About the Story Stroll

In Fall 2021, Katie Miller, 8th grade teacher at Dillon Middle School, wanted to create a project where her 8th graders would create choose-your-own adventure stories in a Story Stroll, a community event where a story is made large (ex. one story page per yard sign) and placed in an public area (ex. a park). Katie reached out to Lori Roberts of the Dillon Public Library, and Dr. Katrina Kennett at the University of Montana Western. Since then, each year of the Dillon Community Story Stroll has provided a fun, approachable, and personal reading experience published as both yard signs and hard-copy books. 

In 2022, the story was titled Quest for the Gold Medal and participants engaged in physical activities and adventurous storylines, only one of which ended on top of the podium! 

In 2023, titled Around the World in 93 Poems, 8th graders took the research of their 1st grade reading buddies and composed poetry that brought readers to places far and near (Arctic, Desert, Rainforest, Ocean, Montana). 

The 2024 publication, Super Trooper Nature Hunt, was written in nonfiction style as each 1st grade class researched insects, mammals, reptiles, and birds that were local inhabitants of Dillon, MT. Their middle school buddies took this information and created the main characters and storylines, following Debbie the Great Horned Owl, DJ Buffalo, Wally the Wolf Spider, and Terry the Painted Turtle on four different adventures with other local animals! 

The story in 2025 was Fractured Fairy Tales: Montana Style. From Jack and the Giant Ponderosa to A Very Hungry Bobcat and Three Bunnies, readers explore our great state and the animals that adventure in it. 

Our 2026 story again builds from ecosystem research with the 1st and 8th graders composing in a “Brown Bear, Brown Bear” style of storytelling. Look forward to following Dolly the Dolphin (with her pink Stanley cup), Billy the Buck (he loves to shop at Target), and other narrators as they bring us around the world.  

Each year, to make integrating education technology an authentic experience, pre-service teachers from UMW record the 1st and 8th graders reading the story aloud and create QR codes that go on each yard sign and book page. Enjoy listening to them as you read! 

Spreading the Word

In Fall 2026, the Story Stroll was an invited featured presentation at the National Safe Routes to School Summit. 

Giving Thanks

Each year, we are incredibly grateful to our funders and community partners that make the magic happen. Over time, this list includes: 

• Dillon Friends of the Library

• Beaverhead County United Way 

• Our Local Chapter of Delta Alpha Pi

• National Education Association Student Success Grant

• Humanities Montana Grant 

• UMW Education Division

• UMW Fund for ExperienceOne Grant

• UMW Academic Initiatives

In the community, our books are printed each year by Womack's Printing and the signs are created by Big Tyme Sportswear & Design. 

Want to Learn More? 

If you would like to learn more about the Dillon Community Story Stroll, contact katrina.kennett@umwestern.edu