The Unscripted Project

The Unscripted Project is a Philadelphia-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to equipping students with the skills necessary for personal and professional success through the transformative medium of improvisational theater. Founded in 2020, it was initiated by University of Pennsylvania Wharton School graduates Philip Chen and Meera Menon, who were awarded the President's Engagement Prize for their initiative.

Mission and Purpose

The organization's mission is to help create a world where every child leaves school prepared to embrace challenges, seize opportunities, and unlock their full potential. It aims to address the significant issue of students leaving school feeling unprepared for college and their careers, with 74% of Philadelphia public school students reporting such sentiments.

Programs and Impact

The Unscripted Project primarily operates through a free 10-week series of in-school applied improv workshops in public middle and high schools. These workshops are led by professional teaching artists in collaboration with classroom educators. By utilizing the principles of improvisational theater, students develop critical life skills such as speaking confidently, collaborating effectively, and growing from mistakes. The program focuses on fostering social-emotional and interpersonal skills in a low-stakes, laughter-filled environment.

The organization has worked with over 3,000 students since its inception. Performance metrics indicate that 79% of students feel better able to understand their emotions and those of others, 77% report increased confidence in participating in class, 67% show improvements in social self-efficacy, and 80% believe they have become better communicators. Additionally, 81% of students feel more comfortable with their peers following the program.

Community and Supported Demographics

The schools The Unscripted Project works with have an average student population that is 90% economically disadvantaged. The demographic breakdown of the students served includes 70% Black or African American, 10% Hispanic or Latino, 5% White or Caucasian, 5% Asian or Pacific Islander, 2% Native American or Alaskan Native, with 9% preferring not to state their ethnicity.

Educational Context

The Unscripted Project recognizes the importance of integrating arts and social-emotional learning into education. It emphasizes that while academic preparedness is vital, skills like communication, resilience, and emotional intelligence are crucial for students to succeed in the evolving professional landscape. The organization aims to contribute to a new educational paradigm that addresses both academic and social-emotional development needs.

The Unscripted Project also recognizes the broader challenges faced by students in urban settings like Philadelphia and New York City, where economic disadvantages and limited access to quality arts education are prevalent. It seeks to bridge these gaps by expanding its programs to additional cities, including New York, to provide equitable opportunities for socioemotional learning and arts education.

[1] https://www.nea.org/sites/default/files/2024-06/umid-unscripted-project-slides.pdf [2] https://www.idealist.org/en/nonprofit/87febf5b5199448f8744071ff6291864-the-unscripted-project-philadelphia [3] https://pennpep.upenn.edu/projects-profiles/the-unscripted-project [4] https://www.unscriptedproject.org/our-purpose [5] https://www.unscriptedproject.org