Engaging Students Creatively
Unforgettable Learning Experiences
- Interactive storytelling that captivates attention
- Live performances that inspire creativity and engagement
- Educational programs that combine fun with meaningful lessons and STEAM content
Bilingual Musical Storytelling
Pepito & The Trash Cans
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.
Audience: K-5
Duration: 40 to 60 minutes, or adaptable to the school’s needs.
Space Requirements: Indoor or outdoor Minimum 15′ x 10′ performance area
Technical Requirements: 60 minutes set up time, 45 minutes to strike. All sound equipment is provided by Luke’s Entertainment. We just need an electrical outlet.
Pepito & The Trash Cans
Turning Trash into Tunes
Homemade Music
A STEAM-Powered Celebration of Creativity and Sound
In this high-energy, interactive performance, Luke Vandergriff turns found objects and repurposed materials into a symphony of sound—teaching students how music, science, and imagination come together. With homemade instruments, looping technology, and a contagious passion for creativity, Luke guides students through the physics of sound while encouraging them to reclaim their creativity in a world dominated by screens.
This is more than a show—it’s a call to explore, invent, and listen differently.
Educational Highlights
🎵 STEAM Integration: Explore the science of sound and how instruments make different notes.
🧪 Scientific Inquiry: Students make and test hypotheses about how length, volume, material and tension affect sound.
♻️ Environmental Awareness: A living example of repurposing, upcycling and creativity .
🎤 Hands-On Engagement: Use vocal cords, body percussion, and simple objects to create rhythm and music.
🌍 Cultural Appreciation: Discover the history and global journey of the cajón, an Afro-Peruvian box drum.
🎮 Digital Wellness: Encourages students to unplug from devices and re-engage with their own imagination.
✨ Creative Empowerment: Reinforces the message that everyone is uniquely creative—but creativity must be practiced and protected.
Audience: Adaptable to grades K-8.
Duration: 40 minutes
Space Requirements: Indoor or outdoor Minimum 15′ x 10′ performance area
Technical Requirements: 60 minutes set up time, 45 minutes to strike. All sound equipment is provided by Luke’s Entertainment. We just need an electrical outlet.
Workshops & Residencies
Homemade Instruments
A Hands-On Exploration of Music, Creativity, and Science
In this engaging STEAM-based workshop, students will discover how music can be made from everyday objects. Luke Vandergriff, a multi-instrumentalist and educator, introduces students to a wide variety of wind, string, and percussion instruments crafted from found objects, trash, and reclaimed furniture. Through live demonstrations, students will explore the science of sound—how volume, vibration, length, and tension affect pitch and tone.
Students will then build instruments of their own, such as, a paper kazoo and a straw clarinet. This hands-on experience reinforces scientific concepts while sparking creativity and resourcefulness.
By the end of the workshop, students will leave not only with their own instruments, but also with a deeper understanding of sound, an appreciation for repurposed materials, and the confidence to create music with whatever they have on hand.
Learning Objectives:
Understand basic principles of sound and vibration.
Identify how materials and design affect the sound of an instrument.
Apply creative problem-solving skills to make musical instruments from unconventional materials.
Recognize the value of sustainability and upcycling through hands-on experimentation.
Foster confidence in personal creativity and innovation.
Audience: Adaptable to grades 3-8. Maximum 30 students.
Duration: 45 minutes, 1 to 3 workshops.
Space Requirements: Classroom with 15′ x 10′ with performance area.
Technical Requirements: 60 minutes set up time, 45 minutes to strike. All sound equipment is provided by Luke’s Entertainment. We just need an electrical outlet.
