Tell Me a Story: Military Child Education Coalition

By Allen Shaw, Fort Wainwright PAOAugust 19, 2011

Reading a Story
1 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption – FORT WAINWRIGHT, Alaska - Chief Warrant Officer Jeffrey Price, 9th Army Band, reads from John Lithgow's book "The Remarkable Farkle McBride" as the band brings storytelling to life with music and sound. "It's really nice be involved with the communit... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
A story with music
2 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Each Family attending received a copy of the book, "The Remarkable Farkle McBride" by John Lithgow and followed along on page and screen as Chief Warrant Officer Jeffrey Price read to the crowd. The 9th Army Band accompanied Price's reading with soun... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

FORT WAINWRIGHT, Alaska - The conference room at the Last Frontier Community Activity Center was filled with Families, fun and music Aug. 12 as Chief Warrant Officer Jeffrey Price and the 9th Army Band educated and entertained an appreciative group of wide-eyed and open-eared children during the reading of The Remarkable Farkle McBride.

Price read the book written by John Lithgow as members of the band chimed in with instrument accompaniment. Before the reading, members of the band set up an instrument petting zoo around the room giving participants an opportunity to get to know the individual musical tools.

'Tell Me a Story,' which is designed to make connections and find support through literature, is an initiative created to empower military children through reading. This particular program was directed by the Fort Wainwright Post Library and supported by the Military Family Life consultants, Army Community Service, and Child, Youth and School Services. It was orchestrated by the 9th Army Band.

"(Chief Warrant Officer Jeff) Price and the band did an excellent rendition of the story about a child who mastered many musical instruments," said Betty Luebke, program manager at the library. "This story is a great way to introduce musical instruments to children through literature. The band jazzed up the story with accompaniment."

In addition to an introduction to the instruments in the musical petting zoo, after the story children received a copy of the book and discussed the story in groups to reinforce the main points and moral. They also made a drum craft.

Luebke said, "It was a very entertaining and rewarding event for all who participated."