We are a professional baseball team located in the Capital District of New York, more specifically, Troy. Each year we offer multiple Education Day games which are special matinee games aimed to incorporate learning with the game of baseball. We create a unique curriculum that covers things from spending money at the concession stand, geography and location of our opponents, baseball terminology and more. For these games we reach out to all of our local schools and invite them to attend this game which is typically $12 per person and includes admission as well as a lunch. We kick off the game with an Anti-Bullying peace pledge, and the concourse features tables from our sponsors with STEM centric activities. Many schools attend each of these games and look for assistance to ensure they can be a part of it.

Cosmic Images Across the Spectrum: Teachers of the local district's schools will be given a workshop on how to use Astronomy as an Interdisciplinary Approach to Education. Training will include the use of NASA's MicroObservatory (MO) taking images and using the image processing software so they can, in turn, teach their students to do the same, and then create thematic units that utilize the talents of students in various disciplines and using alternative assessment strategies such as rubrics and portfolios. Art students can paint or draw a particular object from MO, Math students pinpoint size & scale, distance and celestial coordinates, English students use creative writing or poetry to describe the object, History, Social Studies and Foreign Language students form a timeline of the U.S. vs. other countries in discovery, impact and understanding of what was happening at the time, such as French influence from Charles Messier, and Science students explore the physics and chemistry data of the object recorded from telescopes and spectroscopy. Information for each object from all disciplines will be compiled onto a page or "block" and submitted to be added to a "Cosmic Quilt." Color poster-sized printouts of all blocks submitted can be assembled together for the physical Cosmic Quilt and put on display as an exhibit for all to see at the school. All the contributors' names and input will be recognized at the exhibit.

Offering a local author visit. The author will read the story aloud and talk about the process of writing and publishing a story. She will answer student questions and sign any books purchased.

I am a #1 New York Times Bestselling Author of books for young readers. I can offer visits to schools, writing conferences, and to local libraries. In the schools, I do small and large group assemblies and offer writing workshops. I live in Utah but frequently travel in the New York area.

Sit back and let the musicians of Percussia take you on a musical journey using percussion instruments, chants and rhythms from all over the world. With stops in Brazil, West Africa, India, Cuba and China, this high-octane, engaging program deepens students’ knowledge of geography, global cultures, and their music. Students become active participants in the show by clapping rhythms, singing songs and even participating in a Chinese Lion Dance. Percussia would be thrilled to join you at your next assembly and kick off our trip with our signature samba parade.

Arithmetickles is an interactive Math Game show that uses audience participation and comedy in fast-paced math segments to capture the attention of students in grades K-8. Arithmetickles makes math jump off the page and onto the stage and changes how kids think of math! Arithmetickles includes Interactive Math Theater Games, Funny Number Puzzles, Creative Quizzes, Problem Solving, Mental Math and Witty Logic. Arithmetickles doesn’t aim to teach math but to make it so cool (and so much fun) that students will want to learn it.

Social and emotional learning (SEL) is an essential part of The Mystery of the Character Surprise show. In this 50 minute interactive assembly show students learn the communication skills and attitudes they need to help create a bully-free learning environment. Fifteen students participate on stage, putting these lessons into action – cooperating to stop a bully from ruining the assembly show. Students will also learn how to stop social aggression in its tracks. And they’ll have a blast while doing it! Topics covered throughout this bully-proofing magic assembly show include Being responsible in achieving goals, helping others, and empathy. Plus: Forms of bullying, solutions for victims, responsibilities of witnesses, tattling vs. telling. Includes: Courage | Flexibility | Perseverance | Effort | Making Good Choices | Bullies, Targets & Bystanders | Sense of Humor | Responsibility | Empathy | Honesty | Teamwork | Tattling vs. Telling

"A MUST-SEE…” J. K Frimer, Dir. Special Programs, NY Aquarium, Central Park/Bronx Zoo, NY “David was a smash… our teachers loved him …and staff said the kids were engrossed and loved the interaction.” Maureen Daly, Fuquay-Varina Arts Center, N.C For over 30 years, veteran family entertainer and arts educator David Engel has toured nationwide to performing arts centers, festivals, libraries, museums and schools. David offers FOUR distinctly different assembly programs for schools on STEM, Environmental Stewardship and Anti-bullying. See descriptions below. As an eccentric clown, David has performed in venues across the USA, 11 European countries, the Caribbean, Indonesia, and in China. He has worked as a Clown Doctor in major NY metro pediatric hospitals and does annual residencies in NYC for children with special needs with ADAPT Network. Mr. Engel is known for his rich characterizations, scrupulous attention to quality costuming and creative details of his props and scenery. His vaudeville-like talents feature immersive audience-participation, adept magic, bubble-play, witty banter, eye-popping puppetry, cartoon-like sound effects and hilarious brain challenges that keep children and adults mesmerized. David Engel Assemblies: 1. “CAPTAIN NEMO’S ADVENTURE ACADEMY!” 20,000 Laughs Under the Sea! Take a deep dive into environmental stewardship, earth sciences, and plastic abatement with Captain Nemo who helps students discover the vital inter-dependence of living things above and below the waves. During this hilariously interactive show, the reclusive Captain surfaces to inspire kids to become "Guardians of the Deep" and caretakers of our watery-blue planet. Grades K-5. 2. PIRATE SCHOOL: The SCIENCE of Pirates This engaging STEAM-based assembly helps break out of the "mad scientist" theme with an exciting nautical twist! Mariners have pushed knowledge and technology forward ever since humans launched the first log-raft, so who better to explore STEAM and excite kids' curiosity than a swashbuckling pirate!? Featuring real-life demonstrations and immersive audience participation this show asks: How are the winds and ocean currents made? How is a sail like a wing? What are the forces behind a cannon ball's flight? Are navigation and map-making really math? Did pirates use simple machines? These and other mysteries are explored and exploded during "Pirate School! The Science of Pirates!” Grades 2-5. 3. PIRATE SCHOOL: Follow Your Compass! Pirate School! Follow Your Compass is an innovative, humorous and moving character education/anti-bullying assembly that promotes empathy, social courage and provides memorable strategies for the witnesses and victims of bullying.  Students are prompted to follow their hearts, their inner compasses and the vital concepts of Respect, Responsibility, Compassion and Courage are explored and underscored. This 60-minute assembly is designed to reflect state curriculum standards, and features lighthearted mayhem with a boisterous blend of full-audience participatory clown-theater, cartoon-like sound effects, a rich musical score. Grades K-5. 4. “Dinosaur Hunter Safari!” is a wholly hilarious, educational romp into the Jurassic Era with the bumbling Paleontologist Professor Livingpebble. Join the nutty professor and his full-sized puppet velociraptor Mary on an inspirational dino-dig. Embody your favorite slithering herbivores and roaring carnivores, meet the missing link and carefully cart a fossilized bone to its final resting place in the museum in this popular assembly. How do dinosaurs sound? How are fossils made? Why look into the past to understand our future? These and other questions will be answered in this engaging act that features full audience participation, magic, bubble-play, puppetry and cartoon-like sound effects. “All the teachers surveyed said Captain Nemo was their favorite part of the festival.” Producer, SUBMERGE Marine Science Festival, Hudson River Park, NYC “David had 2000 Pre-K-5th graders on the edge of their seats for the entire hour performance. He tied the STEM curriculum into the performance in a way that engaged and motivated the kids to want to learn more. His humor, use of props and sound effects were top notch! David was easy to work with from beginning to end and I highly recommend his act. Book him! You won't regret it. A. Roellgen, Caldwell Arts, Broyhill Theatre, Lenoir, NC

The Buffalo Zoo's Education team is here to provide your students with a WILD educational experience! Whether you're looking for a virtual program that will take you inside some of our animal exhibits, a presentation to enhance your Zoo field trip, or the Zoomobile to bring the Zoo to You, we can meet your group's learning needs. There are so many topics to choose from, including unique habitats, amazing adaptations, conservation, and so much more!

We are offering three different shows to bring to students that are friendly for the whole family! PACKRAT: Set deep in the Sagebrush Desert, PACKRAT is a visually stunning puppet-forward play that contemplates humanity’s relationship with the natural world. Puppetry, projections and an original score elegantly come together to create many layers of meaning and emotions. At the center of the action is Bud, a peculiar rodent with a penchant for hoarding humankind’s goods. When a discarded cigar sparks a wild fire, the animals in Bud’s valley flee for their lives. Already an outcast among the desert animals for his hoarding instincts, he gets blamed for the human-made disasters infiltrating their lives. When they ban him from the community, Bud must set out alone amidst a raging fire, to confront human-made dangers and a few natural ones. PACKRAT is a poignant account of Bud’s journey to find his place in the world, and his ultimate realization that the interconnectedness of life rules the day. GEPPETTO: EXTRAORDINARY EXTREMITIES is a tale of resilience and adaptation that tells the story of puppet-maker Geppetto, who is attempting to perform — all by himself for the first time ever — the grand mythical love story of Perseus, who slays a sea monster to save his beloved Andromeda. During the show things begin to go haywire, and Geppetto finds himself desperately improvising to overcome the challenges of performing solo while at the same time scrambling to devise new story lines, new characters, and even new limbs. GEPPETTO was inspired by a NPR story on Hugh Herr, whose legs were amputated after a climbing accident and who now designs technologically advanced artificial limbs. GEPPETTO opened Off-Broadway 2014 at SoHo Playhouse, has had a 7-City Northern Italy Tour, performances in Italian and a Costa Rica Tour, performances in Spanish. GEPPETTO has toured extensively in USA. 2017, GEPPETTO toured South Korea and 2018: Canal Café Theatre, London; SUNY Orange, Newburgh; NYS Puppetry Festival, Perry. ERNIE'S SECRET LIFE is an episodic odyssey, fusing ever-changing puppetry and stagecraft with humor, music, and a raw understanding of our profound collective reality. Sparked by the isolation and turmoil of our time, ERNIE'S SECRET LIFE is a story of discovery for all. A man fearing something has happened to his son, builds a canoe and secretly sets off to find him. What he finds instead – is himself. Powered by a wondrous landscape-in-motion, the play is about escaping and then finding your way… a celebration of how we become who we want to be. Concrete Temple Theatre offers a variety of workshops to accompany our performances. Subjects covered can include performance skills, theatrical adaptation, puppet construction, and storytelling. The work students create will play as a prelude to our performances. Workshops can be tailored to your needs, ranging from an hour-long exploration to a week long intensive. Please inquire to specify desired content, length and price.

I offer two one-person plays (one about Langston Hughes the other about Dr. King) and one poetry reading from my award-winning poetry collection Boneyarn, the only book of poems about slavery in New York City, where the oldest and largest slave cemetery in the United States is located. In conjunction with any of the above presentations, I have thematically related writing workshops so students can have their own creative experience to go along with my presentations. Below are descriptions of the three shows. I also give talks about the Harlem Renaissance, Jazz Trumpeter Louis Armstrong, and Tuskegee Airman Harry Stewart Jr, who was part of the first group of African-American military pilots who fought in World War II. Below are descriptions of the Langston Hughes, Dr. King and Boneyarn presentations. DAVID MILLS PRESENTATIONS 1) The Dreamweaver: Langston Hughes Performance and Creative Writing Workshop What better way to celebrate Harlem Renaissance writer Langston Hughes—affectionately known as “Shakespeare in Harlem”—than to have students see a dramatic 45-minute presentation about Langston Hughes. Actor David Mills, (whose Hughes show was voted the #4 young-adult show in the nation by The American Library Association) does just that. He takes students on a theatrical odyssey of Hughes’ life spanning six decades from his humble Missouri childhood to his days living in Harlem as an adult. Mr. Mills also captures Hughes’ world travels and writing of his classic poems, such as “The Negro Speaks of Rivers,” “Mother to Son,” “I, Too,” “Montage of a Dream Deferred” and “Madam Alberta K.” While playing black and white, young, old, and male and female characters, Mr. Mills captures Hughes’ unending love for Harlem—with its foibles and fantasies, bruises and beauty. Mr. Mills show also explores how Hughes wrote nearly 50 plays. A Q&A would follow the presentation. Mr. Mills could also conduct a writing workshop using a Hughes blues poem as a model. 2) Dare to Dream: Dr. King Performance and Creative Writing Workshop In a 45-minute, dramatic presentation for an auditorium of students and teachers, actor David Mills would take the audience on an engaging, historic journey, where they witness Dr. King go from a young preacher (with uncertainties about Civil Rights during the Montgomery Bus Boycott) into the nationally-recognized figure he became during the 1963 March on Washington. Mr. Mills’ stirring performance looks at Dr. King as both the public figure and private man. Be roused, be inspired, be transported by “Dare to Dream,” Mr. Mills’ theatrical tribute to Dr. King. A Q&A would follow the performance. Mr. Mills has worked as a teaching artist and performer for over 20 years in schools, universities, and senior centers. So, in conjunction with the performance Mr. Mills can also lead a 45-minute creative writing workshop, in a smaller classroom setting, using Dr. King’s iconic “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” as a writing prompt. This workshop will get students to write poems in the forms of letters that relate to their lives. Talking to the Bones: Poetry reading about slavery in New York City and Creative Writing Workshop. Award-winning-poet David Mills would read from his collection, Boneyarn, winner of the North American Book Award and the only poetry collection about slavery in New York City, where the oldest and largest slave cemetery in the United States is located. Mr. Mills would conduct a 45-minute reading to an auditorium and use projected visuals to give attendees a sense of 17th-19th century New York. Mr. Mills would discuss the research and writing process that went into creating this groundbreaking book, where he weds little-known colonial history and poetry. What lessons can be learned from coupling these two disciplines. The reading would also be followed by a Q&A. Mr. Mills has worked as a teaching artist and performer for over 20 years in schools. Therefore, in conjunction with the reading, Mr. Mills can lead a 45-minute creative writing workshop that uses a question-and-answer form from his book Boneyarn to get students to write their own poems reflecting on slavery in New York City.

Kate Klise wrote her first book when she was ten years old, so she speaks with a certain authority when she encourages children to begin their writing careers now. With more than thirty books to her credit (picture books, early readers, middle grade novels, and one YA title), Kate relates well to students of all ages. When working with early readers (grades K-2, 30 minutes), Kate offers gentle advice about writing stories and invites students to create an original story on the spot. When presenting to older students (grades 3–6, 50 minutes), Kate focuses on the writing process: where she gets her ideas, how she writes her rough drafts, why the art of rewriting is so critical, and—yes!—how she comes up with all those punny names in the Regarding and 43 Old Cemetery Road series. In addition, Kate explains the classic elements of storytelling, including the importance of sending characters on journeys. In addition to large-group presentations, Kate also offers fiction and non-fiction writing workshops for smaller groups (30 students or less, 50 minutes). As a 15-year veteran for People magazine, Kate enjoys sharing her tips and tricks for writing on deadline. Over the years she’s taught countless students how to write colorful, compelling, and often hilarious People magazine-style stories about themselves and others.