On Nov. 21, while thousands of people around the world gather in small towns and major cities to enjoy an evening of storytelling, 23 of Mariposa’s young kindergarten through sixth grade storytellers will be spinning their original stories at the Mariposa County Arts Council’s 14th annual youth Tellabration!, a worldwide storytelling event, Tellabration! is a program of the National Storytelling Network in Jonesborough, TN and the Arts Council’s Arts in Education Programs.

This free youth “Tellabration! Mariposa” will take place at the Best Western Conference Room at 7 p.m.

Storytellers from all of Mariposa’s Elementary Schools submitted 91 original stories composed from “story starters” developed for each grade level by the Tellabration! committee. Storytelling encourages imagination and creativity while still meeting California State standards in writing and oral expression. A total of 23 storyteller-grand authors were chosen from first place winners at each participating elementary school by a panel of five judges, who graded each story on its oral qualities.

The Tellabration! storytellers for 2009 are: Joseph Quinn from Cathey’s Valley Elementary, Noah Rehling and Morgan Wilkie from Coulterville/Greeley Hill Elementary; Nico Meno, Zachary Fincher, Sylvia Amstutz and Kelly Ronay from El Portal Elementary; Mykaela Lake and Richard Frates from Lake Don Pedro Elementary; Makinna Dulcich, Audrey Ogilvie, Lily Fluharty, Adam Cardoso, and Lukas Hart from Mariposa Elementary; Megan Harris, Liam Strenberg, Thoman Coleman, Callie Nance, Julia Coleman, Lydia Bothwell and Sophie Ojcius from Woodland Elementary, Kiersten Lott and Carmen Ortiz from Yosemite Valley Elementary.

Les Marsden, retired actor, director, playwright, and director of the Mariposa County Arts Council’s Mariposa Symphony Orchestra, will return as the emcee. This is a free family event celebrating storytelling. For additional information call 966-3155.