Dec. 9, 2019 -- Students and family members at Fairfax Elementary School enjoyed listening to stories, folk tales, and songs from Michele Rudolph and Oluremi Oliver of the Cleveland Association of Black Storytellers at a recent PTA meeting. The event included a multicultural dinner and coincided with the school’s annual Scholastic Book Fair.

Families brought in food from across the globe, including one student who proudly delivered a key lime pie because she and her father used to live in Florida. “It wasn’t multicultural, of course,” said PTA Co-President Maggie Mueller. “But she was recognizing part of her personal history.” 

The stories and songs all featured lessons about kindness, tolerance, and treating the earth with respect. The children were very engaged and eager to share their own thoughts and ideas about everything from how to be a good friend to what they recycle at home.

Ms. Mueller knew that the evening was a success because students began listening while sitting at the bottom of the stage’s steps in the school lunchroom, but inched their way closer and closer throughout the evening, until they were almost at the storytellers’ feet.