Writing as storytelling: An homage to Bob Keddell.

Chicca, Jennifer K; Jennifer K Chicca

doi:https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17100666

Writing as Storytelling: An Homage to Bob Keddell

Jenny Chicca, PhD, RN, CNE, CNEcl

Writer’s Camp Counselor

Take a moment to read and meet fun-ducational expert Bob Keddell.

When you worked with Bob Keddell, the Director of “Educators Connecting Research to the K-16 Classroom” or ECRC, no two days were alike. ECRC provided a variety of educational offerings, including a unique brand of fun and educational (“fun-ducational”) summer camps. This time, camp had brought the ECRC staff to none other than the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC. While there, we ran a series of camps in the Smithsonian Institution Building, also known as the Castle. With a beautiful red brick façade and tower-like structures, the Castle truly earned its name. All the way down in the Castle’s chilly basement, we got set up to go “Exploring Extremes.” Our first activity was centered around mountaineering, or ascending mountains with difficult terrains and high altitudes.

“Okay,” announced Bob, as he stroked his silver beard (a signature move), “here is what we are going to do.” Campers and counselors alike watched Bob as he continued, “We are going to practice taking off our climbing gear as quickly as possible. While scaling a mountain, climbers may need to take off their gear quickly to improve their speed, movement, and efficiency. This could save a mountaineer’s life.” After a dramatic pause, Bob said, “Courtesy of Chris Warner, a Maryland mountaineer,” as he held up the harness, helmet, headlamp, pants, jacket, gloves, boots, and backpack that we would use during the activity. Yes, all of the items were authentic (but not child-sized). Chris Warner, a lifelong mountaineer who has summited every 8,000 meter peak, including Everest on several occasions, had donated the items. How did Bob meet such a person you say? Unfortunately, I do not remember. But I do remember video-conferencing from Maryland (campers) to base camp in Nepal (Chris). Today, Chris is one of America’s most accomplished mountaineers who is devoted to leadership and education.

Back to the activity. Once we had the directions, it was time to get started. One by one, each camper (clumsily) tried to quickly take off the large gear. My job: timekeeper. Most campers took three or more minutes to complete the activity … until Franklin. Franklin was our smallest camper so I was a bit worried about him and the heavy gear. After we suited him up, I gave Franklin until the count of three…two…one… pop! With a huge grin on his face, Franklin simply jumped out of the gear. We all roared with laughter as Bob praised his ingenuity. Why didn’t we think of that? Interestingly enough, when I asked my husband David for a Bob camp story, he offered Franklin’s story. You see, at the time, my husband was my boyfriend, and we were both camp counselors. David would probably tell you that story a bit differently, but let’s stick a pin in that thought for just a moment.

Some of my earliest and fondest memories are at summer camps with ECRC. Summer camps run by fun-ducational expert Bob Keddell. I was an honorary helper before eventually being a paid counselor, so I worked with ECRC and Bob for a long time. How did I meet such a person you say? Well, that one I do remember. You see, Bob was my Dad. My full name is Jennifer Keddell Chicca.

A smiling man with a gray beard sits with his hands clasped in front of him, wearing a blue plaid shirt, in a bright, airy indoor space.

Bob graduated with, per his admission, a penniless degree in anthropology. After graduating, he worked as a restaurant manager while building a reputation for offering fun-ducational summer camps through the local Parks and Recreation department. After a parent suggested he become a teacher instead, Bob became certified and started teaching. Throughout his 40-year career, Bob taught different grades and subjects in the K-12 classroom as well as graduate students at the university level (thus, ECRC’s nod to the K-16 classroom). At the same time, Bob continued to offer his own unique brand of summer camp. In Bob’s camps, we learned about the weather, marine life, physics, ecology, and engineering, to name a few topics. We walked through the rainforest, we made hovercrafts, we experienced weather events, and even studied Fiddler crabs. Each lesson was a story that was inspired by professionals Bob met (like Chris Warner) or experiences Bob had. Bob taught me to have fun while approaching the world with curiosity, compassion, and humor.

Fun-ducational Stories

That is just one of the many colorful stories about Bob and how he influenced me. Maybe I should have told you about …

The time he purchased a large blue gorilla stuffed animal (named Big Bob of course) from a garage sale. He then proceeded to use Big Bob to terrorize my Mom, one time surprising her with Big Bob in the driver’s seat of her car. Big Bob would later appear at summer camp.
When a blue crab got out of a holding tank during Outdoor Education, terrorizing the campers.
How and why he managed to fill an entire (newly built) school with fish tanks. Yes, his prior school had fish tanks as well. When he moved schools, we got more fish including his beloved Batfish that he hand-fed. Yes, he hand-fed a fish.
The time he forged his parents’ signatures on a study abroad document in high school. The punishment? He had to go … to the Philippines. That experience would forever change him.

I could go on and on. Each of these stories emphasizes something different about Bob and probably something about me. When chosen carefully, each story can teach and inspire you in unique ways. “Okay,” I hear you saying, “those sound like interesting stories Jenny, but what do they have to do with writing?” Great question. Let’s discuss storytelling within the context of writing.

Writing as Storytelling

Why did I share this story? Well, as Bob once wrote, “We share to reveal ourselves to anyone willing or trapped into listening.” First of all, good one Dad. Perhaps in a selfish way, I wanted you to learn about my remarkable Dad, whether you were willing or trapped. In 2021, we suddenly and unexpectedly lost Bob Keddell. On the fourth anniversary of that dark day, I take comfort in the fact that his legacy will live on in his family, and with all the campers and students he touched over the years. As stories do, Bob’s fun-ducational stories engage us and keep us invested. Stories help us make sense of the world including the past, present, and they can even inform predictions about the future.

But I also shared this story as it may help you learn a lesson. Bob had a quote for that too. After discussing why we share, he wrote, “The hope is the reader will leave enlightened.” What enlightenment is on the menu today? Why, writing as storytelling of course! Students and peers often tell me things like “I hate writing,” or “I am not a good writer,” or “I do not enjoy reading academic journals.” People may place academic writing on an unattainable and stressful pedestal, and they can be bored by traditional formats. However, without idea sharing, we remain stagnant. Combining storytelling techniques with thoughtful analyses helps keep the reader engaged, gets the point across more clearly, and elicits more change. So, I argue that writing is most effective as storytelling. Table 1 provides ideas of how to transform your academic writing using storytelling techniques.^1-3

Table 1. Using Storytelling Techniques in Academic Writing
Storytelling Technique	Example Use in Academic Writing
Set the Stage Hook Setting Tension Main theme Main character	Start with a hook, such as a powerful statistic, case, or anecdote Outline the setting, including the current state of the science Provide the tension, or what is missing from existing literature State the main theme, including a debate, controversy, or gap (you should be able to do this in one sentence) Ensure the main character (e.g., disease, material, formula, system under study) is outlined within your main theme
Balance Action With Your Commentary	Tell the story of the data or literature, provide evidence, and supplement information with commentary throughout
Emphasize Resolution	Thoroughly discuss limitations and counterarguments Comprehensively address implications and ways to apply to practice
End With a Kicker	Provide a striking remark about the implications to leave a lasting impression
Write to Capture Attention Active voice Remove unnecessary words Humanize your paper Add metaphors	Use active voice, e.g., “Participants in the experimental group received the intervention” instead of “The intervention was received by the participants in the experimental group” Remove unnecessary words, e.g., “The authors emphasized …” instead of “In order to provide context for the study, the authors worked to emphasize the fact that …” Humanize your paper, e.g., “Researchers found increased patient falls were …” instead of “Increased patient falls were found to …” Add metaphors, e.g., “the nursing profession is like a streetlamp, providing light and guiding patients …”

Conclusion

I hope those ideas provide you some enlightenment. Hang on, I have one more point to make before you go. Remember how I said my husband would tell Franklin’s story in a different way? Even if we are in the same room during the same event, each of us will tell a story in a new way. And that is okay! Storytelling inserts your voice into your work and exerts your influence in a meaningful way. So, I ask you, what is your story? What do you hope others will learn from your story? As you write, have fun and tell your stories with curiosity, compassion, and a sense of humor to challenge the status quo. We’re counting on you.

Thank you for reading my story. I dedicate this work to fun-ducational expert Bob Keddell.

References

How to Use Storytelling in Scientific Writing. Researchers’ Writing Academy – Academic Writing Program by Anna Clemens, PhD. April 11, 2018. Accessed September 10, 2025. https://annaclemens.com/blog/story-telling-scientific-paper/
Mintz S. How scholarly writing can transform research into narratives. Inside Higher Ed | Higher Education News, Events and Jobs. June 14, 2024. Accessed September 10, 2025. https://www.insidehighered.com/opinion/columns/higher-ed-gamma/2024/06/14/how-scholarly-writing-can-transform-research-narratives
Engaging storytelling in science writing. Accessed September 10, 2025. https://uwaterloo.ca/writing-and-communication-centre/engaging-storytelling-science-writing

Author: Jenny Chicca

Reviewed and Edited by: Leslie H. Nicoll

Citation: Chicca J. Writing as storytelling: An homage to Bob Keddell. The Writer’s Camp Journal, 2025; 1(2):17. doi: 10.5281/zenodo.17100666