BROOMFIELD, Colo. — Storytelling is a tradition that teaches virtues, shares culture, and connects generations. In Colorado classrooms, the national organization Spellbinders brings the power of oral storytelling to students, changing both the kids and the volunteers who share their voices.
At Aspen Creek PK-8 in Broomfield, volunteer storytellers like Cathy Lichty don’t just read from books; they perform stories from all over the world, captivating students with expressive gestures and eye contact that animate the ancient folk tales they share. This is oral storytelling.
“Today, I'm telling a story from an ancient folk tale from Persia and another folk tale from Scotland,” Lichty said.
For her, the experience goes far beyond entertainment.
“It gives me a purpose for being," she said. "I'm doing something that makes a difference.”
Lichty, a longtime storyteller and master trainer with Spellbinders, visits classrooms each month, igniting imaginations through the connection of oral storytelling.
“It's extremely fulfilling to spend time with the kids and feel that connection and that love flowing back and forth,” she said. “Because they're not memorized, they're told. It really sparks your imagination, your creativity.”
According to a recent survey of Spellbinder storytellers, 90% of respondents volunteered to have a healthier social life. Many volunteers responded that they perform oral storytelling to improve their memory.
Spellbinders volunteers are mostly older adults, finding renewed meaning in inspiring the next generation. David “Mr. Fox” Hooley has worked with students for fifteen years, and said the joy is mutual.
“It is fun for us to tell stories, to be amongst the kids, to have an enthusiastic audience, and to see that, yeah, they are listening and they're reacting,” Hooley said.
The impact on the classroom is noticeable. First-grade teacher Sara Sloan told Denver7 the storytellers provide students with important role models.
“It shows them that not only can they write a story or can they listen to a story, but then eventually, someday, maybe they can tell it in a fun way like she does,” Sloan said.
The connections forged through storytelling keep the volunteers coming back year after year.
“The best compliment I ever received was from a fourth-grade girl, and she wrote, 'Mr. Fox. I so enjoy your stories. I don't know how you do it, since you're such an old guy,'” Hooley said with a laugh. “That made me feel great. It also made me feel like I have an obligation to show the other people of my generation, you can do this too.”
As demand for Spellbinders grows, the organization continues searching for new volunteers to keep the stories flowing and the generations connected.
If you'd like to volunteer or have Spellbinders visit your classroom, just visit their website.
