Docathon: Why Stories Matter

Imagine looking at a picture of someone and instantly forming an idea about their life. Sounds horrific but the reality is that we all do it. Take the person in this image: it’s almost impossible not to form at least some kind of assumptions around the kind of person he might be, even with very little hard evidence. We are all hardwired to do it - that’s just human nature. And that’s why the stories we tell ourselves and others are so important.?

The Man in the Picture: A Lesson in Empathy

So who IS the man in the picture? His name is Bart Haagdan, and Bart leads the Silver Heights community in Metro Manila. Bart told me, when I met him, that local authorities had previously demolished their homes a total of eight times, deeming them illegal and an “eyesore”. However, when I met Bart, I was struck not by hardship, or even any sense of antagonism,? but rather by his resilience and leadership. Despite living in an informal settlement, Bart worked a professional job by day and led his community with a strong focus on values such as bayanihan and walang iwanan. His story challenged my assumptions of what people living in informal settlements were like, and showed me the power of looking beyond appearances.

Stories Shape Our World

More than just entertainment, stories shape our worldview, influence our decisions, and build empathy. Unlike dry facts, powerful stories can stay with us for years. Research by Dr. Jennifer Aaker of Stanford Graduate School of Business suggests that stories can be up to 22 times more memorable than facts alone. Bart's story exemplifies this. Even after a decade, it continues to resonate with me. By contrast, the dozens of CEOs and politicians I was meeting during that same period barely register in my consciousness today.?

And that's why storytelling deserves a central role in education. By learning to investigate and tell compelling stories, we can change the world one narrative at a time. And of course we need to begin with the stories we tell ourselves.?

Stories Transcend Borders

I came to the Philippines with no connection to Bart. Yet, his story resonated deeply, unlike many I'd heard before from people I might ostensibly appear to have far more in common with . Why? Because powerful stories transcend borders and connect with us on a deeper level than data ever could.

Docathon: Make a Doc, Make a Difference

That's the power we want to unleash with Docathon (Make A Doc. Make A Difference). Docathon is more than a filmmaking competition. We aim to inspire students to become storytellers for their local communities. The message is simple: Go out and capture the struggles, triumphs, and hope that define your area.

This competition is not just about creating impact. By participating in Docathon, students develop a powerful mix of skills: research, communication, technology, teamwork, and critical thinking. All while becoming active global citizens.

So join Docathon and empower your students to share their local stories with the world!

Find out more about our upcoming “Docathon Global”, hosted in partnership with the Munich International School, and available for students from all across the globe, here.

We opened the competition on March 15th, and students have until Mid-May to submit. Meanwhile, the competition is designed to fit around your students’ busy scheduling, with some students completing the entire production process in a few days.?

Let me guess: You've read this article until the end and you feel as excited as we are to tell your students about Docathon? Here are some final incentives to join!

• Early bird options are available until April 1 ( 2 weeks!!)?
• Email [email protected] to find out about group access discounts, as well to get a demo of the program