"Ooohhhhmmmmm," a class full of third-graders sang in unison, warming up their voices for a lesson Wednesday with singer songwriter and folk storyteller Mitch Barrett.
Barrett was teaching Second Street School students communication skills through songwriting and storytelling. He's teaching third, fifth and sixth-graders for two weeks in May during Dr. Sue Crumpler's music class.
Barrett was brought to the school through a grant from the Kentucky Arts Council's Teacher Incentive Program.
He's an accomplished singer songwriter. He's won awards nationwide and he's a spoken word artist, recently participating in the National Story Telling Festival in Jonesboro, Tenn. Barrett said he teaches students to embrace the arts.
"I'm not trying to create storytellers and songwriters, I'm just trying to get them to realize that the arts can enrich their life," Barrett said.
"Whether they end up working in the state government or as a science teacher or whatever it is, the arts can enhance their life, and that to me is really important."
For Wednesday's lesson, Barrett had the students learn the origin of their name, then tell it to the rest of the class. He instructed the students to observe the performers' body language, but he made sure to keep the criticism light.
"We're not criticizing, we're observing and talking about it," Barrett told the students.
Along with improving communication skills, the lesson was designed to get students to talk to their parents about their history, something missing in today's youth, Barrett said.
"My grandparents were so important and such a big influence on my life," Barrett said. "I've seen with my kids, they're disconnected from those people now, because of the way we live."
Crumpler, the teacher, said the students have reacted enthusiastically to Barrett's lessons.
"They've been so enamored with him," Crumpler said. "He wins you over so quick with his stories and music, he just sucks you in right away."
Although he prefers performing to teaching, Barrett said there are things he enjoys about being in front of students.
"I like passing on the Appalachian culture," Barrett said. "I like sharing that and breaking down those stereotypes of the ignorant hillbilly or whatever."
Barrett's favorite part is when students understand they can be a part of the arts, he said.
"What I really enjoy is when it works, you know, when they get it," Barrett said.
"When that light comes on and they realize that the arts belong to them, that it's not something that they watch someone else do. The value of art is not based on what it's sold for or whether it's on TV, it's what you get from it."
In addition to performing at festivals and schools, Barrett hosts his own music and arts festival every year. The 5th annual Clear Creek Healing Arts and Music Festival will take place Aug. 29-31 in Berea, Barrett's hometown.
Before listening to the children's stories, Barrett told them a "Jack Tale," a traditional Appalachian folk story, about a pony that bit, kicked and drank beer.
"It's name was Peanut and it was the meanest pony to ever suck air," Barrett said.
"I'm not lying, I'm tellin' you a story."