African Storytelling Reimagined
African Storytelling Reimagined
Ada Ari’s school visits provides students with an authentic and interactive exploration of culture. Each session is customized to meet the needs of the schools and students. At a high level, the program can offer these experiences listed below. Ada connects with each school to customize each visit.
Toddlers
For my toddler friends, the program offers plenty of opportunities to move about. This includes dancing, touch-and-feel with authentic artifacts, and an interactive story time.
Primary
At elementary schools, my sessions are culturally immersive and engaging for students of all grade levels. Each session is customized to best meet the attendee's needs and includes learning an African dance, geography lessons, cultural discovery through engaging with authentic artifacts, and much more.
Secondary
Middle and high school students are at a pivotal stage as they begin shaping their identities, exploring future careers, and developing the confidence to pursue their goals. My programs are designed to support these critical years by combining real-world experiences with interactive cultural exploration in a way that is both engaging and deeply relevant.
Drawing from my journey as an immigrant, former corporate professional, award-winning author, and entrepreneur, I share the challenges, failures, and fears I overcame while building a business that now creates jobs, preserves African culture, and impacts students around the world. Together, we explore themes such as resilience, purpose, leadership, entrepreneurship, identity, and the value of education—all while encouraging students to think beyond perceived limitations and recognize the opportunities available to them.
Each session is customized to align with your school's goals and may also include hands-on exploration of African history, geography, music, authentic artifacts, and cultural traditions. Rather than simply learning about another culture, students gain a broader perspective of the world while discovering the confidence to define their own path within it.
"Ada Ari's visit to our school was incredible! Ada demonstrated her ability to adapt the information and activities she shared to a variety of grade levels, and her presentation was engaging and hands-on. Our students and staff enjoyed Mrs. Ari's visit very much, and we would love to have her return to our school in the future." - Mike Remshik Interim Principal, St. John Neumann Regional Catholic School
"I was impressed with [her] ability to interact and engage with children of all ages. It is rare for a storytime-like program to keep both older and younger kids interested, and [she was] able to do it with ease. The setup of the program was perfect, combining music, facts, storytelling, interactive elements and crafts." - Maranda L. Schoppert Head of Children's & Teen Services, Germantown Library - Montgomery County Public Libraries
"The reading was so fun and engaging - for both kids and parents alike." - Jessica Callahan, Co-Owner, Where the Wild Things Play
"I’ve never seen a storyteller rock a story like Ada Ari." - Ellen Przybocki, Owner - The Original Playhouse