journey and has created an organization to support the project and engage the skills and talents of others in the FSU community.

Watch and Learn More
The Tell Your Story: Tallahassee project can be found on Facebook and YouTube. You can also find Carolina on the Florida State University Day 7 tumblr.

Story Cubes

We recently purchased a couple of sets of Story Cubes to have at the national sessions of the Institute. I wanted to try them out and this is the (silly but fun) result.

A #Day7 tale inspired by Story Cubes...

Once upon a time, there was a participant from the Institute named Chris. 

It was the last day of the program. Chris was nervous leaving the program and camp where she spent the past 6 days getting to know herself and some other interesting, caring,  fantastic people who are also committed to making our colleges, communities, and the world a better place. And even though she was energized by the program, she was also feeling a bit unsure of what it will be like when she isn't surrounded by these other 60 people. She wasn't sure if she would be able share her true self beyond the Institute or if she'd continue to wear the mask that she sometimes put on, hiding her authentic self. 

On top of being a little nervous about leaving, Chris was was tired! Her Family Cluster, the Pyramid of Leadership, was up most of the night on Day 5, taking advantage of their last evening together talking, laughing, dancing, and playing board games. It's hard to say "good bye" to a group of people who has become like family. And it was worth losing a little sleep to spend as much time as possible together.

But we have a secret that maybe Chris hasn't discovered yet. 

The scales are tipped in Chris' favor. She has learned so much about what it means to live a life of integrity, to believe in possibility, to understand who she is more deeply, and to consider how she wants to contribute to the world. All of that knowledge is at her disposal. She is ready for #Day7 and to defeat any dragons that try and stop her. 

And she lived happily ever after in #Day7. 




PS: Pyramid was a real stretch here. :)