High school students turn questions into connections at UND event
Digital Storytelling Summit brings 15 students from North Dakota, Minnesota to campus for media training
In early June, the next generation of North Country storytellers spent a week at UND, learning that the best stories begin with a question.
Hosted by UND’s Department of Communication, the Digital Storytelling Summit immersed students in the world of journalism, broadcasting, and media production. Through newsroom visits, hands-on workshops and community partnerships, current faculty members Emily Gibbens-Buteau, Linqi Lu, and Joonghwa Lee, along with incoming faculty member Syndey Glimsdahl, students learn that digital storytelling is more than cameras, boom mics, and editing software. It’s about following your curiosity, asking the right questions and connecting with others to uncover the deeper story.
Dean of the College of Arts & Sciences Brad Rundquist opened the summit on Monday by emphasizing the power of storytelling. “Good stories connect people emotionally,” he said.
The summit, now in its third year, reflects UND’s commitment to hands-on learning by giving students opportunities to not only create ideas, but also collaborate and engage with the communities around them, Rundquist added.
That became the overall theme over the course of five days, as 15 students partnered with local organizations to produce short documentary-style videos while learning the fundamentals of digital storytelling. Presentations highlighted community partners including Chatty Learners, the YMCA Parkinson’s Wellness Program, Journey Home Animal Rescue, the Grand Forks Fire Department and the Downtown Development Association.
Assistant Professor Emily Gibbens-Buteau described digital storytelling as the combination of gathering information and strengthening it through multimedia tools such as photography, videography and audio.
“Digital storytelling is important in all fields,” she said. “Whether you’re in a fire department, an education group or a nonprofit, the skills that you learn in a communication camp like this will serve you regardless of the area you end up in.”
Exploring digital media
For many, the highlight of the week was touring the WDAY TV and radio newsroom in Fargo, and exploring careers in communication and journalism. The summit brought in industry professionals, including UND Today Strategic Communications Writer Joe Banish, Walsh County Press Editor-in-Chief Allison Olimb and President of Film ND Matt Fern.
Each professional pushed the idea of storytelling further. “How do you make people care?” Olimb asked the students. “How do you give it a face? How do you give it emotion? How do you give it a frame of reference?”
From there, it was off to the races. The biggest lessons came when the group’s original plans changed course. As they met with community partners and learned more about the organizations, students had to adapt their stories, work around schedules and rethink their creative approaches.
“I guess the more we learned about the businesses, the more our plans deviated,” said incoming UND freshman Caitlyn May-Ley.
Students quickly discovered that storytelling requires curiosity, adaptability and a willingness to understand perspectives different from their own. Those challenges became opportunities to practice communication and collaboration skills that extend well beyond storytelling.
Joonghwa Lee, associate professor and chair of UND’s Department of Communication, said the summit is designed to help students become stronger communicators and community members.
“The Digital Storytelling Summit is much more than a camp where students learn media skills,” Lee said. “It is a place where students begin their journey toward becoming better communicators.” He added that communication is not only about creating content, but also about building relationships, serving communities, and making a positive impact.
Added May-Ley, “you don’t have to go into communication or journalism to appreciate the Summit for what it is. You can do anything with the knowledge that you learn in this room.”
The final edit
By the end of the week, students had condensed hours of footage into three-minute videos. The summit culminated in a showcase where community partners gathered to watch the completed projects. Laughter filled the room as familiar businesses and organizations from across Grand Forks appeared on screen.
For the students, it was a chance to see five days of work come full circle. Interviews, brainstorming sessions and hours of editing had been transformed into stories that reflected the people they had spent the week getting to know.
Yet many students said the most meaningful part of the summit happened between interviews and after the cameras powered off. Gathering around a fire outside Nistler Hall, roasting s’mores, playing Apples to Apples and spending late nights talking in the dorms, students formed friendships that now stretch across North Dakota and Minnesota.
“I really loved the little community that was built here throughout the week,” said Alivia Dendy, who was a participant last year and happily returned as a media coordinator this year.
Gibbens-Buteau said that sense of community is one of the reasons the summit remains so special year after year.
“No two years have ever been the same,” she said. “The students, community partners, ideas, questions, challenges and stories make every experience unique. Every year I leave inspired by the creativity and dedication that emerges in just a few very short days.”
Students returned to their homes with new technical skills, professional connections, and completed projects. In just five days, they shifted from consuming stories to recognizing them everywhere, leaving with a sharper curiosity about the people and places around them.
This year, the Digital Storytelling Summit was supported through a joint effort by the North Dakota Newspaper Association Education Foundation (NDNAEF), UND’s College of Arts & Sciences, and UND’s Department of Communication.
