European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 30, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                In Courtney Ellers Center celebrates her exceptional rating with classmates from Hanau Middle school. Three of the top Oral readers show off their medals from left Ashley Griffith Efrat Ben Zeer and Kevin Humbard. A amps photos by Ken George an audience member dressed As a storybook character for the festival Parade listens As one of the speakers spins a yarn. Dodds festival features top Oral readers and storytellers Gabriel Teneyuque emotes. Jeffrey Steen in exceptional style. Sarah Stewart delivers a tale. By Jimi Jones education writer sixth grader Courtney Ellers could t eat on april 22 a her stomach just would t be still. Christian Thompson s teacher told his class that he would t be in school that Day a he would be off winning a storytelling festival. A by mid afternoon Courtney s stomach had calmed and Christian s teacher s prediction had panned out. Courtney and Christian were two of 14 storytellers labelled winners for their performances of respectively Wayside school is falling Down and the True Story of the three Little pigs in the eighth annual Germany wide fifth Grade Oral Reading and sixth Grade storytelling festival earlier this month. Courtney from Hanau Middle school racked up the most Points for the top rating while Christian from Ramstein elementary school rated second. Bobbie Green from Ansbach elementary school and Jeffrey Steen from Bonn elementary tied for third while Julie Jennings from Patch elementary school in Stuttgart also earned an exceptional  festival s goals Are to spark interest in Reading stimulate imagination improve expressive language skills develop self Confidence and to increase the appreciation of literature. A total of 29 fifth and sixth graders from the Germany Region of depart rent of defense dependents schools performed at Hanau s Argonne elementary school where stories seemed to Ripen to perfection. Fifth graders presented passages from a favorite Book and sixth graders told stories. Pupils performed at the regional festival after earning top ratings in classroom school and District. Contests. Books came alive As costumed Argonne students paraded As Book characters Hansel and Gretel Cinderella Rumpelstiltskin Snow White and Many others in Celebration of literature and to Honor the creators of some of the characters a the Grimm Brothers who were born in Hanau. School principal Christine Holston led the Way a As Mother Goose a with a live Goose in Tow. After the presentations 11 year old Courtney could eat and was feeling Quot wonderful fantastic proud and really Happy Quot a so much so that she wanted Quot to do it again Quot she said. Christian said he had Quot practice a great Deal Quot trying to perfect his Story and gestures to Quot get people in the mood and rhythm of the Story. These kinds of events help me to express myself to not be shy and to be a better Oral speaker Quot the 12-year-old said. Jeffrey Steen rated a Superior Reader last year was Quot glad to win another Gold Quot he said. Quot i m surprised i could do  he does t get too nervous on stage any More he said Quot it was easier doing it than waiting my  i in Oral Reading Ashley Griffith from Regensburg elementary school and Kevin Humbard from Bonn elementary tied As the top rated readers. Efrat Ben Zeev also from Bonn and Michelle Brooks from Argonne earned the same number of Points to round out the four exceptional Oral readers. Ashley 11, said she was Quot really Happy Quot at her exceptional Reading award and that folks at Regensburg would be too. Quot they la be Happy for me Quot she said. Quot i know my teacher will because she says sometimes t read better then  Efrat read from Beverly Cleary s Ramona Quimby a age 8, she said because it has Quot lots of action it s funny  while Reading she concentrates on mood and projection trying Quot to read clearly. And not to have top much accent Quot the 11-year-old native of Israel said. Quot i try to make it interesting like the Book and not to be  Kevin s favorite author is Judy Blume. He reads at least half hour each night before bed he said and he likes humor. The 10-year-old said instead of Quot looking up the whole time Quot he concentrates on Reading. Quot you know the Story but you re suppose to be  Michelle 10, said her secret to Good Reading is to Quot look ahead so i Don t stutter Quot and changes in voice to Quot make it More enjoyable Quot she said. The fifth Grade Oral Reading program began in 1985 As a classroom project at Mainz elementary school said Betty Nicholas regional language arts coordinator. Storytelling was added for sixth graders during the 198889 school year. This marked the final Dodds Germany festival. Students will Quot come from afar Quot next year to attend the first Dodds Europe festival Quot she said. Storytellers judged commendable were Tyfane Curenton Vilseck elementary school Cassie Matthews. A Schattenburg elementary school Gabriel Teneyuque Pitburg Middle school Sara Stewart Idar Oberstein elementary school and Sara Bayless Karlsruhe elementary school. Honorable mentions went to Wendi Meece Schweinfurt elementary school Saskia Hill a Schaffenburg elementary Julius Smith Fulda elementary school and Aaron storms Augsburg elementary school. In Oral Reading commendable awards went to Jenny Beecroft Vilseck elementary school Nichole Finklea Ramstein elementary Jason Hernandez Sembach elementary Stephanie vant. Ansbach elementary and Ashley Bryant a Liesheim elementary. Honorable mentions went to six students Teneshia Davis Regensburg elementary Stephen Marshall Aukamp elementary Wiesbaden Kai Phoenix Haine Berg elementary Wiesbaden Carty Crane Fulda elementary Josh Snyder Patch elementary Stuttgart and Colleen Sullivan Mark Twain elementary Heidelberg. Staff writer Jimi Jones was one of the festival judges. V it Christian Thompson comes through. Contestants and audience members enthusiastically applaud a storyteller. 16 the stars and stripes saturday april 30, 1994 the stars and stripes