Voices from the Field
Partners, educators, volunteers, artists, and participants reflect on the relationships, creativity, confidence, and cross-cultural learning fostered through Kids Share Workshops.
One Classroom, One Superhero & the Beginning of a Global Story
Before Kids Share Workshops grew into projects across countries and communities, the model began in Central Vermont through a small circle of educators, volunteers, one classroom, and a young storyteller whose imagination helped shape what came next.
Ash Brittenham, Union Elementary & a Story Built Together
The work that became Kids Share Workshops took shape during 2007–2008 and became the first classroom workshops at Union Elementary School in Vermont, working with teacher Mrs. Kelley, her students, and Ash Brittenham.
In the first workshop, community storytelling, collaborative writing, and paper art centered Ash not as the subject of someone else’s story, but as a creative partner and superhero protagonist. With Ash and the students helping direct the ideas, Kristina Applegate co-created two paper artworks that became part of the early Kids Share story: Speed Demon and Ash with Spider-Man.
A second workshop carried that process across cultures. The Vermont class connected with children at the Tibetan Children’s Village in Bylakuppe, India, sharing stories, artwork, photographs, and perspectives. What began in one Vermont classroom became an early model for the principle that still guides the work today: young people should help shape how their lives, communities, and ideas are represented.
The People Who Helped Shape the Early Kids Share Workshops
Kids Share was never built by one person alone. Retired educators, volunteers, board members, creative professionals, families, and community supporters helped turn an early idea into a working nonprofit and a growing cross-cultural program.
Roger Crowley
Founding Mentor · Retired Educator · Photographer
Roger Crowley helped shape Kids Share from its earliest Vermont years. A retired teacher with a gift for understanding different ways children learn, Roger served as a founding mentor, ongoing volunteer, and one of the program’s most important photographers, documenting workshops, artwork, and the people behind the stories.
Newton Baker
Founding Mentor · Retired Educator · Writing Coach
Newton Baker was one of the earliest mentors behind Kids Share and helped bring the first team together. In the Union Elementary work, Newton helped coach students through the writing process that contributed to the first Vermont-to-India Kids Share book and the program’s developing emphasis on children as authors.
Pam Shea Getsie
Early Kids Share Leader · Volunteer · Nonprofit Board Member
Pam Shea Getsie was part of the early Vermont team and the nonprofit years of Kids Share Workshops. She assisted directly in workshops as a team leader, supported the organization as it grew, and brought professional leadership experience to the developing program.
Bertil Agell
SCORE Mentor · Early Board Member · Community Supporter
Bertil Agell was one of Kristina Applegate’s earliest business mentors through SCORE in Montpelier, Vermont. During the formative years of Kids Share Workshops, he gave generously of his time, often spending hours at Kristina’s log cabin helping her develop a strong business plan and think carefully about how a creative idea could become a sustainable organization.
Kristina remembers working together at her kitchen table over fresh coffee and pastries. Bertil had an unofficial “official” mug waiting for him—one inscribed with the words “Follow Your Dreams.” The mug became part of the memory of those long planning sessions and of a mentor who brought patience, encouragement, practical experience, and belief to the earliest years of Kids Share.
Remembered with deep gratitude for helping strengthen the foundation beneath the early Kids Share story.
The Early Nonprofit Board
As Kids Share Workshops developed into a nonprofit organization, its board and volunteer leadership helped provide structure, accountability, professional expertise, community connections, and practical support behind the workshops.
This early board represents an important part of the story: the creative work with children was supported by adults who gave their time, skills, mentorship, and belief in the mission so that the program could continue to grow. The photograph includes Bertil Agell with women members of the Kids Share board during the nonprofit years.
Healing, Expression & Child Development
Psychologists, social workers, counselors, and mental-health professionals have worked alongside children, families, educators, artists, and volunteers in Kids Share workshops. Their reflections offer an important professional perspective on creative expression, storytelling, authorship, connection, and children’s sense of agency.
Keith Storace
Psychologist · Melbourne, Australia
“Kids Share Workshops' mission to inspire self-expression in children echoes my personal and professional commitment to encourage a child's healthy sense of self in connecting with the community. My interest in contributing to Kids Share Workshops stems from my chosen area of work that emphasizes the importance and impact of the child's interpretation and belief about their environment and that art can be a welcomed catalyst for change within that environment.”
Kian F. Jacobs, LCSW
Psychotherapist · Kids Share Newtown Professional Team
“Kristina had more energy than the 30+ Newtown children in the room. It was a fun, artistic, creative, sensitive, multimedia experience, and, best of all, curative for all involved. I would recommend Kristina for artwork with children, especially since this form of expression has been diminished over the years in the standard academic system.”
Mary Pellicci Hamilton
MSAT, ATR, LPC · Harvard Global Mental Health: Trauma and Recovery Certificate Program
“Kristina brought her skillful artistic expertise to a grieving community and provided incredible compassion and grounding to the participants and their families. The children's expressive smiles and excitement can be seen captured through the amazing photography by Keane Photography. The paper art-making process was healing on multiple levels, allowing the children to recreate chaos. The written story narration empowered the children with themes of superhero abilities and majestic power and control. The families and Newtown community embraced KSW. A win-win for all!”
Turning Children’s Work into Something They Could Hold, Keep & Share
The published books were never simply documentation. Designers, photographers, illustrators, editors, and volunteers helped transform children’s writing and artwork into lasting records that young authors and their communities could receive and keep.
Kris Shonk Pfeifer
Kids Share Workshops Book Designer · 2010–2018
For years, Kris helped transform workshop writing, photographs, and children’s artwork into professionally designed books that participants could receive as their own. She also volunteered in person at the 2013 Kids Share Newtown workshop with her two young boys.
“Working with Kids Share Workshops has been one of my favorite projects that I’ve been proud to be involved in. Kristina is a talented, highly creative, and motivated person who puts her heart and soul into her work and life. I hope we can work together in some capacity again in the future!”
“Working with Kids Share Workshops to design the books that children in the workshop create and then receive a copy of for themselves has been one of the most amazing and joyful experiences for me. I've shared about it before and will continue to do so for anyone inspired by this work. The connections made with these communities are so real. This workshop is not for glamour or recognition or any savior mentality - this is an experience and endeavor of hopefulness and love with mutual giving back.”
What Partners, Educators & Participants Say
StoryBridge Nepal grows from nearly two decades of work through Kids Share Workshops—collaboration shaped with schools, educators, community leaders, artists, volunteers, young people, and international partners.
A Strong Fit for Education and Child Development
“This was the first time World Vision has partnered with another organization like Kids Share Workshops in our education and development work. It was a great opportunity, and we wanted to look at Kids Share’s programming to ensure it was technically sound.”
“I partnered with colleagues in World Vision from our Child Protection Sector, Education Sector, Psycho-Social Sector, Psycho-Emotional Development Sectors, and Youth Workforce Development. They all looked at the Kids Share curriculum, and we decided this was a great opportunity for us to focus and work with them.”
“We looked closely at their social and emotional aspects of learning—the self-awareness children have to manage their feelings, motivation, empathy, and even their social skills—and we saw that Kids Share’s curriculum fit right in the middle of the work we were doing.”
“In partnering with the two Zambian communities at Bimbe Primary School and the Home of Hope, the Kids Share work has been a tremendous fit.”
Kids Share Newtown
Following the tragic shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School, Kids Share Workshops brought children from the Newtown community together through art, storytelling, and compassionate creative support.
Helping Children Express, Connect & Be Heard
Directed by Kids Share founder Kristina Applegate, the program was made possible through the extraordinary support of volunteers, professional therapists, educators, artists, families, and community members.
Together, they created a caring environment where children could express themselves, share their stories, build confidence, and experience connection during an unimaginably difficult time.
The film documents the children’s creativity, participant reflections, and the remarkable community effort surrounding the workshop.
Interviews from Kids Share Zambia
These voices reflect on confidence, creativity, child development, community connection, and the experience of participating in the Zambia project.
Rahsaan Graham
Former Senior Director for Child Protection and Education, World Vision USA
Rahsaan explains why the Kids Share curriculum stood out to World Vision, particularly its alignment with child protection, social-emotional learning, youth development, and education programming.
Alice
World Vision Zambia
Alice describes the children’s growing confidence through creative expression, problem-solving, and the empowerment of participating in the workshop.
Kathy Chattoraj
Kids Share Zambia Volunteer
Kathy reflects on her two-week volunteer experience, the emotional depth of the workshop, and the meaningful connection formed with children and community.
Sophie Beem
Singer & Songwriter
Sophie shares her experience traveling with Kids Share Zambia, performing for the community, and contributing through music, storytelling, and creative exchange.
Phoebe Lutes
Youth Participant
Phoebe reflects on the Zambia celebration and the joy, creativity, and confidence she witnessed as part of the Kids Share experience at a young age.
Past Student Voices
Former Kids Share participants reflect on the experiences that shaped them—and share where education, creativity, and opportunity have taken them since.
Kenneth “Jr.” Limbando
Kids Share Zambia Participant, 2017 | Bimbe Primary School
Kenneth Limbando participated in Kids Share Zambia while attending Bimbe Primary School. Through storytelling, writing, design, and collaborative artmaking, the workshop encouraged him to explore creative expression and recognize the power of sharing ideas with others.
Today, Kenneth is completing his university studies in ICT with Education at Chalimbana University. He is developing his skills as a software developer, programmer, designer, and educator, combining technology and teaching with a desire to make a meaningful difference.
Kenneth hopes to create practical digital solutions that improve learning, address challenges facing schools and communities, and expand opportunities for young people in Zambia. His journey from a young author and illustrator to an emerging ICT professional reflects determination, creativity, and purpose.
“Participating in the Kids Share Workshop was an important moment in my journey. It helped me develop skills in storytelling, writing, and design, and encouraged my passion for creativity and communication. I am grateful to Kristina Applegate for her vision, mentorship, and the opportunity that helped shape my path. Her guidance continues to inspire my commitment to education, technology, and making a positive impact.”
Kids Share Zambia participants at Bimbe Primary School receive their workshop certificates in 2017. Kenneth Limbando was among the young authors and illustrators who helped create I Am Zambian—Who Am I?
Partnership, Leadership & Lasting Influence
These reflections speak to the creative practice, careful organization, authentic relationships, and long-term influence behind the work.
“The Togolese government just authorized visitation and activities back in the prisons. Since August, I got inspiration from your Kids Share Workshops by introducing a new approach to La Touche activities. We asked the inmates to draw and/or write their own stories, just like we learned with the Kids Share curriculum, and it was just amazing.”
“With the art supplies left from your workshop, we used crayons, which proved therapeutic. Kristina, you gave me new inspiration through your Kids Share Workshops.”
“Working with Kids Share Workshops has been one of my favorite projects that I’ve been proud to be involved in. Kristina is a talented, highly creative, and motivated person who puts her heart and soul into her work and life.”
“Designing the books that children create and then receive for themselves has been one of the most amazing and joyful experiences for me. The connections made with these communities are so real.”
“Creative. Charismatic. Caring. Calm under pressure. That’s Kristina in a nutshell. I worked as part of the Kids Share Workshop Zambia team on Kristina’s collaboration with World Vision.”
“Kristina put together a creative, hard-working, and dedicated team that enriched the lives of children who had never experienced a workshop like this, much less had art supplies at their disposal and a book to call their own.”
“Kristina conducts herself personally and professionally with utmost integrity and compassion. She excels in public relations, rooted in her deep commitment to her vision.”
“If you want to partner with a talented artist and highly effective businesswoman, I recommend Kristina Applegate with great confidence.”
“I had the pleasure of working directly with Kristina on the Kids Share Zambia project. Being part of such a gifted and talented team was a pure joy.”
“Kristina’s professional leadership and detailed organizational skills made working together seamless. Working on any project with Kristina is a true gift.”
“I appreciate immensely the wonderful opportunity I was given through Kristina and Kids Share Workshops to participate in the GMCR Kids Share workshops, representing Sister Schools.”
“I was impressed by the staff, schools, and students, as well as Kristina’s expertise and gift for bringing all of us together. Keep up the good work!”
“Kristina was enthusiastic about bringing Kids Share Workshops into our rural El Roblar, San Ramon, Nicaragua community to bring a writing and art-therapy workshop to the children. She is passionate about creating a better future for our children and values cross-cultural connections between countries.”
Nicaragua community testimony
“Kristina is a talented artist and a true leader with a unique vision for bringing about positive change and healing through the creative arts. She inspires others and brings out the natural talents unique to each person she reaches.”
Colleague testimony
“Kristina is an immensely talented artist and a tireless visionary who continually inspires those around her. Thanks to her leadership, Kids Share Workshops has grown from one woman’s dream into a strong team effort that continues to expand its reach worldwide.”
Colleague testimony
“Kristina is a true visionary. Through her leadership, creative inspiration, and determination, she founded Kids Share Workshops and Publishing, a cross-cultural art program that inspires children to share their lives through art and writing.”
Colleague testimony
From Proven Work to StoryBridge Nepal
These voices represent the relationships and experience upon which StoryBridge Nepal is being built. Explore the films behind the testimonies or begin a conversation about future collaboration.