What News and Local Chapters Does Spellbinders.org Highlight?

Updated

Spellbinders.org highlights media coverage of its volunteer storytellers and names several local storytelling groups. The homepage specifically features CBS news coverage of Broomfield and Boulder Valley Spellbinders, Rocky Mountain PBS coverage of High Prairie Storytellers, and an Aspen Public Radio broadcast of Roaring Fork Valley Storytellers. It also notes a "Liar's Contest" held on March 30 by Roaring Fork Valley Storytellers, judged by NPR's Peter Saga of Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me.

Media Coverage Featured on the Homepage

The site's "In the News" and "on the Radio" sections point to the following:

Media outlet Who or what is featured
CBS news Broomfield and Boulder Valley Spellbinders
Rocky Mountain PBS High Prairie Storytellers
Aspen Public Radio Roaring Fork Valley Storytellers (full program broadcast)

The radio item also mentions the "Liar's Contest" held on March 30, with NPR's Peter Saga as celebrity judge.

Local Chapters and Groups Named

The homepage names these storyteller groups:

  • Broomfield Spellbinders — featured in CBS news coverage
  • Boulder Valley Spellbinders — featured in CBS news coverage
  • High Prairie Storytellers — featured by Rocky Mountain PBS
  • Roaring Fork Valley Storytellers — featured on Aspen Public Radio and organizers of the "Liar's Contest"

These are the only local groups explicitly named in the available page content. The site describes Spellbinders generally as a non-profit organization of volunteers who bring oral storytelling into classrooms within their own communities, so local chapters operate community by community.

What Else the Homepage Offers

Beyond news and chapters, the homepage provides entry points for:

  • Current storytellers — a quick reference guide with stories, links, lists, and notes for leaders and trainers.
  • New volunteers — a "Become a Spellbinders Trained Volunteer Storyteller" path, framed as good for kids, teachers, volunteers, and the local community.
  • Teachers — an invitation to bring a trained storyteller into the classroom, described as enhancing literacy and supporting curriculum.
  • Supporters — a donation appeal asking for a few hours to "ignite children's imaginations in a school near you."

The page also includes testimonials from volunteers and educators. One Broomfield teacher described a storyteller as "mesmerizing" and noted that the visit connected to class history topics. A Basalt Elementary School teacher emphasized how oral language and auditory processing support young readers and writers. Volunteers quoted include Karen Hurst ("more fun than any human has a right to have") and Patrick McCarthy, who described the reward of a fourth-grade class smiling and clapping.

How to Use This Information

If you want to see Spellbinders in action or read about specific chapters, start with the news and radio links on the homepage. If you are a teacher or prospective volunteer, the "Start Volunteering" and "Learn More" sections are the relevant entry points. Note that the available page content does not list contact details, meeting schedules, or chapter locations beyond the group names above.