{"id":14,"date":"2021-11-21T15:14:19","date_gmt":"2021-11-21T15:14:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/conversationsfromtheopenroad.a2hosted.com\/?page_id=14"},"modified":"2026-02-24T19:50:04","modified_gmt":"2026-02-24T19:50:04","slug":"about","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/conversationsfromtheopenroad.com\/?page_id=14","title":{"rendered":"About"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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About the Program<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Any VT high school student or college student is eligible to apply to this program. Students are invited to join who exhibit an eager and open attitude to grow and learn and an ability to work collaboratively and independently. Funded scholarships allows for any student who is invited to join our crews, regardless of ability to pay the entire amount.<\/p>

APPLICATIONS are found at the bottom of each trip on the trips page. Email this as a PDF to conversationsfromtheopenroad@gmail.com<\/a><\/p>

HOWEVER, <\/strong>ADMISSION IS ROLLING:<\/strong> We fill the spots for our crews as the right applicants apply – We do NOT wait until the deadline to review all applications.<\/p>

APPLY as soon as you know you are interested!<\/p>

We interview all interested applicants<\/strong>, since we want to know much more about you than what a few written responses gives us.<\/p>

Contact us as soon as you know if you are interested<\/strong>, so that we can set something up.<\/p>

All students and parents who have participated in this experience have agreed to talk with any interested student and parent – please contact us if this is something you would like to arrange.<\/p>

Please contact us with any concerns or questions at mary.beth.simons@gmail.com<\/a><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Our Team<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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Brooke McKeen<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Alexandra De Luise<\/h3>

Alex is a graduate of The University of Vermont interested in narrative film, documentary storytelling, and video art. As an artist Alex aims to make work that invites contemplation, conversation, and action. Alex seeks to center pleasure, joy, healing, connection, and community, and is largely focused on reformation.\u00a0<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Aylie Baker<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tB.A. History, Middlebury College\n\nThomas J. Watson Fellow – Travelled to islands exploring the use of storytelling as a community-bulding tool\n\nVermont Folklife Center Fellow – Helped coordinate statewide Irene Storytelling Project\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Samuel Burriss<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSam Burriss is a Film Studies graduate of Champlain College. He is curently a filmmaker and photographer who’s inspired by simple stories and minimalist aesthetics. \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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Nick Losito<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tNick Losito graduated with a degree in Documentary Film Studies from Burlington College in 2011. As an active musician, most of his expertise lies in using music as a window into a new culture or society. \n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Rahima Rahi<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tRahima Rahi’s multimedia art functions as a continuous experiment with form, relationships, theory, and identity. Her work spans autobiography, collaborative social documentary, experimental video, installation, reflective\/theoretical discourse, and text-based approaches. Rahi experiments with ways to effectively shift the power she holds as a filmmaker over to the community, while still offering participants the value of her creative and technical support. For Rahi, \u201cthe process is the reason for creation\u201d of her autobiographical and biographical experimental art. When practiced in a state of heightened vulnerability, the rituals of production ignite the possibility of healing, liberation, and the reclamation of power.\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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Leyla Moavenzadeh<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tLeyla Moavenzadeh is a freelance documentary filmmaker and photographer based in Chapel Hill, NC. In addition to producing pieces for educational institutions and small businesses, she enjoys crafting intimate portrait pieces about real people. When she’s not working, she enjoys playing a variety of instruments and spending time with her growing family. \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Michelle Lotker<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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B.S. Biology, Duke University<\/p>

Certificate in Documentary Studies, The Center for Documentary Studies at Duke University<\/p>

\u00a0<\/p>

Michelle loves nature, people, science, growing food and especially discovering, weaving and sharing stories around those topics. She’s always looking forward to the next adventure, whether it’s in her own back yard or on the Open Road!<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Mary Simons<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Founder and Director of Conversations From the Open Road<\/p>

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Mary taught in both independent and public, middle and high school, and in Connecticut and Vermont. She started this program in 2011 in order to knit her passions together – traveling, listening and learning from and with young adults, working creatively and collaboratively, and cultivating experiences in which to challenge and expand ourselves.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Mallory Falk<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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BA English & Creative Writing, Middlebury College<\/p>

Certificate in Radio Storytelling and Production, Transom Story Workshop<\/p>

Currently working with Kids Rethink New Orleans Schools – using mixed media as a tool for empowering youth voice.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

About the Program Any VT high school student or college student is eligible to apply to this program. Students are invited to join who exhibit an eager and open attitude to grow and learn and an ability to work collaboratively and independently. Funded scholarships allows for any student who is invited to join our crews, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"no-sidebar","site-content-layout":"page-builder","ast-site-content-layout":"full-width-container","site-content-style":"unboxed","site-sidebar-style":"unboxed","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"disabled","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"disabled","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"disabled","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"set","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-14","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/conversationsfromtheopenroad.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/14","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/conversationsfromtheopenroad.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/conversationsfromtheopenroad.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/conversationsfromtheopenroad.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/conversationsfromtheopenroad.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=14"}],"version-history":[{"count":41,"href":"https:\/\/conversationsfromtheopenroad.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/14\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3223,"href":"https:\/\/conversationsfromtheopenroad.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/14\/revisions\/3223"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/conversationsfromtheopenroad.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=14"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}