Pepito & The Trash Cans

Bilingual Storytelling, Music, and Hands-On Learning for Today’s Classrooms Pepito & The Trash Cans is an engaging, bilingual musical story designed to captivate and educate students in grades K–5. Set in Bolivia, the story follows Pepito, a boy who longs to make music but faces poverty and limited resources. With the help of his siblings, he overcomes obstacles by building instruments from bottles, cans, and other found objects—turning trash into treasure. This dynamic performance supports multiple areas of learning: Language Acquisition: Students learn Spanish vocabulary naturally through context, repetition, and visual cues, building language skills in a fun, immersive environment. Cultural Appreciation: The Bolivian setting and bilingual storytelling foster a sense of pride for Hispanic students and promote cross-cultural understanding and empathy among all learners. STEAM Learning: As students watch instruments come to life from recycled materials, they are introduced to concepts of sound science, engineering, and creative problem-solving—aligned with STEAM goals. Social-Emotional Learning (SEL): Pepito’s journey encourages resilience, teamwork, and emotional expression, empowering students to face challenges with creativity and hope. Environmental Awareness: The performance reinforces the value of recycling and reusing materials, sparking eco-conscious thinking. Performed by Luke Vandergriff—storyteller, musician, and instrument maker—the show features live music on homemade instruments, audience interaction, and an inspiring message that leaves students with a renewed sense of creativity, compassion, and purpose.