top of page
MO-TELL-1024x508-1.png

We've heard it all before... we rejoice in the retelling!

MO-TELL Newsletter and Blog

Diann Joy Bank

From Diann's Telling Website


Professional storyteller/educator Diann Joy Bank shares her humorous Jewish folklore and multicultural stories sprinkled with the language of the culture, including ASL (sign language). Blending audience participation, rhythm, and song, she evokes our imaginations and teaches us an appreciation for others. She believes that storytelling inspires enthusiasm for reading and writing that helps us to pass on cultural values and traditions. In her parent, teacher, and students’ workshops, she helps us become storytellers ourselves.


Diann’s philosophy: Through the art of storytelling, we can spark childrens’ and adults’ imaginations to bring peace among us one story at a time. Diann’s stories will “touch your audience’s hearts, tickle their funny bones, and challenge their spirits!” If you want to be entertained, relive memories, experience past cultures, or learn to be a storyteller, give her a call....and laugh happily ever after. Her secret: She tells from her heart to ours!


Through hands-on storytelling performances and workshops to enhance the appreciation of others and through literacy teach values from multicultural and Jewish folklore. Diann is known as the “Joy of Storytelling,” through her high energy performances. As a Jewish early childhood educator, an ESL teacher, and public school elementary teacher assistant, she turned the pages of each student’s imaginations through “story.” As a featured festival storyteller throughout Missouri, Illinois, and Wisconsin, she is recognized as a hands-on storytelling workshop leader for students, teachers, librarians, parents, and seniors. Her recipe of rhythm, using percussion instruments with her audiences, and active participation brings everyone into her imaginative story. She shares her traditional Jewish folklore to guide her audiences to develop and reinforce values of trustworthiness, fairness, kindness, and respect to make wise choices in our lives.

Writer's picture: Joyce SlaterJoyce Slater

Hello my friends,


Thank you to all involved in the wonderful Tenth Annual Missouri Liars Contest. The Daniel Boone Regional Library, under Sarah Howard’s guidance, hosted a marvelous event. As you may know, there was a workshop with Larry Brown before the contest, but the surprise was the library’s gift to the patrons. It treated everyone to coffee, tea and sweets at the opening of the day. Sarah also had souvenirs from the library for all who came. The library welcomed us with open arms, and it felt so good. We have good friends in Columbia, MO.


Thirty-five people attended the workshop and sixty-five people attended the contest. There were nine spoken contestants, each with a story I thought for sure was the winner.


The winners were Christine Henderson from Basehor, KS with the story “Ratness” in first place. Larry Brown from Columbia, MO took second place with “Chickens Underground.” Jeff Hannah from Cape Girardeau, MO came in third with “El Diablo.”


The judges had a tough job because all the stories were winners. Many thanks to all the judges, both those for the spoken contest and those for the written contest.


There were eight entries for the written contest. The winners were Ken Wolfe and Perrin Stifel, both from St. Louis, who tied for first place. Ken’s story was “The Leap,” and Perrin’s story was “Great Salt Truck Massacre.” Second place went to Chester Weems from Oklahoma with the story “I’ll Fly Away” and third place was taken by Amy Prater with “One Brave Little Girl.”


The entire day went well thanks to the careful planning of board members, Jackie Wright and Linda Kuntz.


Thank you, thank you, thank you to all of you who listened to the tales, who told the tales, who wrote the tales, who judged the tales and who allowed the tales to be told forever to be remembered.


It was a day to remember and I was thrilled to emcee.


Keep telling your stories,

Joyce Slater

President, MO-TELL


“Storytelling is our obligation to the next generation.”
― Isabel Allende

MO-TELL Can't Do It Without You!

Thanks to our generous partners and sponsors:

National Storytelling Network
Mid-Continent Public Library
Story Center at Mid-Continent Public Library
Missouri State Parks
Missouri Arts Council

Receive Our Newsletter!

Quick Links

•   © 2023 by Hilary Kuntz   •   Proudly created with Wix.com   •

bottom of page