A leading motivational speaker with 45 years of experience, since age 10, I host programs to help transform fear and ignorance into kindness and respect for those who strive to rise above adversity. Combining the topics of disability awareness, anti-bullying, leadership, and resilience, I share captivating anecdotes that have enabled me to triumph over cerebral palsy and hearing loss. These programs empower students while instilling in them the confidence they need to excel in class, treat peers and teammates with kindness and respect, understand the consequences of bullying, and be motivated to realize their dreams and goals. For example, though I encountered physical bullying in school, I chose not to respond in anger, but to forgive and help the bullies! Many students are stunned to learn why I responded this way. Love is the greatest gift we can give and receive in our lives. Using humor to engage audiences, these stories and insights elicit a cascade of emotions that help children and teens find the courage to accept and navigate life's challenges, igniting a spark of hope and optimism that leads to confidence and achievement. Each program culminates in a powerful documentary video, including skydiving, scuba diving, my artwork, and other creative expressions. Together, this represents a journey centered around an important life philosophy: "Yes I Can!" Those three words are precisely the name of my new book. I created this published resource to help teens, parents, and other special needs kids overcome self-doubt and anxiety when faced with bullying or prejudice. Each chapter is filled with stories that highlight principles such as self-love, positive attitude, support group, perseverance, resilience, and empathy. You can search my name on Amazon and read the reviews. Following my programs, I donate a signed hardcover to the school library. I suggest assemblies at multiple schools, possibly in the same district, on consecutive days to help share travel and hotel expenses from my central NJ home. Due to my hearing loss, please email me to establish initial contact before reaching out by telephone. I am flexible with speaker fees, depending on audience size. For assembly details and video testimonials, visit my online speaking resume: www.JustTheWayYouAre.com/resume

You Can Do a Graphic Novel, Comic Book, Meme, or Zine Categories: Creative Writing, Visual Arts Curriculum. Costs VIRTUAL PROGRAMS (ZOOM) One-hour interactive classes, unlimited participants: $500.00 LIVE IN-PERSON PROGRAMS One day: $1,200.00 Four days: $3,800.00 Eight days: $6,500.00 For venues more than 40 miles from Hudson, NY travel cost of $0.50 mile will be added. For venues more than 40 miles from Valatie, NY travel cost of $0.50 mile will be added. Available year-round. Program Theme: Students learn how to create a graphic novel beginning with a six page comic. It doesn’t matter if they can draw. Stick figures are an expressive way for the reluctant artist to begin. Participants are encouraged to bring their sketchbooks and characters they may already be working on. They will learn about The Creative Process, how to write a Character Study, focus on the beginning, middle, end and twist of a story, and Create Layouts. If the program is an assembly, Barbara talks though the program with on-screen illustrations of the process. The school is to provide a computer, projector and screen. Program Description: Each program is custom tailored to the grade, number of students in the class, and number of sessions. If there are four or more sessions per class, the program finishes with a Graphic Novel Exhibition (see below). The Creative Process: 20 creative tips. Creating Characters: Participants complete bio sheets with the character’s name, age, best friend/side kick, powers (if any), biggest fear, life goal, etc. Plotting: Learning how to plot challenges the student to complete a story. Too many begin the story and throw it out somewhere in the middle. The student learns to plot by color code, a method used by film/tv/graphic novel writers. Layout: Participants learn about panels, thumbnails, dialogue balloons, sequence, and making a page pop. Rather than drawing “talking heads,” they draw a close-up, pull back for a long shot, followed by interior, exterior, bird’s eye views. Everybody works at their own pace. Some are advanced artists/writers while others are beginners. It doesn’t matter where they begin as long as they get going. I hand out a “character bible” sheet and encourage them to think about the beginning, middle, end and twist of their story. The twist is what makes the story interesting. I bring in samples of character bibles from Marvel comics which they can keep, and scripts written by professionals. Feedback is an important part of the program. It usually begins when I hold up a student’s drawing and ask them to suggest a name, age, or character trait. The student can take the suggestions or discard them, however, it opens up discussions. In the first session, students are sometimes quiet/shy with other students but by the second, they open up about their characters and stories. After the last workshop, the doors open to parents, friends, relatives, the community, and the local press. Students show and talk about their work…where they got their inspiration for characters/story. The “Graphic Novel Exhibition” attracts a lot of attention and often results in newspaper articles. Having artwork in the newspaper is great for a student’s self-esteem and for their portfolio. Copies of Barbara's textbook You Can Do a Graphic Novel can be ordered for the school library, and discounts are available from the publisher for class-size orders. http://youcandoagraphicnovel.com/students1.htm

At STEAM Fund (Siegal Trust Enriching Arts & Music) at Community Foundation of Sullivan County, we are dedicated to enriching lives through our diverse Arts In Education programs. Our programs cater to Pre-K, Elementary, Middle & High School children, as well as adults, focusing on essential topics such as Social Emotional Learning, Mindfulness, Health, Anti-Bullying, Coping Strategies, Nutrition, Diversability, and core values like Love, Peace, Equality, Brotherhood, and Sisterhood. STEAM Fund collaborates closely with public school administrators, principals, teachers, and various organizations to bring these impactful programs to schools and organizations. Our experienced teaching artists ensure the delivery of high-quality programs that resonate with individuals through arts and music. STEAM offers the following: ASSEMBLY PROGRAMS: Mindfulness Matters, Nutrition Mission, Do The Right Thing, The Golden Rule Show, Happy Holidays Around The World, Alive Again SONGWRITING PROGRAMS: Theatre Within’ John Lennon Real Love Project, Real Food Rules Song Program, Sing About Learning Program WORKSHOPS/RESIDENCY PROGRAMS: Mindfulness in Motion, Self Care ABCs for Students PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT: Self Care for You & Your Students, Move It Or Lose It, Integrating Care, Music & Motion, Stress Reduction Through Mindfulness & Breathing Exercise If you are an administrator, educator, or part of the PTA/PTO, contact us today to discover how we can introduce these exceptional programs to your school and community. Let’s work together to inspire, educate, and uplift through the power of Arts in Education.

Make the arts come alive for your students. Syracuse Stage’s education programs are a great way to inspire learning and connect with hearts and minds of all ages. From fully staged productions to targeted in-school performances, our educational offerings support and enhance language arts, social studies, history, STEM and art curricula. Custom in school workshops are available on multiple topics.

Offering interactive performances for PreK-Kindergarten and songwriting workshops grades K-5

Are you looking to inspire and motivate your students to overcome adversity and achieve their dreams? As a seasoned speaker for large groups and classroom settings, I offer a powerful and personal presentation that will resonate deeply with young people. My topics include advocating against bullying, developing self-belief, curating effective storytelling, and the importance of sharing your personal story. Additionally, I provide practical guidance on effective writing techniques, helping students to develop their writing skills with confidence and clarity. Drawing from my own experiences of overcoming challenges such as a broken family, poverty, and mental illness, I provide a relatable and inspiring perspective. My goal is to empower students to find their voices, believe in themselves, and create a life where they follow their passions and make a positive impact on the world. By sharing my story, I aim to offer a lifeline to those struggling, inspire hope, and stress the importance of asking for help. From small writing sessions to public speaking workshops, I offer a unique variety of experiences that will impact any age group!

ENTA’s visual and performing artists work collaboratively with K-12 classroom teachers to develop customized arts-in-education programs that concentrate on any curricular content and allow students to express their knowledge and mastery through a creative process (visual, performance, process arts). We work in all subject areas -- ELA, Math, Science, Social Studies, etc. We also offer services to Art, Band and Choral classrooms. Our programs are customized to meet the needs and desired outcomes of the classroom teacher(s) and we usually work with all the students in an entire grade level. Through the Arts, students and teachers experience their studies in active, hands-on, problem-solving, challenging environments that produce measurable and meaningful results. Sample Programs include: Improv & the Salem Witch Trials (7th grade Social Studies); Taking A Stand – Art for Social Change (8th grade ELA); Biomimicry & Sculpture (7th grade Science); A Book’s Journey – develop & hand-build original book (4th grade ELA); Sol Lewitt – Math, Language & Art (MS/HS); Geometry & Landscape Drawing (3rd grade Math); Books on the Boards: Theater & Reading (K-3 ELA); Anatomy & Figure Drawing (HS Art) Currently running more than a dozen on-going programs in mid-Hudson region pubic schools. All developed collaboratively with classroom teachers.

Since 2003, Sheryl Faye has masterfully brought to life important historical women to both adults and children around the world. In her one-woman shows, she immerses the audience in a multimedia learning experience that captivates viewers and sparks their interest to explore more. These shows are available in two different versions, one for adult audiences and one for children which are perfect for school Enrichment Programs and any other historical-themed events, bringing history alive for adults and children alike.

I am a children's book author with long experience visiting schools around the country, from California to South Carolina, Texas to Illinois. I am especially happy to visit ANYWHERE in New York State, from Long Island to the North Country and everywhere in between. I've published a range of books from PreK to Young Adult, and I'm still actively publishing today. I love visiting schools and I'm grateful to meet and try to inspire young readers and writers.

The Herschell Carrousel Factory Museum educational programs offer unique experiences, including our perforator machine that creates band organ rolls (one of the first forms of coding!) and viewing simple machines at work. In 2016, the Carrousel Museum received the Excellence in Collaboration Award from the Erie County Association of School Boards for our “T-NT (Tonawanda – North Tonawanda) STEAM is Dynamite!” program. Join us for fun, interactive tours, and brand new workshops in our Education Center. Students will have the opportunity to participate in hands on learning and see practical applications of their curriculum. Our exhibits offer the opportunity to ride a 1916 Herschell Carrousel, and tour the factory where it was originally constructed! Additionally, our programs can come to you in person or virtually.

Hi, I just wrote my first children's book about adventures that my twins with Down syndrome will take you on. This particular story is fiction. The Adventures of Danika and Dalilah: To the Moon with Casey June. Casey is my oldest daughter who prepares her sisters for a trip. I read this to a group of students where I teach, they loved it! In the story I touch upon my girls have Down syndrome, and hearing loss. They also use ASL as a way to communicate. I will read the story and present my power point. Thank you, Dionne Carpenter

Ten80 offers high-energy programs that use dynamic technology and hands-on experiences to inspire students about careers, STEM pathways, the trades, and leadership skills. The most popular program engages a large audience in team-based challenges and culminates in a race using scale-model electric vehicles. Other options include classroom workshops, afterschool explorations, and professional development. All Ten80 programs include the "Ten80 T-Square" pillars of Tech (such as drones, autonomous vehicles, and renewable energies), Tools (from measuring tapes to spreadsheets to digital calipers!), Teamwork, and Tenacity. Ten80 has delivered programs all over the U.S and in China, and specializes in creating the “aha” moments that break down barriers so that every student can imagine a wider range of future opportunities.