National Professional Storyteller Brings Live, Literacy-Building Performance to Arizona School on Friday, February 27, 2009

Avondale, AZ, February 27, 2009 --(PR.com)-- As part of the literacy program of "Read Across America," the students at Lela Alston Elementary School in the Maryvale area of the West Valley will be treated to a presentation by national professional storyteller K. Sean Buvala on Friday, February 27, 2009 at 11:00 in the morning. The school is located at 4006 West Osborn Road in Phoenix.

As a presenter for the school's "Read Across America Program," Sean Buvala will use oral storytelling to entice the students to explore the many great books in the libraries in their neighborhoods and school. Mr. Buvala is donating the performance to the school in the low-income area.

"As a storyteller, I don't actually read books to students," Mr. Buvala said. "Rather, through the use of the oral tradition, my stories excite kids to jump up and go directly to the 398.2 section of the library to find many of the stories I've told them. Often, at the end of my programs, I will tell students just the first half of a story. After the final applause, it never fails that students will immediately go to the bookshelves to find the final portion of the story. I have even seen a few teachers peruse the library or the classroom Internet to find the story themselves."

Research indicates that teaching children to create and communicate with oral storytelling improves reading and writing skills and test scores. Buvala stated, "Oral storytelling not only encourages kids to use their imaginations but helps with other skills such as sequencing and vocabulary development. Principals have told me that adding storytelling and other performing arts increases the overall test scores of the students. Over the last several decades, I have been honored to help bring the power of story to so many schools and certainly am glad to help Alston school achieve their goals as well."

Sean Buvala, the director of Storyteller.net who has more than two decades of national experience, is especially glad to help schools in his home state of Arizona. "I travel frequently to teach in a variety of corporate and school settings. It is always an honor and even fun to do things here in my own hometown. Most recently, I did a tour of the Washington school district here and that was a very unique opportunity to be involved in my own community."

Mr. Buvala, who also teaches corporate storytelling workshops in Avondale, Arizona, can be reached at his website at www.seantells.com. For more information about the Lela Alston Elementary school, please contact their office at (602) 442-3000.

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