[BHS etree] MISC: Hearthfelt thanks from Storytelling Festival director

[bhs at idiom.com]

Do not reply to etree, contact: Alan Miller mailto:amiller at berkeley.k12.ca.us

Thank you all volunteers  who worked at the  for the Berkeley High
Storytelling Festival on March 20. And a thank you to the Berkeley High
Development Group for making it possible.

Students and volunteers heard Karen McKie tell stories about her
Philadelphia childhood in an all Black neighborhood where neighbors took
their "village" responsibilities seriously, especially Miss Margaret the
busybody next door. They also heard Mckie share her insights about
dollmaking.

They heard Charlie Chin tell a series of interconnected stories and
punctuate his tales with a large folding fan that served alternately as a
bird's wings, or chopsticks, or  a divider between scenes.  They quickly
grew to love the many sounds--yes, sounds, not words--that expressed his
various characters pleasures,moods and commentary on life.

Finally, they heard Ruth Halpern' s gothic tales about a world where
characters were as likely to find magic as they were to find companionship.
Very Harry Potter!

Some 1500 students attended the event throughout the day... from English
classes, to Mandarin classes, to History classes, to Special Education
sheltered classes, to Reading classes....

Thanks to the many volunteers who made it possible.  And thanks to the BHS
Development Group for funding the project.

Alan Miller

BHS/English