Award-winning, nationally touring actor and educator Tim Collins has performed his acclaimed one-man shows for over 1,000,000 students and educators around the country. Tim offers a range of engaging shows for all ages, K-12, as well as interactive workshops for students and adults. STANDING BY, STANDING UP (3rd-7th grade) ?This powerful solo play depicts a compelling range of characters confronted by bullying and cyberbullying. Timely and thought-provoking, this impactful drama identifies ways students can prevent violence in their schools and communities. TO BE HONEST (8th-12th grade) A performance created specifically for middle and high school audiences, this moving show addresses a range of trending issues including cyberbullying, bystander intervention, and the impact of social media on friendships and relationships. NO MORE BULLYING (K-3rd grade) This fun and exciting program engages kids and provides strategies on how to avoid bullying and how to become an empowered bystander and work to prevent bullying and cyberbullying. INTERACTIVE WORKSHOPS (all ages) Utilizing an innovative combination of innovative games and activities, small and large group discussion, and compelling and memorable role-playing exercises, Tim provides transformative workshop sessions for students and professionals. Workshops on a variety of topics are available, including: Healthy Communication, Conflict Resolution, Team Building, Bystander Intervention, Cultural Responsiveness, Leadership, Diversity and Inclusion, Bullying Prevention, Cyberbullying Prevention, Healthy Masculinity, Creative Writing, Improvisational Comedy, Acting and Public Speaking.

Sculpture/ Written Word Residency In this residency, students will work with multi-media artist Erin Eckler to construct poetry or a creative writing piece that will be transcribed onto a sculpture that visually illustrates their writing. The sculptural element will be constructed using recycled materials ranging from fiber to paper. The first half of sessions will guide the student to begin creating their written work while learning techniques for breaking down and reforming the recycled materials. The second half of sessions will be supporting the constructing of their sculptural pieces while fine tuning their poetry and prose. The students will be taught hand sewing, weaving, 3D construction, collage, and how to deconstruct recycled materials for use. Resident artist will provide technical support and problem solving as needed while the students construct their pieces.

The Zuzu Acrobats are a world-renowned performance troupe that brings the vibrant energy and rich cultural heritage of African acrobatics to audiences around the globe. With roots deeply embedded in traditional East African arts, the Zuzu Acrobats combine breathtaking acrobatics, high-flying stunts, and awe-inspiring athleticism with an infectious enthusiasm that captivates audiences of all ages. We have performed at over 500 schools in New York State alone! Originating from Kenya and Tanzania, the Zuzu Acrobats have spent years perfecting their craft and honing their skills. Their performances are a seamless blend of agility, strength, balance, and precision, showcasing traditional African music, dance, and costumes. The troupe is committed to not only entertaining but also educating audiences about the rich cultural traditions of Africa. High-Energy Performances: Prepare to be dazzled by gravity-defying flips, contortions, human pyramids, and other incredible stunts. Cultural Immersion: Each show is a vibrant display of African heritage, complete with traditional songs, dances, and attire. Family-Friendly Fun: Perfect for all ages, the Zuzu Acrobats offer a show that is both exhilarating and family-friendly, schools, and community gatherings. Audience Engagement: The Zuzu Acrobats thrive on audience interaction, often involving spectators in their performances to create a truly memorable experience. Booking Information Whether you're looking to add a dynamic element to your event or seeking an unforgettable show for your venue, the Zuzu Acrobats deliver an unparalleled performance that leaves a lasting impression. Their talent, enthusiasm, and cultural richness make them a standout choice for any occasion.

The Write Kellys: A Unique Blend of Education and Entertainment for K-5 Classrooms The Write Kellys (Rebecca and Kevin Kelly) are an award-winning author and illustrator duo with a knack for crafting engaging, educational, and highly entertaining stories. With four published books, including Finder’s Creatures and The Awesome Impossible Unstoppable Gadget, they have created a captivating universe where young readers solve mysteries, explore creative thinking, and dive into STEM-based adventures. How we approach our Workshops and Presentations using : 1. Design Thinking & Critical Thinking Expertise: The Write Kellys embed design and critical thinking into every story, helping students develop essential problem-solving skills while they’re having fun. With over 25 years of teaching, writing and design experience, we prepare young readers for future learning in a way that no other author does. 2. STEM & Arts-Based Storytelling Workshops: We don’t just read stories; we transform them into interactive experiences. Our workshops blend STEM and art seamlessly, making subjects like science and engineering approachable and exciting for K-5 students. 3. Interactive Author Q&A and Writing Workshops: We offer personalized sessions where students can ask questions, participate in creative writing exercises, and even explore the process of illustration. This interactive approach fosters a deeper connection to the material and encourages creative thinking. 4. Character Development & Design: Our stories go beyond simple narratives. We emphasize character education, teaching values like empathy, kindness, and perseverance through engaging and relatable characters. 5. Custom Events: From mystery-themed events featuring our alter ego P. Knuckle Jones to tailored workshops that meet specific curriculum goals, we work with schools to create custom experiences that resonate with both students and educators. What Others are Saying: “Two hilarious investigations in one!” — Kirkus “A strong recommendation for budding readers and detectives” — School Library Journal “A delightful read for children who enjoy solving mysteries, offering a perfect mix of intrigue, laughs, and memorable moments” — Reader’s Favorite

Effective self-assessment is crucial for learning in the performing arts, and a high-quality recording of a stage production provides an invaluable reference once the performance is complete. Merelis Productions specializes in filling this need. For over 25 years, our videographers have partnered with independent, charter, and public schools, as well as professional performing arts and regional theater organizations throughout the NYC tri-state area. We offer 2-camera videography and video editing for a variety of on-stage events, including musicals, plays, concerts, dances, graduations, and other presentations. For each performance, we provide two expert videographers with cameras on tripods and strategically placed microphones. When available, we can also integrate a direct feed from your house sound reinforcement system to ensure the best possible audio mix for the final video. We deliver a 1080p digital video file that participants can use for self-assessment, and as demo footage for future auditions, artistic portfolios, and college applications. With 25 years of experience recording events in school settings and over 275 productions annually, we are dedicated to providing recordings that reflect the effort invested in your productions. We would be delighted to collaborate with you to enhance your performers' self-assessment opportunities.

WildWood Western New York provides outreach programs focused on nature exploration. We offer both in-person and virtual programs for learners of all ages and abilities covering a wide range of topics including astronomy, biology, botany, ecology, geology, mycology, ornithology and more. We keep an up-to-date list of our current programs on our website, but we can also work with you to create a custom program that meets the needs of your students. In-person outreach programs feature both a presentation and activity component, and can be done indoors (in a classroom, library, etc.) or outdoors, if your school has the available greenspace. WildWood WNY's mission is to provide quality, accessible education through nature exploration to learners of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds, and we would love to work with you to bring your students closer to nature!

We offer small group or class sized lessons on art history, including American artists Winslow Homer, George Inness, Childe Hassam, and many more. These are 45 minutes and usually include an art making activity. https://www.arkellmuseum.org/school-programs

Once Upon a Toon is a unique hybrid of storytelling with live cartoon illustrations. Multi-Emmy Award-winning cartoonist Joe Wos draws the stories as he tells them, in a lively and engaging program for all ages. Pulling from original stories and folktales with a twist, this live show is like watching a picture book being drawn before your very eyes. Each presentation includes a short guessing game, a how-to example, and two illustrated stories. Yielding between 15-20 drawings at every show. Best of all the illustrations stay with your school and may be displayed, auctioned, or even photocopied to share with students. Popular illustrated tales include Joe’s original pun-filled adventure “Don on the Farm” about a duck who longs to be a rooster, and with some help from his friends, they all help each other achieve their dreams! Joe also puts his unique spin on such classics as The Crowded House, How Turtle Flew South, How Elephant Got His Trunk, and many more.

James Bruchac was raised in the Adirondack foothills town of Greenfield Center, New York. A citizen of the Nulhegan Abenaki Tribe, and eldest son of acclaimed author and storyteller Dr. Joseph Bruchac III, James grew up immersed in the natural world, storytelling, and native culture. James has both authored and co-authored books for all ages. Children’s books include How Chipmunk Got His Stripes (Dial), Turtle’s Race with Beaver, Rabbit’s Snow Dance (Dial) When the Chenoo Howls (Walker), Be Good, a True Cautionary Tale (Bowman Books), and Native American Games and Stories (Fulcrum) and The Stories He Tells, The Story of Joseph Bruchac. General public titles include Scats and Tracks of the Northeast, Scats, and Tracks of the Southeast, Scats, and Tracks of the Mid-Atlantic (Falcon), and The Girl Who Helped Thunder, an anthology of Native American tales (Sterling). James is a member and former president of the Wordcraft Circle of Native Writers and Storytellers. Upcoming releases include Kids in the Woods (Bowman Books), Trails and Tales of The Grizzly, and Trails and Tales of The Wolf (fulcrum) Building on his family’s tradition, for over thirty years, James has shared stories at hundreds of schools and libraries across the country. Whether telling an interactive animal story or a monster tale, he keeps listeners of all ages on the edge of their seats as well as part of the action. James has performed at many festivals, museums including the Smithsonian Discovery Theater (Washington DC), the Corn Island Storytelling Festival (KY), Noble Tales Festival and the Connor Prairie Museum (IN), Indian Summer and Riverbend Festivals (WI), The Boston Children’s Museum and the John F. Kennedy Library and Museum (MA), the Hudson River Clearwater Festival, the Noteworthy Indian Museum, and The Old Songs Festival. James and other members of his family were featured on the PBS special Adirondack Storytellers (WMHT/PBS). James studied exercise science and English at Ithaca College and has a degree in American Studies from Skidmore College. Active in both high school and college athletics, Mr. Bruchac was a member of the 1988 Ithaca College National Championship football team and went on to be an Empire League Semi-pro All-star defensive end in 1991. He has studied martial arts since the age of ten, currently holding the rank of Shihan (5th-degree black belt) in Kyokushin Karate as well as being a third degree black belt in Brazilian Jui-Jitsu. Father Joseph and brother Jesse also hold black belts in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. All three working together to run Alliance Saratoga Jiu-Jitsu, and The Saratoga Academy of Elite Martial Arts.

The Museum of Innovation and Science (miSci) offers a variety of engaging STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math) programs as field trip experiences, virtually, or in-person (off-site) at your location. Each program features a miSci science communicator performing demonstrations and guiding hands-on experiments designed to excite and inform learners. We offer classes in Earth Science, Chemistry, Physical Science, Space, Engineering, Life Science. Our in person outreach classes are 45 minutes long, for up to 25 students in one session. We also have the capability to do the outreach classes as virtual classes in all these subjects. miSci has a Starlab (portable planetarium) that we can bring to a school, or area building to do up to 5 - thirty minute shows in one day. We also have star parties for naked eye viewing, weather permitting. We offer field trips which include a class, a planetarium show and time in the museum to explore. With suggestions from teachers we can adjust the topics in a planetarium show or for a different class topic if we are given a 3 week notice to make the adjustments.

Created to serve school districts, college, libraries, and theaters across Upstate New York, CNY Jazz Management is dedicated to the educational mission of the CNY Jazz Arts Foundation, the region’s primary provider of jazz programming in concert, cabaret, scholastic and festival settings in schools and in public. Our core cultural history shows are available separately or in a group: All That Jazz, a whirlwind history of jazz; Blues Shout, a history of male blues and jazz singers of the 20th Century; Music & Musket, exploring the role of the musician in the Civil War; and Jazz On Demand, unlocking the secrets of songwriting and listening creatively! All programs are narrated and include a vocabulary/teacher’s guide. We also offer full-day or multi-day residencies by all of our large ensembles, with or without national guest soloist/teaching artists, co-designed with you to fit your program needs – clinics, jams, and grand concerts. you may preview all of our shows and watch an overview of our entire arts-in-education service at the video link on our web site. Contact us for more information about presenting any of our offerings in your school!

Middle/High School Why Music Students Excel Motivational Clinic for Band, Youth Orchestra and Chorus (Also appropriate for Theatre Kids.) Program Description This morale and self-esteem building session begins with a ten minute solo performance by Justin. The performance is intentionally virtuosic, leaving no doubt in the student's mind that the artist is a seasoned professional who has experienced success on stage. The objective of this learning experience for students is to reinforce what the music faculty has been stressing all along. That is: the student's musical experience and musical education goes well beyond 'blowing a horn'. This experience is about developing life survival skills. Skills that will help the students to become better adept at problem solving, decision making, enjoying a fulfilling life beginning now and into the future. Justin asks the students to identify skills that they have learned from their musical experience (lessons, practice, or performance) that they have found useful when they are outside the world of music. Skills described by the students typically range from attention to detail and time management, to conflict resolution and ability to accept criticism. At the end of this segment of the session, a list sometimes comprising as many as 24 skills has been articulated by the students. Kolb looks at the students and asks them to seriously contemplate the "skills inventory". Kolb then exclaims, "Look at who you are and what you can do!" He quickly points out that large corporations and even governments invest great amounts of dollars to teach their employees how to acquire these same skills.These sessions are highly informational, uplifting, fun and enhance self esteem. Justin gets along easily with students, parents, staff, and faculty.Willing to tailor sessions to better meet the needs of the students.