Storyteller Regi Carpenter performed for students during a recent Herkimer-Fulton-Hamilton-Otsego BOCES Honors Program event, and then students learned to tell stories themselves through memorization, drawing and body movements.
“Throughout the past 28 years, Regi Carpenter has been entertaining children of all ages with her gift of storytelling,” Honors Program Coordinator Deborah Schoff said. “She has delighted students from the Herkimer BOCES Honors Program for many years, and Thursday was no different. Students were both entertained and actively involved in the craft of storytelling.”
There were 25 local third graders in attendance for the “Soaring Stories” Honors Program event on Thursday, Nov. 7, at the Herkimer BOCES Gateway Center. The students were from the Herkimer BOCES component districts of Central Valley, Herkimer, Little Falls, Poland, Richfield Springs and West Canada Valley.
Schoff said students enjoyed Carpenter’s performance.
“Participants were treated to her silly stories and were captivated by her character voices and delivery,” Schoff said. “The audience participated in each story with repetitive phrases and movements.”
For telling their own stories, students mostly worked in teams of two to practice the stories they learned. Throughout the day, students were encouraged to perform learned pieces in front of their peers.
“It was wonderful to watch students take that risk, especially with people they did not know,” Schoff said.
It was a great day all around, Schoff said.
“Much laughter and joy was experienced during the ‘Soaring Stories’ program,” Schoff said. “Big smiles were seen, and the general atmosphere was one of happiness.”
The Herkimer BOCES Honors Program is open to students in Herkimer BOCES component school districts and is designed to support the potential of students in grades 3-12 who have above average interests and abilities in a particular area. Programs allow for interaction with like-minded peers. Students learn by engaging in educational activities with presenters who are noted in their field. Exploration and programs provide for different learning styles and include topics in the arts and sciences as well as literature and history. Ongoing evaluation of all programs by teachers and students assures their relevance and quality.
