Students at West Seattle Elementary were treated to a unique experience recently when they recorded stories using their own voices at Jack Straw Productions, a non-profit audio facility.

This is the second time West Seattle Elementary multi-arts teacher Laurel Anne White has taken her kids to Jack Straw Productions, where she has also worked as a voice and reading coach the last 14 years.

Jack Straw Productions is based in the University District and was started in 1962. It is the only non-profit multidisciplinary audio arts center in the Northwest.

The organization's executive director Joan Rabinowitz said Jack Straw Productions brings in an average of 18 school classes each year to record from all over the state. Some of the groups are blind students.

"My focus is integrating art into the curriculum, give them a chance to see how the arts relates to other disciplines and give them an outlet. Take what is in their heart and to express it," said White.

In her multi-arts classes, White teachers her students visual arts, theatre, movement, dance and music.

"I'm trying to incorporate arts and creativity into the regular curriculum," said White. Her students all learn in different ways and the arts can help a math exercise make more sense.

Second grader Samra Tino listened to herself her reading during her recording session playbacks.

"It was embarrassing to hear my voice on the headphones," she said.

Tino wrote a story about her birthday. When she got back to class, she designed a cover that will be slipped into the case of her own CD. Her design looked like a record, with a birthday cake drawn on it.

Galen Mattern helped turn the knobs on a sound mixing board.

"The people were nice. They let us work the controls," he said.

"They were really into it," said White. "A lot of kids got into the (Pro Tools) software, seeing their voice on screen and using the computer to delete words."

Khadija Yassin wrote about the Muslim religious observance Ramadan.

"We played a lot of games, we ate chicken and we drink water. Because it was beautiful, we played outside and looked at the stars," she said.

The students also recorded sound effects like presents being unwrapped and pi