We collaborate with K–12 educators to deliver workshops that encourage students to express themselves through creativity, custom avatars, and reflective writing. By inviting students to journal, imagine, and share their own stories starting with their names, we help them build community with mental health at the center. We believe that developing one’s voice early on is essential for growth, helping students build awareness, strengthen connections, and find their place in a world that is always changing.
2026 Mission: Enable 10,000 Students to Write Their Name Stories—One Classroom at a Time
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YOUTH WORKSHOP
Starting with their avatars, students and teachers create storyboard presentations that showcase each student’s unique voice as they write the story of their name at three key chapters in the educational journey: elementary school, middle school, and high school. This process highlights how their identity, confidence, and perspective grow over time. Students begin by exploring the meaning of their name and expressing who they are as individuals. As they revisit this same story throughout elementary, middle, and high school, they reflect on how their experiences shape them, deepen their self-awareness, and help them imagine the future they want to create.
Workshop Objective: Empowering YouthVoice & Identity
Young people thrive when they feel heard. This workshop strengthens student mental health by helping youth express their thoughts, emotions, and personal stories with confidence. When students develop a strong sense of voice and identity, they experience:
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Reduced feelings of isolation
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Increased belonging and resilience
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Greater confidence in handling academic and personal challenges
Why student voice matters:
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Students who feel heard are 7x more likely to be academically motivated.
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Schools that respond to student voice see higher GPAs, fewer absences, and reduced chronic absenteeism.
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80% of school districts report that elevating student voice strengthens family engagement.
Our workshop builds these outcomes by giving students tools to understand who they are—and the confidence to share it.
Workshop Process: From Inner Reflectionto Shared Expression
The workshop uses a step-by-step creative process to help students explore who they are and articulate it in a meaningful way.
Step 1: Activating Identity Through Name
Students begin by meeting their “avatars”—playful, imaginative versions of themselves that make self-expression feel safe and fun. This opens space for them to explore their emotions, interests, and identity without pressure.
Step 2: Reflecting and Writing with the Avatar
Using their avatars as a guide, students reflect on their names and what they mean to them. Short writing exercises with guided prompts help them articulate their experiences, values, and hopes. Writing becomes a bridge between inner understanding and sharing it with others.
Step 3: Sharing Their Story and Identity
Students share their stories—through authentic writing, presentations, or creative formats—building communication skills and genuine confidence. Teachers and parents play a supportive role, showing students that their voices are seen, heard, and valued.
Workshop Impact: Confident, ConnectedSelf-Aware Students
By the end of the workshop, students will:
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Build confidence by speaking about who they are and what matters to them
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Strengthen communication skills through guided reflection, writing, and presentation
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Develop a clearer sense of identity, improving emotional resilience and decision-making
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Feel supported by teachers and families who actively participate
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Continue self-expression beyond the workshop, supported by tools and shared language practiced in the sessions
This workshop helps create a school community where every student feels recognized, valued, and empowered to use their voice.
GETTING STARTED
Meet With the Teacher
Teachers sign up and we begin by meeting with them to walk through the workshop goals, materials, and student experience. Together, we set a schedule for class visits—either in person or virtually. Teachers may choose to have us lead the workshop or receive training to deliver it themselves. We also warmly welcome parents who homeschool!
Classroom Kickoff
We visit the class to introduce the activity and guide students through the first steps. Each student receives a personalized link to their digital template—preloaded with their avatar and simple instructions—where they’ll create their project: “The Story of My Name.” Students can complete the remaining work during class or at home.
Progress Tracking & Support
Our team tracks student progress and provides the teacher with regular updates. We review each student’s writing, offering gentle edits that strengthen clarity while keeping their authentic voice. Teachers collaborate in this process, helping ensure every student feels supported. We then schedule a second class visit for student presentations.
Student Presentations & Family Engagement
Students present their stories to the class, building confidence as they share who they are and what makes them unique. After the workshop, we send a celebratory follow-up message recognizing their courage and growth. Families are invited to continue the conversation at home—and may also share their child’s work on LinkedIn to amplify their voice and acknowledge the workshop sponsor. We also provide a fun quiz, “How Well Do You Know Your Classmates and Teacher?”, to reinforce learning and encourage ongoing connection.
ABOUT OUR FOUNDER
This program was personally created by our founder, Katiya Xiong, who first piloted it in her own children’s classrooms. Hear her reflection is this public post:
STUDENT testimonials
Including what teachers and parents think about the experience.
OLIVIA
Thank you so much. I love that you guys put some effort into this.
ELAN
Something I enjoyed was applauding and bowing and something that was challenging was presenting because it is scary
CHLOE
The avatars were amazing!
LEX
My favorite part was printing out my name story and taping it on my locker at school. It makes me feel so cool!
MAYA
My favorite part was learning what people like and what they like to do.
ELIJAH
I liked the avatar project because it helped me learn about people. I may not talk to a lot so I liked learning about people’s lives.
TEDDY
It was fun and I liked it because I learned about other people.
ELSA
I loved this project, it was super fun!
SOFIA
I thought the presentation was really fun and I wouldn’t change a thing about it.
ELDON
It was fun and a little nervous at first but I pushed through and did it!
AUDREY
I really enjoyed all the things. I don’t like speaking to a lot of people at once, so I think that was challenging.
AMELIA
I think it was a really fun activity and it was engaging.
ELIANA
I enjoyed listening to others and figuring out the words to the acronym.
MAX
My favorite part was learning about all my classmates and the hardest part was coming up for stuff for myself.
STARK
So the thing I enjoyed the most was showing my presentation 🙂
RAMI
I enjoyed it and it was not that challenging.
NANNAN YAO, MIDDLE SCHOOL TEACHER
Katiya Xiong joined my 6th-grade Chinese Immersion classroom as a guest instructor to lead The Story of My Name workshop, extending our exploration of the Chinese Names Project.
This program was thoughtfully designed to support mental health, self-expression, creativity, and confidence. Through guided writing and reflection in both English and Chinese, students explored the meanings behind their names and transformed them into personal acronyms that reflected their identities, values, and lived experiences.
One of the most meaningful aspects of this workshop was its emphasis on connecting meaning to our names and using those name stories as a way to bring people together. Every individual carries a unique story, and beginning with a name story served as a powerful reminder of the common ground we share. As students shared their work, they developed empathy, respect for one another’s perspectives, and a stronger sense of belonging within our classroom community.
What made this especially powerful in our setting is that my students have been together as a cohort for seven years—from kindergarten through sixth grade—so they truly treat one another like family. It was genuinely fun (and honestly a little surprising) to see how amazed they were to discover new sides of classmates they’ve known for years—for example, a student who loves dancing, or someone who is really into robotics. Even after years together, they didn’t always know these things. This project gave students a fresh perspective on one another and helped them appreciate their friendships in a deeper way.
As an educator, I also genuinely enjoyed completing my own project alongside my students. I rarely take time to reflect on the meaning behind my own name, and this process gave me that opportunity. I found myself thinking carefully about what words best represent me—not only as a teacher and a mom, but also as a daughter in my own family. It helped me reconnect with and better understand my parents’ love in a way I hadn’t paused to consider before. I walked away feeling more grounded, more grateful, and more appreciative of who I am.
The collaboration with DEEP Coalition was seamless and educator friendly. The workshop was supported by clear email communication, a shared spreadsheet tracker, and ready-to-use templates, which made planning and implementation efficient and stress-free. This level of organization significantly reduced the logistical burden on teachers and made the program easy to integrate into an already full school schedule.
Throughout the process, Katiya and her team demonstrated professionalism, empathy, and deep respect for both students and educators. The workshop was developmentally appropriate, engaging, and impactful, creating a supportive space for students to express themselves while learning to appreciate the stories of others.
I wholeheartedly recommend The Story of My Name workshop to any school or organization seeking a meaningful, well-structured program that promotes mental health, identity exploration, and authentic connection. I would gladly collaborate again in the future.
LIN NIU, ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEACHER
I had the privilege of collaborating with Katiya Xiong, Founder of DEEP Coalition, on The Story of My Name project during our IB Unit “Who We Are” at XinXing Academy. It was a creative writing experience that invited our 2nd grade students to reflect deeply on the meaning of their names and express who they are through personalized name acronyms and avatars. The activity connected beautifully with our IB focus on identity, culture, and self-expression. It was incredible to see every child light up with pride as they shared their stories — discovering that their names carry meaning, history, and love from their families. Katiya’s passion for helping students find their voices was evident throughout the project. She created a joyful, safe space where students felt seen, heard, and valued. This work not only enriches classrooms with meaningful learning but also fosters empathy, confidence, and connection among students and families. I am so grateful for the collaboration and wholeheartedly recommend this workshop to any educator looking to build a more inclusive and authentic classroom community.
ELIZABETH FISCHER, PARENT
My 12-year-old son took part in the classroom presentation for The Story and Meaning of My Name at Hopkins West Middle School. It was fun to have him describe the process and the thought behind each of the descriptions that went with his name’s letters. I did tease him a bit when I said, “B is for Better? I would have thought B for Brother,” because he loves being a brother. He was crestfallen but said he would have liked more time to work through this exercise since he has nine letters in his name—or I should have named him Max since there are fewer letters! I took this as a positive sign that this activity made an impact on him and how he wanted to present himself, and what was important about him that his peers should know. I would recommend this program to others to get our children thinking about who they are and how they want the world to perceive them.
SARAH GOFF-DUPONT, PARENT
Looking through the Story of My Name project my son brought home was such a delight. Not only did I see his personality coming through, but I also learned a few things about how he sees himself and how his friends see him. I love how this project challenges kids to reflect on what makes them unique and helps them forge a stronger sense of identity – an identity that comes purely from within themselves, not one the rest of the world has manufactured for them. And of course, the artwork is so fun! It captured my son’s spirit beautifully and turned him into an avatar that reflects his best self.
PATAG XIONG, PARENT
It’s refreshing to see how my child views his name and how it connects to his identity. I get the joy of choosing his name but he gets to define who “Levi” is. This project has supported Levi in continuing to be who he is, showcasing his interest, beliefs and abilities. I am proud of Levi’s work and the storytelling about his name. Also, this has been a fun activity to discuss with my new middle schooler! I recommend this project because it offers young people a time to pause for deeper self reflections and provides them a learning opportunity to shift their thinking for more meaningful connections in their school, community and relationships.
BECKY HART, PARENT
I am the mother of a 2nd-grade student that attends Eisenhower Elementary School/XinXing Academy, and a 6th grade student that attends Hopkins West Middle School. Both of my sons recently had the opportunity to create a Story of My Name project with Katiya Xiong. My sons enjoyed learning about the meaning and cultural significance of their names as well as reflecting on their identities as they participated in this project. As a parent, I loved getting a glimpse into how they see themselves. Therefore, I am writing to recommend that your district consider giving your students this opportunity as well.
Katiya is outgoing and great with the students. The students enjoy the project because kids are naturally curious about themselves and love to learn about the thought and intentionality that their family put into giving them their names. My sons also loved that they were able to incorporate technology into this project, so it was highly engaging for them. When the project was finished, I felt that the students had gained confidence and pride in themselves after learning more about their names and thinking about how they identify themselves.
I hope you are able to bring the same excitement and confidence to your students by working with Katiya on the Story of My Name project.
YOUTH VOICES MATTER
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