Your family's story
deserves to be told.
A free, guided program by RISE Reporting — a 501(c)(3) nonprofit — that empowers young people to capture their elders' life stories and preserve them as a keepsake video forever.
What Is It
A bridge between
generations — built by your child.
RISE Social Legacy is a structured, step-by-step experience designed to help a young person sit down with a grandparent or family elder, capture their story, and turn it into something families will treasure forever.
It's not just a video.
It's a living document of identity, memory, and values — passed from one generation to the next.
Using nothing more than a phone or laptop, guided interview questions, and a few family photos, a young person becomes the investigator, content creator, and narrator of their family's story.
The result is a 2–3 minute film — complete with interview footage, archival photos, student-written narration, and music — ready to share and preserve for decades.
Currently in free beta, with an optional $20 donation to help RISE reach more families. No special equipment. Just 30–60 minutes of interview time and a willingness to listen.
The Young Person's Role
Three roles. One student.
Every young participant takes on three distinct creative identities throughout the project.
Investigator
Research & Discovery
Researching family history, forming thoughtful questions, and uncovering untold stories that have never been recorded — until now.
Content Creator
Capture & Produce
Filming the interview, collecting archival materials, editing footage, and assembling a finished film using real multimedia production skills.
The Bridge
Narrate & Connect
Writing and recording their own narration — connecting past to future in their own voice, linking generations with authentic perspective.
Who It's For
Built for three generations
at once.
The RISE Social Legacy Project meets each person where they are — and brings them together.
Teens & Preteens
The CreatorsYoung people who are digital natives but often disconnected from their roots. They build real multimedia skills while developing a meaningful relationship with their elders and learning where they come from.
Elders & Grandparents
The StorytellersSeniors who hold a lifetime of wisdom and values that risk being lost. This project gives their stories a permanent home — and gives them the profound gift of being truly heard by the next generation.
Parents
The BridgeSandwiched between generations, parents guide and support the process — giving something meaningful to both their children and their own parents, all at once. A rare gift in both directions.
How We Reach Families
Meeting communities
where they are.
We built multiple pathways into the program so no family — regardless of school type, faith background, or access — gets left out.
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Anyone, anytime. Families can participate independently at risereporting.com/risesociallegacy with parent supervision — perfect for homeschool families and self-starters.
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Public schools (5th grade). We're embedding the program into classroom curriculum through California VAPA enrichment funding and donor support — giving every student access during the school day.
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Christian private schools & churches. Through donor funding, we partner to embed values-centered curriculum — sharing the program at churches as a way for families to connect across generations.
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Elder workshops & senior nonprofits. We partner with organizations serving older adults, inviting their families to participate and helping seniors feel connected to their family's digital life.
What Comes Out of It
More than a school project.
More than a video.
Real Intergenerational Connection
A genuine, unhurried conversation between a young person and an elder — the kind that rarely happens organically but changes both of them.
A Keepsake Video for Life
A finished, polished 2–3 minute film families can save, share, and revisit for generations. For many, it will become one of the most meaningful things they own.
Real Multimedia Skills
Young people learn to film, edit, narrate, and design — building practical content creation abilities while exploring family history and cultural values.
2026 Goals
What we're building
toward this year.
Reaching 100 families across Los Angeles and Riverside counties by end of 2026 — spanning public schools, private schools, churches, and senior-serving nonprofits.
Upgrading from beta to three fully developed tracks — for homeschool families, private schools, and public school VAPA programs — each tailored to context and community.
Our $50,000 target funds 6 months of programming across LA and Riverside counties. Every dollar goes directly toward reaching more families.
Start preserving your
family's story today.
All you need is a phone or laptop, 30–60 minutes, a few family photos, and a grandparent or elder who's ready to be heard. We'll guide you through every step.
Begin the Legacy Project →Free to participate. Optional $20 donation helps RISE reach more families.