Purpose
The purpose of the NBS Academy for Biblical Storytelling is to provide a process of support and training in both the performance and teaching of biblical stories that encourages individual styles as well as an appreciation for the stories in the form they've been "traditioned" to us. In helping students to achieve a significant degree of skill and experience in these two areas, the ultimate goal is to send qualified participants out into the world to function as certified biblical storytellers and, consequently, commended resource persons able to offer services on behalf of the Network of Biblical Storytellers in a way that aids the Network in fulfilling its mission: to encourage everyone to learn and tell biblical stories.

Faculty
The Academy is overseen by a dean (who also serves as a mentor), Dr. Tracy Radosevic (tracyrad.com), and staffed by a team of mentors (assigned to 3-4 students each) from within the NBS community -- those who have undertaken advanced degrees, evidenced a depth of knowledge from training and independent study, demonstrated significant experience in teaching and leading workshops, distinguished themselves as performers, and shown themselves to have attained a level of spiritual awareness through the discipline of biblical storytelling.

Structure
The word "Academy" was chosen intentionally; this program is rather rigorous, requiring the reading of a variety of books, the writing of several papers, and a multitude of recorded performances (including one 90-minute workshop). ABS is a "school without walls," meaning that the majority of the work is done from home with most assignments and subsequent feedback sent via email or through a teleconferencing service like Skype or Voice Thread. Two face-to-face meetings are also required: the summer Festival Gathering of NBS (as well as the immediate 2.5 days afterwards), and a late-fall, two-night meeting, the location of which is determined by the geographic location of that year's students. This structure works best with students who are self-motivated, disciplined, and committed.

Process
The Academy offers two levels of certification: a one-year (January to December of even-numbered years) program culminating with the granting of a Biblical Storytelling Certificate (BSC), and a second-year program (January to December of odd-numbered years) concluding with a Master of Biblical Storytelling Certificate (MBSC). Candidates in each program commit to a process of reading, course work, coaching, reflection, repertoire development, and training in pedagogy.

Candidates, and subsequent graduates, of both programs will be expected to be members of the Network of Biblical Storytellers and to participate in, and contribute to, the NBS community and attend the annual Festival Gatherings. Both the BSC and the MBSC will require annual certification renewal which will be based on review of continued demonstrations of documented experience in the public telling of biblical stories, narrative teaching opportunities, and evidence of further educational development.

The BSC requirements include:

• previous attendance at an approved NBS-sponsored/related event

• a one-year course of study consisting of assigned readings and written reflection (in areas such as biblical studies, theology, performance theory and practice, communications in digital, etc.)

• attendance at, and full participation in, two consecutive Festival Gatherings (the year of your course of study and the following for graduation), the first of which includes a 2.5-day post-FG Academy intensive.

• maintaining accountability to a mentor over the course of study

• demonstrated mastery of storytelling and teaching skills through a rigorous coaching/critiquing process that involves videotaped sessions sent to a Mentor for evaluation (you will need access to a video camera w/ VHS or mini-DV tapes)

• building of a storytelling repertoire

• general biblical knowledge, as demonstrated by a written exam

• design, presentation, and recording of a story-learning workshop, including evaluations from workshop participants

• the maintenance of a spiritual journal throughout the process

• design, presentation, and recording of participation in two additional storytelling events at times other than the Festival Gatherings

• attendance at, and full participation in, a 3-day year-end meeting

• an oral examination/evaluation by a panel including the dean.

• the successful completion of the BSC requirements

• an additional year's course of study consisting of assigned readings and written reflection

• attendance at, and full participation in, two Academy seminars and three consecutive Festival Gatherings with their 2.5-day post-FG Academy intensives (this includes the attendance requirements from the BSC)

• maintaining accountability to a Mentor over the course of study

• demonstrated mastery of coaching skills

• design, presentation, and recording of a non-story-learning, but narrative-based, workshop with evaluations from workshop participants

• design, presentation, and recording of a digital storytelling performance

• design, presentation, and recording of a storytelling performance that includes 30% non-biblical narratives

• design, presentation, and recording of an assigned preaching text

• competence in biblical geography as demonstrated by a written exam

• continued repertoire development

• design, development, and completion of an approved practical research project or educational resource

• attendance at, and full participation in, a 3-day year-end meeting

• an oral examination/evaluation by a panel including the Dean (this will require a two-night meeting in late fall)

There is a non-refundable application fee of $100. If you apply by mail, you can make your payment by credit card, by calling the NBS office at 1-800-355-6627, or by sneding a check to NBS - 1000 W. 42nd St. - Indianapolis, IN 46208

If accepted into the program, this amount will be applied toward tuition. If the applicant does not end up participating in the program, the $100 can be used to offset future purchases, registrations, or fees with NBS.

Tuition
Tuition is $2000. This includes the registration, lodging, and meals for the required 2010 Festival Gathering and subsequent face-to-face ABS meeting (assuming double occupancy). It does NOT include any costs for the required year-end meeting, nor the travel to either event.

Payment Schedule
$100 due upon application
$600 due January 8, 2010
$700 due April 1, 2010
$600 due July 1, 2010

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Refund Policy
Refunds of fees for withdrawal from the program before completion will be according to the following schedule:
$400 - January 31
$300 - February 28
$200 - March 31
$100 - April 30
$50 - May 31

No refunds will be made after May 31

Withdrawal from the program before that year's Festival Gathering will forfeit the Festival Gathering registration, et al, portion of the tuition. In other words, if the candidate who withdraws also wants to attend the Festival Gathering, he/she will bear the full cost of the Festival Gathering registration.

For students who do not complete all the required work within the allotted 12-month-period, a $50 fee will be charged each "semester" (January 1 to Festival Gathering is the spring semester and Festival Gathering to Dec. 31 is the fall semester) to maintain matriculation.

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