Images of James Sanderlin and Joe Savage and C. Bette Wimbish with header for Their Stories, Our Voices Youth Griot Program

Their Stories, Our Voices Youth Griot Program

“If a race has no history, if it has no worthwhile tradition, it becomes a negligible factor in the thought of the world, and it stands in danger of being exterminated.”
- Dr. Carter G. Woodson, The Mis-Education of the Negro, published in 1933

The Application Is Now Open

Calling all high school freshmen, sophomores, and juniors:Ms. Gwendolyn Reese on the African American Heritage Trail

  • Do you like telling stories?
  • Do you care about local Black history?
  • Do you live or attend school in St. Petersburg?
  • Do you want to strengthen your communication skills and earn a $1,000 stipend in the process?

If so, please consider applying for our Their Stories, Our Voices Youth Griot Program.

Apply Now

Program Details

Their Stories, Our Voices Youth Griot Program is a year-long commitment that will train 20 high school students to tell and share the stories of local Black history-makers. Through a six-week intensive summer program and continuing with bi-monthly Saturday sessions throughout the 2025-2026 school year, students will learn from Foundation’s Griot-in-Residence Ms. Gwendolyn Reese, as well as other professional journalists, photographers, videographers, and content creators.

  • Participants will receive a $1000 stipend for their time and effort
  • Student work will be showcased at a Juneteenth Exhibition at the Foundation’s Center for Health Equity in June, 2026

Important Dates and Deadlines*

  • Application window: November 1 – December 20, 2024
  • Summer programming: June 9 – July 18, 2025
  • Fall programming: August 2025 – June 2026 (2nd and 4th Saturday each month, 10 AM – 12 PM)
  • Exhibition showcase: June 19, 2026

*Dates are subject to change

Eligibility Requirements

  • 9th – 11th grade high school students
  • Complete and submit an application by December 20, 2024
  • Must reside or attend school in St. Petersburg
  • 3.0 GPA or higher
  • 2 letters of recommendation

Frequently Asked Questions

Their Stories, Our Voices Youth Griot Program is a free, yearlong commitment that will prepare and train 20 high school students in telling and sharing the stories of their community. Specifically, during a 6-week summer intensive and in bi-monthly Saturday sessions throughout the academic year, students will learn from our local Griot-in-Residence, Gwendolyn Reese, in addition to professional journalists, photographer/videographers, and content creators about how to capture and share the stories of local black history-makers.

Participants will publish their bodies of work through a medium that will be widely shared and circulated, and their portfolios will be showcased on Juneteenth at the Foundation’s Center for Health Equity.

The application opens November 1, 2024, and closes at 11:59 p.m. December 20, 2024.

After applications are submitted, a selection committee will identify and reach out to the top 30 candidates for follow-up interviews. After the interviews, the same committee will select up to 20 candidates to participate in the program.

All candidates will be notified about their status by mid-February of 2025.

Interviews will be held virtually on Saturday, February 1st, and Saturday, February 8th, 2025. Times will vary for each candidate.

The finalists will be notified on February 14, 2025.

Up to 20 students will be selected to participate in this program.

Students will receive a $1,000 stipend for their participation in Their Stories, Our Voices Youth Griot Program. Payments will be made in installments upon completing the summer, fall, and spring sessions of the program.

The summer session begins June 9, 2025, and will end July 18, 2025.

The fall session will begin August 9, 2025, and will continue bi-monthly (the second and fourth Saturday of each month) until December 13, 2025.

The spring session will begin January 10, 2026, and will continue bi-monthly (the second and fourth Saturday of each month) until May 23, 2026.

Yes, June 6th and June 13th will be used to prepare for the Exhibition. Details about the showcase will be released closer to the date of the event.

Students will be permitted to miss no more than 5 days without being dismissed from the program. Because this is a paid opportunity and due to the caliber of this program, the expectation is for all scholars to participate in every session. However, we offer some flexibility for extenuating circumstances that may prevent a student from participating in every session. This will be addressed on a case-by-case basis.

Yes! Participation in this program can be used towards the 100 Paid Work or Combination of Volunteer/Paid hours for the Bright Futures Scholarship.

A teacher, school administrator, coach, employer, or guidance counselor can write a letter of recommendation for you. You will need two letters of recommendation. On the application, simply include their names and email addresses. We will then contact them via email and provide the details and requirements for writing a letter. They will in turn email our team directly with their letters. We suggest you ask them to let you know when they have submitted their letter on your behalf. Please note that all letters must be emailed back to us by the application deadline of December 20, 2024 

REMEMBER: Please complete your application no later than December 20th. We recommend starting early so that you can secure letters of recommendation and address and questions you have.

If you have questions, please email Dr. Bilan Joseph at bilan@healthystpete.foundation.

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It is through our collective actions and ideas that we will achieve racial and health equity in Pinellas County. Keep pushing the movement forward. Connect with the Foundation and subscribe to our emails to stay updated on opportunities, developments, and events around equity.

Thank you for your interest!