Empowered Educator provides professional development that supports the social and emotional well-being of the adults in schools. As arts teachers, you know that SEL is inherent in the work you do. However, the well-being of your program is dependent on the well-being of its educators. Empowered Educator programs give teachers practical strategies for stress relief, time management, energy efficiency, advocacy and emotional intelligence so you can make the massive impact you want to make for your students and your school communities. As a former music teacher, Jen Rafferty tailors Empowered Educator programming to be relevant, accessible, and meaningful for fine arts teachers.

The REV Theatre Company's Sequential Dramatics Program brings live professional theatre to over 180 school buildings and over 70,000 students in grades K-12. With more than 40 years of expertise, we are a pioneer and a leader in arts education. Our complete series of curriculum-based plays, classroom lessons, and creative workshops spans the school year to provide a continuum of learning across the grade levels.

Established in February of 2011, the Theatre Institute at Sage is dedicated to providing quality live theatre and arts-in-education programming to Capital Region youth, educators and residents. The Institute also provides opportunities for Russell Sage students as performers, technicians and teachers. Programs include educational support services (such as in-class preparations, teacher in-services, post-show residences, and study guides), after school drama programs, weekend workshops, and several theatre camps during the summer for children ages 6-18.

Award-winning illustrator and author Chris Soentpiet brings three decades of experience to his dynamic school visits, inspiring a lifelong love of reading and art. In thousands of schools worldwide, Chris has proven his ability to boost reading scores, increase library circulation, and improve school-wide morale. His engaging presentations are more than just a show. They are a valuable educational tool that aligns with Common Core standards and is perfect for kickstarting PARP programs. Chris expertly ties his visits into your curriculum, connecting with holidays and heritage months to make learning relevant and exciting. At a time when reading is declining, a visit from Chris Soentpiet provides the essential spark to get kids excited about books. He empowers students to express themselves through writing and drawing, showing them that their own stories matter. Book a visit to give your students an unforgettable experience that celebrates reading and the arts.

Unlike any of the other magic shows! The Laugh Factory is the best comical magic show for schools and camps that you’ll ever see! It’s hysterical for your students, and also funny, engaging, and entertaining for your teachers and school staff. Stinky Sneakers, a Giant Pair of Underpants, exploding pop cans, and a short round of basketball (with toilet paper!), are just a little bit of the crazy insanity that is to come during The Laugh Factory Comical Magic Show. Don’t worry, there are no gimmicky magic stunts or something too embarrassing in this school assembly magic show! It’s just 45 minutes of pure silliness, nonstop jokes, and wild funniness, where your students are the stars of the show!

Mylisa Larsen is the author of the novels Playing Through the Turnaround and Quagmire Tiarello Couldn’t Be Better and the picture books All of Those Babies, If I Were A Kangaroo, How To Put Your Parents To Bed and Ho Ho Homework. Her author visits are designed to look at some of the underlying assumptions that cause students to decide that they’re not writers and to give students practical and fun ways of building their skills as writers which they can use immediately. We explore techniques for finding stories and getting started, experiment with how different choices we make shape our work, and talk about techniques for revision and for when writing gets hard. We talk about what the job of an author looks like but also how the skills of creative problem-solving which make up the job of a writer apply to many other fields and endeavors. All programs are tailored to the age of the students. Several different programs available are listed at mylisalarsen.com/visits.

Gizmo D Robot is the host of three amazing, memorable and impactful elementary presentations around the topics of anti-bullying, growth mindset and health awareness. In addition, he is co-host - along with talented musician Dave Lambert - of a music education presentation for grades K-2. Students enjoy Gizmo and his unexpectedly high interactive capabilities as well as his delightful sense of humor. Educators love Gizmo because he delivers vital messages in a way students can quickly grasp. “…the best assembly we have ever had!” was the response from Lebanon Borough School in New Jersey.

The Shadow Box Theatre’s (SBT) mission is to touch the minds and hearts of children through shadow and three-dimensional puppet-based theatre arts. SBT's programs encourage creative exploration, celebrate diversity, and teach humanistic values such as how to deal with bullying and respecting individual differences, peaceful solutions, and appreciation of our earth. This is accomplished through an integrated program of performances given in our spaces and brought to your space, creative theatre arts workshops for children, teachers, and parents, and picture books with companion audio, as well as films and audio recordings based on our musical puppet productions.

Corey Rich is an 8-Time Guinness World Record Holder that’s been featured on The Late Show with David Letterman, ESPN First Take, Comcast Sportsnet, Fox News and is widely considered the World’s Greatest Dribbler! Along with performing his amazing talents at NBA Halftime Shows, Corey travels the country inspiring kids with a character education message, The 4Rs for success. Respect, Responsibility, Ready to Learn, and Reading is Power are the Four Principles Corey The Dribbler encourages youth to live by. Corey teaches the importance of treating their Teachers, Parents/Guardians, and Classmates with Respect. They are taught the value of kindness and how to treat others the way they themselves would like to be treated. Self-Respect is also taught and the importance of eating healthy, staying active, having a great attitude, being responsible and ready to learn!

The Funkey Munkey Show is a high-energy, interactive educational assembly that combines meaningful messages with music, comedy, games, and audience participation. Featuring professional entertainer and motivational speaker Jerome Bartlett and the hilarious Funkey Munkey, each program gets students laughing, learning, and actively involved. Designed for Pre-K through grade 6, the show makes important ideas memorable by connecting them to experiences students can understand and apply. Whether students are preparing for state assessments, practicing kindness, building positive habits, or discovering the joy of reading, the message comes to life through an engaging shared experience. Higher Impact Entertainment has served schools in 49 states. Programs can be tailored to a school’s grade levels, goals, theme, and schoolwide expectations, with multiple performances available to accommodate separate age groups. State Test Preparation: “I’m READY!” Help students approach testing with confidence, a positive attitude, and practical strategies. This motivational program encourages students to recognize their preparation, manage nervous feelings, stay focused, and give their best effort. The READY message provides five memorable reminders: - R — Reach: Set goals and reach for your potential. - E — Erase: Erase negative thinking and replace it with encouraging self-talk. - A — Apply: Apply what you have learned and use your test-taking strategies. - D — Do Your Best: Focus, take your time, and give your best effort. - Y — You Can: Believe in your ability to take on a challenge. The program supports the work teachers are already doing while building enthusiasm and confidence before testing season. Character Education and Social-Emotional Learning These programs encourage students to make thoughtful choices, develop positive relationships, take responsibility, and recognize how their actions affect others. Schools can select a theme that complements their character education or SEL priorities: - Be the IMPACT: Impress, Motivate, Positive, Achieve, Courage, Together. Students explore how their choices, attitude, and willingness to help can make a positive difference at school and beyond. - Be SUPER!: Safe, United, Power, Empathy, Rise. Students discover everyday ways to be heroes through safe choices, teamwork, empathy, and actions that help others. - Choose to SHINE: Special, Honest, Inspire, Nice, Enjoy. This uplifting program celebrates individual strengths while encouraging honesty, kindness, inclusion, and a positive approach to everyday challenges. - I’ve Got the POWER: Potential, Opportunity, Winner, Education, Respect. Students are encouraged to recognize their potential, make the most of opportunities, value learning, and demonstrate respect. - Live the DREAM: Direction, Responsible, Encourage, Action, Merit. Students connect their goals to responsible choices, encouragement, effort, and purposeful action. - The Six Pillars of Character: Trustworthiness, Fairness, Caring, Respect, Responsibility, Citizenship. These familiar values become practical examples of how students can contribute to a positive school community. - High-5 Character: Follow Directions, Be Respectful, Be Responsible, Use Self-Control, Be Prepared. This program reinforces five clear expectations students can practice throughout the school day. Kindness, Respect, and Bully Prevention Build a school culture where students feel included, respected, and encouraged to seek help. Through age-appropriate examples and interactive activities, students explore empathy, respectful words and actions, accepting differences, and including others. The program also addresses safe ways to respond when someone is being mistreated, including supporting classmates and reporting concerns to a trusted adult. Content can be incorporated into a character theme such as Choose to SHINE or Be SUPER!, or tailored to the school’s bully prevention priorities. Reading Motivation: “Reading ROCKS!” Celebrate books and help students see themselves as readers. This energetic program presents reading as an opportunity for enjoyment, discovery, imagination, and growth. Each letter in ROCKS reinforces a reason to read: - R — Really Fun: Reading can be an enjoyable part of everyday life. - O — Options: Different books, topics, and formats give readers choices. - C — Cool: Reading is something to celebrate. - K — Knowledge: Books help us learn about the world and discover new interests. - S — Success: Reading supports learning, confidence, and future goals. Reading ROCKS! is a strong fit for literacy celebrations, reading challenges, family literacy events, and schoolwide reading initiatives. Goal Setting and Personal Motivation Encourage students to identify goals, recognize their strengths, and take action. This program emphasizes effort, persistence, positive self-talk, and learning from mistakes. Students explore how small, consistent choices can help them make progress in school and in life. Themes such as Live the DREAM and I’ve Got the POWER provide memorable frameworks for these messages. Drug Prevention and Healthy Choices Support age-appropriate drug prevention education with an encouraging focus on healthy decisions, personal responsibility, positive influences, and asking trusted adults for help. Content is adjusted for the participating grade levels and can support Red Ribbon Week or other school wellness initiatives. PBIS and Schoolwide Expectations Reinforce the behaviors and shared expectations that help a school community succeed. Programs can incorporate a school’s existing language, values, or behavior expectations, with messages about safety, respect, responsibility, self-control, preparedness, and teamwork. This option supports PBIS and the schoolwide prevention component of MTSS by giving students a memorable, shared experience around positive choices. Back-to-School Programs Start the year with energy, connection, and a sense of belonging. These assemblies welcome students, celebrate new opportunities, and introduce or reinforce schoolwide expectations. Messages emphasize friendship, respect, teamwork, and taking responsibility for a successful school year. End-of-Year Programs Celebrate students’ effort and growth while reinforcing lessons they can carry into summer and the next school year. These programs combine an exciting school celebration with messages about achievement, kindness, positive choices, and continuing to learn. Family Fitness and Family Engagement Bring students and families together through interactive games, music, movement, and shared participation. Family Fitness events encourage active fun and connection while creating an engaging opportunity for families to participate in their school community. Program Format and Technical Requirements The standard school assembly is approximately 55 minutes, with adjustments available to meet scheduling needs. Content and presentation are adapted for the audience, and schools may schedule separate performances for younger and older students. The Funkey Munkey Show is self-contained. Higher Impact Entertainment travels with the equipment needed for the performance, including speakers and microphones. The school provides an electrical outlet, an appropriate performance area, and a private changing space for the mascot. The program can adapt to a variety of school spaces and audience sizes. Additional educational resources are available to help schools reinforce program messages. Pricing is all-inclusive, and dates are reserved on a first-come, first-served basis. Partnership pricing is available for schools coordinating performances during the same trip. Booking Contact: Jerome Bartlett Phone: (210) 882-2255 Email: jerome@higherimpactent.com Program Information: HigherImpactEnt.com Upcoming Tour Dates: FunkeyMunkeyShow.com

Go BIG AIR BMX Show features top professional athletes performing an unforgettable LIVE 40-minute Big Air Stunt Show. This exciting show is witnessed by over 600 schools per year, and includes powerful positive motivational messages delivered by the influencer/athletes in a way that resonates with students of all ages. Themes can include Anti-bullying, Character education, Motivation, Kindness and Respect and many more options. Our company has been in business for nearly 30 years so you can expect a professional experience from booking to delivery of your assembly, a kid favorite for decades. Don't miss out on this limited opportunity to have incredible high-flying stunts that will wow the kids along with high-energy, motivational messages they will never forget.

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.