Looking Back on a Summer of Storytelling

As Labor Day weekend marks the unofficial close of summer, we’re reflecting on the first season of NRTC’s Summer Story Lab. This pilot initiative invited four college students to spend their summer immersed in the world of cooperative communications—learning how stories bring technology, rural communities, and cooperative values to life.

Throughout the program, the interns were introduced to the fundamentals of storytelling: how to identify a strong lead, how to distinguish between information and narrative, and how to frame a story so that it resonates with different audiences. They worked through the process of brainstorming, pitching, and shaping ideas, gaining hands-on practice in how communications professionals connect people to purpose.

Together, they also contributed to a central database of story leads drawn from across NRTC’s membership. This resource is already proving valuable—a collection of ideas and examples that can be developed into future content for our blog, social media, and other platforms. The process of researching and cataloging stories gave the interns a tangible way to contribute while also building their skills in observation and analysis.

Along the way, the Story Lab created space for reflection and growth. Each intern brought their own background and perspective, and it was exciting to see how those differences sparked fresh ideas about what makes a cooperative story powerful.

As a pilot, the Summer Story Lab was about more than just one summer. It was about testing a model, investing in new voices, and building tools that will serve our members for years to come. The creativity and energy these interns brought to the table reminded us that good storytelling is both timeless and ever-evolving.

We’re grateful to our four interns for their curiosity and hard work, and we’re looking forward to seeing how their experiences this summer continue to shape their careers—and how the Story Lab itself might grow in future seasons.

Princess Anderson

An interior design student at Holmes Community College (graduating Dec. 2024). Princess has customer service and teaching experience, along with leadership through JROTC and volunteer service. She’s a strong communicator, problem solver, and multitasker who thrives in fast-paced settings. Her design background adds a visual and organizational angle to her storytelling work.