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.

Tifft Nature Preserve has been engaging audiences of all ages and communities for decades through our diverse selection of guided programs. We serve as the region’s premier environmental education site in the Buffalo area. Your participants will be immersed in 264 acres of nature while being guided along trails through woodlands, wetlands, and boardwalks or enjoying a hands-on activity in our multi-classroom Darling Environment Education Center. Our most requested Guided Tours and Workshops are listed on our website https://www.tifft.org/schools-and-groups/ , however please contact us to potentially customize a program to meet your content needs for any age audience, from preschool to adults. We can also come to you to facilitate an Outreach program with your audience. All groups of 10 or more individuals visiting the Preserve are required to make a reservation for a self-guided Discovery Visit, Guided Tour, or Workshop. Please call (716) 825-6397 or email tifftreservations@sciencebuff.org to make your reservation.

Mars pottery offers raku workshops all day workshops where students create and fire their work in the Japanese art of raku. We also offer sculpture classes and children’s classes. @ginamarspottery

Diane Edgecomb brings top quality entertaining performances to your school that enhance elementary school curriculum. Folk & Fairy Tales! Myths! Environmental Literacy! Seasonal Nature Tales for young learners! Diane’s dynamic storytelling assemblies get every single student excited about core-curriculum topics, proving once again that story is the shortest route to imaginative learning. Choose from performances designed to enrich and engage: Folktale Superheroes around the World dovetails English core studies in folktales and myths. Students discover that folktales from China, Africa and South America all have their own versions of Superheroes! Tales for the Earth teaches important lessons about bio-diversity and water conservation through Diane’s engaging original tales. Environmental literacy can be not just meaningful but fun. Looking for something for K-2? Choose Diane's Seasonal Nature Tales for young learners: Fall Tales Celebrates how the leaves got their colors and the Star in the Apple, Spring is for Planting Seeds, Nesting Birds and Composting Adventures, Insect Comedy teaches about the value of our six-legged friends through entertaining and informative stories sure to get students excited about the unbelievable lives of insects. Diane galvanizes student’s learning with award-winning stories. Give your teachers a helping hand in meeting English Core Curriculum requirements with Diane’s follow-up master class in storytelling techniques. Students learn about the power of their own imaginations through hands-on exercises sure to have everyone participating. By the end of the workshop, each student is retelling a folktale to a partner an English core-curriculum requirement! “Your stories were wonderful. The teachers and the students agreed that your presentation is one of the best we’ve ever had. Thank you so much for bringing to life our study of myths and legends.” - Missy Thomson, teacher and school librarian, Woodville School, Wakefield, MA “Ms. Edgecomb had even the most restless audience members completely mesmerized. Her physicality, variety of voices/sounds, involvement of her young charges, and respect of nature ~ appealed to me as well as my students. Thank you! The program was first rate.” - B. O’Connell, teacher, Ralph Talbot School, Weymouth, MA Diane has received numerous awards for her work, including the ORACLE award for storytelling excellence in the Northeast, the national Circle of Excellence award and the Parent’s Choice Silver. Diane has been featured on NPR and is one of New England’s favorites storytellers as recommended by Elementary library school collection.

Theatre of Youth (TOY) is WNY’s only professional theatre dedicated to serving children and their families. We offer field trip opportunities to watch professional family friendly plays and musicals. We also offer in school theatre workshops. Our Mission: Theatre of Youth Company, Inc. (TOY) stimulates the imagination, nurtures the creative spirit and enhances the education of young people by engaging them in relevant, child-centered, and professionally-produced live theatre programs. TOY believes meaningful childhood experiences in the theatre develop confidence in creative thinking skills, cultivate empathy and establish a life-long connection to the arts. TOY is a place where all families, children, cast and crew feel included, represented and inspired. We strive to reflect the community that gave rise to our theatre, both on and off the stage, and to improve access to the magic of children’s theatre and arts education for all. TOY is a safe haven where children can explore and be creative in comfort, with diversity in our productions and ensuring that our community has a voice in everything we do.

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.

In Matt's programs he talks about the process of writing and illustrating picture books. Each talk focuses on one of his books and includes an interactive reading of the book, sharing background stories and talking a little bit about what authors and illustrators do, and an interactive demonstration of creating the illustrations. Matt will do either 3 auditorium sized or 4 library sized (smaller group) presentations per day. Four library presentations is highly preferred so Matt can better interact with students. Matt can also do an additional smaller group Q&A talk with select students (usually older kids who are interested in writing or drawing), such as a meeting over lunch or an "afternoon tea." Matt has a variety of educational and entertaining presentations suitable for students K through 6th grade, as well as presentations for parent's nights or literacy nights for an additional fee.

Bring a theater-style grand-illusion show to your school in this interactive magic experience! Not your typical "magic show"... A little about the show..."The Extreme Magic of Eric" is one of the largest illusion shows in the country (but based out of New York!)! Combining cutting-edge illusions, escapes, cool music, customized lighting, and humorous audience participation, Eric and his assistant bring an illusion show experience to your school! Eric's performances have been seen on NBC's America's Got Talent, live with Jimmy Fallon, at MSG for the Knicks and Rangers, and in Europe, the Caribbean, Times Square and Las Vegas! We make a student float in the air, make someone disappear while surrounded by students, a Houdini escape, etc. Each show would be appropriately geared to the age of the audience (elementary, middle, or high school). The illusion show is 100% interactive (one of the only in the country!) with every routine involving student participation…volunteers from the audience assisting onstage and by their seats! Our website www.ExtremeMagicOfEric.com has more info and videos too! You can also google search "Eric Wilzig" and reads tons of only 5 star reviews from schools across the country. The #1 Entertainment Choice for your schools: PTA/PTO Family Fun Night School Day Assembly Fundraiser Event Holiday Program End of Year “Field Day”

Actor, singer and storyteller Lou Del Bianco has been performing for audiences of all ages since 1982. According to the New York Times, Lou’s dramatic approach to storytelling “puts pow into passivity!” The Parents Choice foundation states that “few performers excel as both storyteller and musician, but Lou Del Bianco is one who does.” Lou’s PARENTS CHOICE award winning recordings have garnered high praise from Billboard Magazine, NAPPA, T.V. GUIDE, BOOKLIST, CHILD Magazine, Family Fun and others! Lou has performed all over the country, from the Tastes of Chicago to the Kravis Center to Carnegie Hall. His music video, “A Little Bit Clumsy”, was featured on the Learning Channel. He has traveled the Northeast for 30 years, performed in San Diego at the International Reading Association’s annual convention and served as keynote speaker on arts / character education from North Carolina to Massachusetts. Lou has been an artist-in-residence since 1987 and has worked in many schools alongside teachers to help improve literacy in the classroom. His Around the World and Make a Good Choice! one man shows have reached thousands of elementary school children all over the tri-state area. At 6’4”, Lou’s portrayal of Abraham Lincoln has been endorsed by the Lincoln Bicentennial Commission. He has also been the go to “Lincoln” for THE TONIGHT SHOW with Jimmy Fallon. Jimmy loves Abe Lou’s grandfather, Luigi, was the chief carver on Mount Rushmore and was honored by TLC’s CAKE BOSS. His one man show about his grandfather was performed to rave reviews at Mount Rushmore. On September 16, 2017, a plaque was unveiled at Rushmore honoring Luigi’s unique contribution. Lou’s 25 year journey to get Luigi recognized culminated with a CBS SUNDAY MORNING story as well as the publication of Lou’s award winning book, “Out of Rushmore’s Shadow”. CNN historian Douglas Brinkley says this groundbreaking book “…turns orthodox history on its head.” Since then, Luigi’s unique role has been featured on several prime time TV shows like “The UnXplained” with William Shatner and “Ancient Aliens”. From History to Diversity to Social Emotional Learning, Lou offer a wide range of programs for elementary and middle schools.

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.

The BPO is proud to present educational programming that is developed with the assistance of music teachers and curriculum writers. The BPO Music for Youth Concert series offers educational concerts during the school day to introduce students to the best orchestral repertoire, with a focus on music learning concepts being taught in the classroom, and active participation through interactive program elements for students in Grades 1-8. Full-length (2 hour) BPO concerts on Friday mornings give students in Grades 7-12 a chance to hear complete pieces of repertoire in a casual atmosphere. To view all Music for Youth concert opportunities, please visit education.bpo.org. BPO Teaching Artists bring unique arts engagement into your classroom through the dynamism of the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra's professional musicians. Presentations feature interactive music learning opportunities and authentic connections between music and other areas of learning, with an emphasis on artistic excellence and can meet varied classroom learning objectives. Your BPO understands the importance of arts engagement in developing creative thinkers and innovators who value learning over a lifetime. The BPO offers Classroom Programs that explore arts learning through movement activities, active listening and authentic connections between music and other areas of study. These musician-developed programs bring a unique perspective and a wealth of beautiful music to concepts you are teaching in your classroom. Programs can be adapted for your needs and specific age groups, Are you looking for a guest artist to work in-depth with your instrumental music students on repertoire, music fundamentals, instrument-specific techniques, performance techniques or even to speak on career readiness? Our musicians can work with your band, orchestra or instrumental section on individual and ensemble music proficiency. Choose an artist from your preferred instrument family and bring an expert into your music room to inspire the best from your students through the BPO's Workshop, Clinic, and Residency offerings. Explore all Teaching Artist programs at bpo.org/teaching-artists.

Act With Respect Always is a “pay it forward” movement stressing the importance of one’s personal character. Through presentations and continued communication through mailings and social media, Act With Respect Always hopes others will join this mission or way of life and look to improve the world around them daily. Stressing kindness, love, compassion, empathy, acceptance and gratitude, Rich strives to make everyone aware of their daily actions. He introduces to each audience the 99% (Whats Your 99} and the 1% (Accept The 1), a personal character assessment plan. With this knowledge each person can access their own character “score” every minute of every day. The 99 has now brought the concept of mindfulness to everyone, to help to constantly draw ‘reflection’ towards their actions. Introducing The Visible Project to every audience has encouraged everyone to send notes of gratitude to someone: a friend, relative, a teacher or anyone that has shown kindness to them. The hope is that everyone will create their Solid Five (Who Are Your Solid5) connections that can be cultivated. They are the people who you can go to anytime, anyplace for physical and emotional support without judgement.