A “fire-pit” sat strategically in the center of the camp. Six tents with smaller “fires” were split evenly with three on each side. Stars dotted the sky and night birds called to one another. If you're thinking this sounds like a setting in a State or National Park you would be mistaken. This scene of nature was not outdoors, but inside the gymnasium at the Currier Memorial School (CMS).
The annual Camp-Read-A-Lot was underway.
“This is hands-down my favorite event at Currier,” said CMS Principal Carolyn Parillo. “Everyone in our school community — teachers, staff, students, parents, and even grandparents — come together for a night of storytelling, reading, and good cheer. It just gets better each year.”
The evening is choreographed to keep everyone engaged. Grade 4/5 teacher Michael Luzader opened this year’s gathering with an animated story for a delighted crowd seated on the floor around the fire-pit. Who knew that way back in time, a long, tall, and fast raccoon raced a giant rock down a mountain and ended up short, flat and squishy? A new twist on evolution.
The families then moved to their assigned tents for some time spent reading quietly from new books that had been handed out to students as they arrived at the school. At each tent, students received small flashlights, water and a snack to make their rustic evening more enjoyable.
As the reading wound down, young and old sat in circles outside their tents telling a round-robin story. One person would start and then the story would move to the adjacent spinner of yarns.
As the tale moved around the circle it just kept getting taller. At one tent a bear went out for food, made a mess of someone’s garbage, which led to a new recycling plan that somehow involved a princess, and in the end the bear went back to his cave for a nap. Go figure.
The evening ended with the entire group assembled together again for a sing-a-long featuring Currier staff member Carlo Romeo on guitar. The final words of the final song dismissed the crowd, “Playing is over, it's time for bed.”
The kids and grownups all loved the storytelling, camaraderie, and the “cool atmosphere to simulate the campfire” that was set up by CMS custodian Dave Champine. Electric lights, tents made of blankets strung over wires, camouflage netting, speakers, and a night sky projection system all combined to create a nighttime verisimilitude.
“I most enjoyed watching my grandson take part in activities and read with his friends,” said one proud grandparent. “The storytelling was wonderful. This evening was amazing!”
(Photo above: Campers old and young gather in a circle for storytelling around a "campfire" at Currier's Camp-Read-A.Lot.)
A mother and daughter reading together at Currier's Camp-Read-A-Lot.
Campers read by flashlight during part of the program at Currier's Camp-Read-A-Lot.