Leprechan brings Irish traditions to Rehoboth

Arriving in their classroom, 19 kindergarteners shrieked with excitement. A leprechaun had wreaked havoc in their classroom.

Mary Beth Adair built a trail of Lucky Charms to help the kids find a leprechaun trap, but when the green creature showed up, he made a mess and gave coins of gold to kids. He taught them a funny leprechaun dance and read a story about Clever Tom who captures a leprechaun, hoping the leprechaun will reveal where he hid his gold.

“Oh, where’s my pot of gold?” the leprechaun exclaimed, when the kids discovered him, wearing all green, with orange ears and eye brows, green hat and silly-looking glasses.

“We know who you are! You are Lucky! We are so lucky to have Lucky!” squeaky, little voices cried.

This year, for St. Patrick’s Day Adair invited Alex Helsabeck to play the role of a leprechaun. Helsabeck sings in the U. S. Army Chorus in Washington, D.C., and is also a music director at All Saints Episcopal Church in Rehoboth. He is also a professional entertainer for kids.

The children were convinced he came from a magic world. When it was time to dance a special leprechaun dance, they were mesmerized by his appearance. They knew a leprechaun is a little person who hides in the trees, runs around and guards a pot of gold that he finds at the end of a rainbow, and Helsabeck worked hard to live up to their expectations.

Adair’s students had studied Ireland, where leprechans originated, and students quizzed Lucky about his homeland. If one of the kids happened to have an Irish name, they made sure the leprechaun knew it.

All the giggles the leprechaun brought to the classroom were worth the effort Adair put into St. Patrick’s Day celebration, which ended with brownies and cupcakes the class shared with its lucky leprechaun.