ETHOS Wonderlab

Purpose-Driven Storytelling for Schools

ETHOS Wonderlab, a “doing business as” initiative under the nonprofit ETHOS Film Institute (501c3), expands our mission beyond film into the transformative art of storytelling in all its forms.

In collaboration with LAUSD K–12 schools, Wonderlab introduces students to project-based learning experiences where they explore how communication, role-play, art, and creative expression can resolve conflict, strengthen resilience, and amplify their voices.

Each Wonderlab culminates in a mini festival, mini-presentation, or showcase, seamlessly woven into a school’s annual variety show, holiday performance, art exhibition, or poetry slam. These celebrations honor children’s creativity, allowing them to be recognized by peers, families, and educators while experiencing the joy of uplifting one another.

The program is strengthened through key collaborations with Mary Lynn Ross and the Diane Watson Foundation, working directly with Executive Director Natalie Lawless. Our advisory team includes respected artists, educators, and industry leaders such as Director/Actor Amelia Mulkey, Director/Actor Anabelle D. Munro, Composer Ceri Torjussen, Singer/Producer Danita Menchell, Former Commissioner Diane Miller, Executive Director of the Merrie Way Foundation Merrie Lynn Ross, Artist/Educator Tomi Bell, and 6-time Emmy Award Winner Joseph Rosendo. Their combined expertise ensures that Wonderlab is both artistically rigorous and deeply rooted in social impact.

Piloted in partnership with the Topanga Elementary VAPA Program and supported by Will Geer’s Theatricum Botanicum, Wonderlab bridges classroom education with the broader artistic community, offering students a living example of how storytelling connects, heals, and transforms.

Wonderlab is where purpose-driven storytelling becomes education for life — empowering young people to express themselves, build resilience, and grow into changemakers who carry empathy and creativity into the world.