Those are just a few of the many stories that Oakland school district third-graders will tell through theater and dance at this year's Arts and Literacy on Children's Education production of "My Heart Comes From My Ancestors."

The programs, which began Wednesday night at Fruitvale Elementary School, include excerpts of students' interviews with their elders and are acted out through performances.

"The kids have been collecting these stories and we take excerpts and create a piece around them," said ALICE director Helen Stoltzfus.

About 340 students from several schools, including Thornhill, Fruitvale, Manzanita, Crocker Highlands and Carl Munck will participate in the next couple of weeks.

Some schools in the flatlands and hills have been teamed up for a more enriching experience, Stoltzfus said, because those schools often are "close together but worlds apart" in terms of their socio-economic status.

ALICE, a local nonprofit, is working with district teachers and artists to create the performances, which Stoltzfus said helps the children have a better appreciation for art and other cultures.

"It's bringing arts back into the school and integrating it back into the curriculum," Stoltzfus said.

This is the second year ALICE has worked to produce the performance, and Stoltzfus said she is always surprised at how powerful, funny, touching and sad some of the stories are. Because of Oakland's diversity, the stories are a great way to learn about people of various races and social backgrounds.

"It's a great opportunity for (the elders) to share these treasures, because these stories are hidden and invisible," Stoltzfus said, adding that the tales provide a "window into a whole different world."