I have been raving about the wonderful experience I have had last March 5, when the Basadours went to Hipodromo Elementary School (here in Cebu City, Philippines) to celebrate World Read Aloud Day 2014.
To quote words from the Litworld: “Worldwide at least 793 million people remain illiterate. Two-thirds of them are women. LitWorld is changing that. Every year on the first Wednesday of March, World Read Aloud Day calls global attention to the importance of reading aloud and sharing stories. WRAD motivates children, teens, and adults worldwide to celebrate the power of words and creates a community of readers taking action to show the world that the right to literacy belongs to all people. By raising our voices together on this day we show the world’s children that we support their future: that they have the right to read, to write, and to share their stories.”
The Basadours responded to this call and we conducted simultaneous storytelling sessions in 12 sections/classrooms from Grades 1 to 3. Classroom population is between 30 to 45 so from 9:00 to 11:30 in the morning, our three teams shared stories to more than 300 children (specifically between 360 to 540 children).
I personally went all out in this storytelling session and came in character as the little girl in the story “Bru-ha-ha-ha-ha! Bru-hi-hi-hi-hi-hi!” who thought that her old neighbor is a witch. My fellow Basadour Charmie Quiapo acted as my neighbor, Mrs. Magalit.
Em Gamboa and Denise Cristobal told the story “Si Lurat, Kidhat, Pirok ug Piyong,” which tells a narrative of four friends – Lurat (Wide Open), Kidhat (Wink), Pirork (Blink) and Piyong (Close) – who went out to sail to look for Bitoong Tahom (Beautiful Star). The team of Vianca Abellana, Chloe Palang, Maam Lut Dela Piedra and Chloe Palang shared the story of “Ang Pag-abot ni Kolor sa Lungsod” (When Color Came to Town).
It was exhausting storytelling marathon but we all had fun. That fun were captured by Doreen Sy, who went around chasing us in every classroom to take these memorable photos. You experience this and more if you become part of the Basadours. The Basadours’ website will be up soon but for now, please go to our Facebook page so you will be able to see what we have been up to in the previous two years. You can also see there updates of what activities we have in the coming months.
ENJOY!
- Standing room only.
