Being part of Children at the Well is a great opportunity to improve your public speaking, be creative, and meet other cool kids from the Capital Region. We develop a good, supportive working community and help each other gain confidence in front of an audience.
There will be a story concert at the end of the season and other opportunities to tell stories to audiences, for those who wish to do more.

When
Registration is almost open for the 2023/2024 school year!
Children at the Well will be held at the Connect Center for Youth in Cohoes on Tuesdays and Thursdays, from 3 to 5pm, beginning in late October or early November. Registration will be through the Connect Center, and a link for that will be available here soon.
In the meantime, we’d like to hear from you, too! Please fill out our “Waiting List” form and let us know you’re interested.
ALSO: Starting in February 2024, a C@W group will meet on Thursdays from 5 to 7pm, at the Niskayuna Reformed Church. Please fill out our “Waiting List” form if you’re interested in that.
Where
Meetings will be held at the Connect Center for Youth, 49 Johnston Ave., Cohoes NY 12047.
In the Spring, an additional group will meet at Niskayuna Reformed Church, 3041 Troy-Schenectady Rd., Niskayuna NY, 12309.
Who
Young people ages 11 to 16, from the Capital Region
Cost
There is no cost to families. Children at the Well is a community supported program.
How
For more info or to join, please contact Program Coordinator Paula Weiss at paula@withourvoice.org.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need prior storytelling or theater experience to join?
No. You must be willing to participate, learn, practice your story and be open to meeting and working with people your age who may be different from you.
How old are the kids in C@W?
Participants’ ages generally range from 11 years old to 16 or 17. The older kids may have been in the program in prior years and if so, are happy to help newcomers!
What goes on at a typical C@W meeting?
The story coaches lead an initial check-in with everyone, explain the plan for the day, and launch into activities like whole group learning or acting exercises. The group may then break up into smaller groups or pairs for workshopping. There’s a break for snacks in the middle, and then people regroup for discussion and/or rehearsals. There is always a time for quiet activities like journaling or storyboarding.
What if the pandemic becomes an issue again?
In 2022, C@W met mostly on Zoom and it worked out well. If needed we will do that again for safety, but we’ve been meeting in person since then.
This Season at C@W
Children at the Well Program Coordinator and Story Coach Stephanie Ward describes the C@W program and answers questions about the upcoming season.