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Schools

Babylon Elementary Celebrates American Folklore

Award-winning children's storyteller and musician stops by the give a fun history lesson.

Lou Del Bianco, an award-winning children’s storyteller and musician, performed traditional American folk songs and tall tales during a special cultural arts assembly, “Celebrate America,” on September 14th at Babylon Elementary School.

His performance included original adaptations of American classics like “Oh! Susanna,” “This Land Is Your Land” and “I’ve Been Working on the Railroad,” along with the telling of America’s most beloved tall tales. Del Bianco invited several audience members to the stage to help him perform segments of his set, and his contagious enthusiasm inspired the students to truly connect with their American history and cultural arts curriculum.

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Through the use of storytelling, theater and music, Del Bianco brought to life several legends of American folklore, including Sally Ann Thunder Ann Whirlwind, Davy Crockett and Paul Bunyan, utilizing the characters to teach a lesson on the geography of the United States.

“The ‘Celebrate America’ program is all about the folktales, legends and folksongs that contributed to the fabric of our country,” Del Bianco said. “I hope to leave the students with at least one thing they didn’t already know about America.”

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Del Bianco has been performing children’s music since the 1980s, and his wealth of experience shined through in a dazzling 50-minute performance that captivated the imagination of Babylon’s young students. His engaging storytelling style helped the students learn about our nation’s rich American folklore in a fun, interactive way that they will remember for years to come.

“As our nation mourns the victims of 9/11 this week, we felt it would be nice for the students to learn about and celebrate the songs and stories that helped shape America," Babylon Elementary School Principal Dana Basile said. "Mr. Del Bianco is a very talented performer and he inspired our students immensely.”

 

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