Welcome to the Statewide Art and Enrichment Roster, Hosted by CiTi BOCES
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This directory of artists, presenters and vendors is for contact information only. Please note that all
approvals are determined by individual BOCES and/or District criteria and do not guarantee acceptance of
proposed contracts.
Magic of Reading
The Magic of Reading with Brian Richards is designed to tickle the imagination, highlight the fun of reading, and encourage children to explore the library. This elementary reading school assembly will inspire your students to open a book and start reading!
Featuring magic, comedy, audience participation, storytelling, and educational fun, The Magic of Reading assembly show is a hit with students, teachers, and staff! Librarians, Teachers, PTA Presidents, Principals, Students, and Parents have and continue to give amazing reviews for this program.
This elementary reading school assembly show promotes reading and the importance of visiting the library, utilizing Magic, Comedy, Storytelling, and Audience participation. The Magic of Reading will touch on reading genres and the types of books found in the library, including Fantasy, Adventure, Mysteries, Science Fiction, Horror, Non-Fiction, and more. The show features the books “The Empty Pot” and “Abiyoyo.”
Award-winning music producer Brent Daniels uses the latest technology to sculpt sound and create music for many of the movie and TV trailers your students see everyday, including Marvel Studios’ Black Panther, Black Widow, Hawkeye, Disney’s A Wrinkle In Time and Star Wars: The Bad Batch. His online Virtual Trailer Music workshops show K-12 students how their everyday devices are used by professionals to create the music and sounds they love, and how they can do it too. How many of your students could graduate to creative careers? Brent’s workshops illuminate the possibilities, more numerous than ever before.
American DanceWheels Foundation Presents – Better Together
“We are all one, even if we feel worlds apart!”
American DanceWheels Foundation’s Better Together assembly uses disability awareness and the beauty of dance to promote understanding, kindness, and respect for people of all abilities.
The Show
Meet the Performers: Students will be introduced to talented dance performers who will share their personal journeys of challenge and triumph.
Wheelchair Ballroom and Latin Dance Performance: Students will watch wheelchair dance performances by dance couples made up of one seated and one standing partner who defy expectations while celebrating the beauty of diverse abilities.
Interactive Q&A: Students will have an opportunity to make their voices heard during a question-and-answer segment, engaging directly with the performers and allowing for a deeper connection and understanding.
Mini-Dance Lesson (when wheelchair available and class size permits): Participants will be invited to join a mini-dance lesson and experience the joy of movement from both seated and standing perspectives. This interactive dance lesson will help students understand how people can work together to create something beautiful and fun, if they are given the opportunity and tools to participate and learn.
Better Together is not just a performance—it’s an opportunity for students to see beyond physical differences and appreciate the shared human spirit through dance. Book this transformative assembly to foster character development and cultivate a culture of inclusivity within your school.
I offer both Picture Book presentations and Creative Writing workshops.
My 5 picture books are centered on themes such as rejection/belonging, kindness/friendship, trying new things, etc. These stories are delightful for young ones, catering to their imagination, and are not preachy!
My Picture Book Presentation consists of pre-reading Q&A, picture book reading, digital presentation of writing-illustrating-publishing process, and post-presentation Q&A. This is suitable for one time sessions for grades K-2.
My Creative Writing workshops consists of helping young writers to create their individual story outlines which they then use to begin writing their story drafts. I read their drafts and give them personalized feedback for them to use in their new drafts. These workshops are suitable for multiple sessions and for grades 3-5.
For references, see my website. My credentials include having a Creative Writing degree from Columbia University and I was also a former ELA/ENL Teaching Fellow.
Davis’ programs are designed to educate and to celebrate diversity and community, to get audiences of all ages singing along, and to inspire participants to remember and share their own stories with each other and their families. They also promote literacy and cultural awareness. Davis is known for his humor, his ability to engage, his repertoire of familiar and interestingly new songs and stories, and his professionalism. Programs include a variety of ethnic percussion instruments, including guiro, shekere, bells, spoons and a dancing wooden limbergjack dog named Bingo.
For almost 45 years now Davis has shared thousands of performances at schools, libraries, senior centers and community settings throughout the northeast. His recording, Family Stories, won a prestigious Parents Choice Magazine Gold Award, was named one of the years best audio recordings of by the American Library Association’s Booklist Magazine and is available for download for free on his website.
Specific programs include Under One Sky, Earth Rhythms, This Land is Your Land, Imagine That, Celebrating the Season, Sea Songs & Stories and a variety of interactive workshops. "Davis is thoughtful, creative, human and a fantastic storyteller" - Pete & Toshi Seeger.
Fort Field Trip
Bring history to life for your students with an unforgettable field trip to Fort William Henry Museum in Lake George, NY.
Your students will step back in time as they explore a real 18th-century military fort and learn about the pivotal role it played during the French and Indian War. Our expert fort interpreters, dressed in period uniforms, will engage students with captivating stories and interactive demonstrations, making history both exciting and accessible. Through immersive storytelling, they’ll highlight how the events at Fort William Henry contributed to the eventual defeat of the French in North America, and how this conflict set the stage for the American Revolution.
What to expect during your visit:
Interactive Learning: Fort interpreters will link the events of the French and Indian War to the larger context of American history, showing students how the outcomes of this conflict directly influenced the colonies’ path toward independence.
Live Demonstrations: Students will witness the dramatic loading and firing of a musket and cannon, giving them a powerful glimpse into 18th-century warfare and the skills soldiers needed to survive.
Explore the Museum and Exhibits: After the demonstrations, students can wander through the fort’s museum buildings, where they’ll encounter exhibits filled with fascinating artifacts that tell the story of life at this remote outpost. From soldiers’ daily routines to the strategies that shaped battles, these displays offer a comprehensive look at military life on the frontier.
Learn About Native American History: In addition to military history, students will explore the rich cultural heritage of the Native American peoples who lived in the region long before European settlement. Exhibits featuring artifacts, tools, and artwork provide a deeper understanding of their way of life and their role in the conflict between European powers.
Scavenger Hunt: To enhance their experience, students will receive a scavenger hunt sheet that encourages them to find key information and artifacts throughout the fort. This fun and educational activity ensures that they stay engaged and curious as they explore.
This field trip to Fort William Henry provides a unique opportunity for students to experience history firsthand, fostering a deeper understanding of the events that shaped the early American colonies. Combining live demonstrations, immersive storytelling, and hands-on learning, this trip is designed to inspire curiosity and a love of history in students of all ages.
Reserve Your Trip Now!
I am the author of a fantasy novel called The Knights: Lost in the Void. The story is assessible to everyone, but has been popular with teen boys who are not necessarily readers because it follows the style of comic books and anime.
The story takes place in a fantasy world but the three main characters are facing real life situations regarding severe trauma, bullying, and anger and have to come to terms with those issues before they can succeed in their mission.
There are glimpses of depression, anxiety, and grief in the latter part of the book, so the novel can be triggering for some people.
I can offer the following programs:
Book discussions for teens
Book discussions fantasy
Book discussions for boys
Writing workshops
We offer dynamic, bilingual programs tailored for our diverse community, showcasing author visits, writing workshops, poetry readings, and engaging cultural events. Through immersive experiences, we celebrate heritage as our superpower, focusing on Afro-Caribbean culture and exploring themes like personal and cultural identity, belonging, migration, and family values. Our programs are designed to be engaging and culturally responsive, offering a rich fusion of experiences for all.
Day in Clay is a diverse, multicultural ceramic art program for K–12, including professional development and disabilities. The programs are conducted virtually and in school.
Overview
Headquartered in Tomkins Cove, NY, Day in Clay was founded by Cliff Mendelson in 1988.
Day in Clay provides a multicultural ceramic artist in residence programs for K–12 in over 400 schools and districts. It offers both virtual and on-site assemblies and classroom interactive programs with diverse culturally inspired hands-on/demonstrations in clay. Students get a real taste of the creative process and how design, form, and function relate across disciplines and cultures. Students create and explore African, Asian, Latin/ Native American, and Greek cultures through programs like vessel making, tile making, mask making and multicultural potter's wheel, all custom-tailored for their curriculum. Students work directly with clay, learning advanced techniques and understanding how each culture tells their unique story through 3D art, and discover the relationship between art and society.
In the class, students become involved in working with clay while learning advanced techniques and the science behind glazing, painting, and firing. They explore the relationship between art, science, and society. Students also use historical techniques to create, decorate, and design vessels using culturally specific patterns, symbols, and imagery. Day in Clay invites an artist to demonstrate various aspects of different programs, how they connect to the history of ceramics, and show the interrelation of ceramics in cultures worldwide.
Staff development provides arts faculty with the techniques, cultural history, and hands-on problem-solving, ready-to-go lesson plans to bring clay into the classroom. Staff learn to use cultural connections as a way to connect students to their own work. The training mirrors Mendelson's college-level teaching, where engagement and sharing expertise are paramount. Lessons are tied into Native American, Asian, African, Latin American, and Greek cultures. Mendelson provides advanced hand-building techniques and the science behind glazing, painting, and firing. Staff development is custom-tailored to meet the needs of a school’s faculty. The best way to problem-solve with students is a hands-on approach and learning the limits of the materials to advance their success. A lively Q&A is always encouraged!
My name is Leah, and I’m the founder of Brave Lion. I’m a certified mindfulness and yoga practitioner, and a true child at heart! Thank you for checking out my profile.
My program offers are listed below, but first, I thought I’d share some nice things educators and administrators have said about working with me:
“Leah brings this work to life, it’s not just another SEL lesson or worksheet. The way she is able to connect with students and help them embody this work is a gift.”
- District Director of Curriculum (North Country)
“Leah's love and enthusiasm for neuroscience mindfulness education truly engaged all the students. She had such a special way of making each child feel heard. Her style allowed for students to connect the learning to their own lives, which made it very meaningful. The entire lesson execution was extraordinary!”
- 3rd Grade Educator (Capital District)
“She was absolutely wonderful. Taught in a way that felt very inclusive and open. I was not very comfortable with the practice in my own implementation and she really helped me feel comfortable with trying a multitude of ways and that they were all effective.”
- Educator, Participating in Mindfulness for Educators (Capital District)
Here is who we are and some of the ways we can work together to cultivate a more mindful way of being in your school community:
Brave Lion offers students and educators with personalized and accessible
(neuroscience-based) mindful tools to bolster emotional, mental and physical well-being. These self-study tools result in reduced stress, improved emotional regulation, enhanced personal + professional relationships and holistic-minded resilience.
We bravely offer partnerships with schools and organizations including; in-class lessons (series or single topic), assemblies, educator professional development, parents education and consultation.
Programming:
Assemblies (Elementary K-2, 3-5)
School-based Mindfulness and Movement Programming
Physical Education Yoga (MIndful Movement) Take Over
Professional Development and Keynote Speaking
Digital Wellness + Taming Tech: Education and Coaching
1:1 and Group Mindful Mapping
Nurtured in Nature: A Guide to Connecting Students to the Natural World
If you’d like, you can learn more about the Brave Lion approach by viewing this brief presentation:
https://www.canva.com/design/DAGXxHcOjpk/FTp4xpFYDo4nE9N6WgWyjQ/view?utm_content=DAGXxHcOjpk&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link2&utm_source=uniquelinks&utlId=h6a09711bb3
Thank you!!
Be well and take care of yourself and others :)
Imaginary Circumstances brings theatre education to K–12 students across the Capital Region. Taught by working actors and educators, we offer classes and workshops in acting, improv, and writing for groups of all sizes—plus in-school puppet and improv shows. Our Professional Development workshops help teams boost creativity, collaboration, listening, and communication through theatre.