b'Whilestudentscancreatesomethingsimilartomyexample,using programssuchas AdobeIllustratorand Adobe AfterEffects,otheroptions exist.Beyondanimationanddigitalartprograms,studentscouldfindand takephotographs,putthemintoapresentationsoftware,andthenrecord their voice to add their narrative. The same could be done with photographed artworkorsketches.Furthermore,thisprojectdoesnothavetobedigital. Artwork made in an advanced studio course could easily relate to a students interpretation of this central premise. Instead of only providing titles and an artist statement, each work would inform the other directly, with accompanying stories or sections of a larger narrative complementing each piece. Though an open-ended project like this can never be fully prescribed, I suggest the following considerations and guidelines for success:Prioritize a class discussion over what a story is, how it affects both the audience and storyteller, and how meaning-making develops personal identity. Emphasize the importance of finding meaning in experience rather than only relaying experience. Unpack the power of rhetorical devices such as metaphor and symbolism. Metaphors help to develop rich meaning and a fictional reality, while still leaving a measure of ambiguity (Kim, 2016). Once students have selected their most significant ideas, encourage them to write detailed short stories that engage the senses when possible, rather than only explaining.Explain the guiding questions: What is a choice coming up in your life? How would the future look different based on each choice? Give examples: choosing a college, a future career, a relationship, or where to live. Technically, any part of a students life can become a focus. Regardless of the topic, encourage them to look critically at the choices that brought about that experience and how things could have played out differently. Though requiring a higher level of critical thought, some students may wish to explore a choice made by someone else that inadvertently affected their own lives and sense of self.Havestudentsbegintheirbrainstormingbywritingintuitivelythrough journaling or by listing with a mind map. Highlightthatauthenticwritingofteninvolvesvulnerability.Encourage students to open up, but to also consider that ideas and situations can be alluded to without being explicit.54TRENDS 2025'