Our dynamic programming includes three unforgettable, interactive assemblies as well as a lifesaving skills workshop series M.A.C.H.O. Assembly – My Actions Can Help Others A high-energy kindness and empathy assembly that inspires students to be everyday superheroes by showing compassion and helping others. Strength of Body, Strength of Mind A motivational fitness and wellness assembly that promotes strength of body and mind through real-life story of former Mr. America, Dan Lurie told by his grandson. Water Safety Education Assembly An engaging and informative program that teaches kids how to stay safe in oceans, pools, and lakes, featuring the popular “Dress Like a Lifeguard” relay. Additionally, we offer our hands on Life-Saving Skills Workshop Series for grades 3 and up, where students learn: Hands-Only CPR (Adult, Child, and Infant) Heimlich Maneuver (Adult, Child, and Infant) Water Safety or Allergy Awareness

The Museum of Innovation and Science (miSci) offers a variety of engaging STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math) programs as field trip experiences, virtually, or in-person (off-site) at your location. Each program features a miSci science communicator performing demonstrations and guiding hands-on experiments designed to excite and inform learners. We offer classes in Earth Science, Chemistry, Physical Science, Space, Engineering, Life Science. Our in person outreach classes are 45 minutes long, for up to 25 students in one session. We also have the capability to do the outreach classes as virtual classes in all these subjects. miSci has a Starlab (portable planetarium) that we can bring to a school, or area building to do up to 5 - thirty minute shows in one day. We also have star parties for naked eye viewing, weather permitting. We offer field trips which include a class, a planetarium show and time in the museum to explore. With suggestions from teachers we can adjust the topics in a planetarium show or for a different class topic if we are given a 3 week notice to make the adjustments.

I coordinate Onondaga Lake education experiences for elementary and middle school students. The lake field trips involve hands-on learning stations that include fishing, water quality testing, a nature walk to learn about the ecosystem, a local history lesson related to Onondaga Lake, and an integrated art project.

As a nonprofit educational institution the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is dedicated to helping every fan learn more about the game, its rich history and its impact on our culture. Museum programs that provide K-12 students and teachers interactive and meaningful learning experiences that align with national learning standards in Cooperstown, online and in their communities; and a robust lineup of virtual programs for diverse audiences. The Museum currently offers 15 baseball-themed curriculum components that provide interactive and meaningful learning engagement. The curriculum features all of the major subject areas, including Science, Technology, Engineering, Math, Social Studies, Character Education, the Arts and Humanities. The lesson plans can be delivered by our museum teachers in Cooperstown or virtually into the classroom. They may also be downloaded and utilized in the classroom at no cost.

I am a mixed media metal artist & silversmith. I have been teaching the art of jewelry making & metalworking to all ages for the last 5 years. Students really enjoy making their own jewelry and have a lot of pride wearing a piece home. These classes can involve small torches, saws, abrasives, and drenel tools. They are very safe when used correctly and we go over safety precautions in depth.

Collaborative Pianist/Accompanist

From performances to workshops to artist residencies, Wandering Theatre strives to spread the magic of storytelling and self expression with young audiences. PERFORMANCES: We offer performances as school assemblies, along with a 15 minute talkback following each show to answer questions from the audience, and give an inside glimpse into how our puppets work. Our puppet show is called "The Dragon and the Wanderer". It is 30 minutes long, appropriate for grades K-5, and has themes in line with SEL content (friendship, compassion, standing up to bullies). It utilizes shadow puppets, hand puppets, physical theatre, and a surprise transformation (the set turns into a giant dragon puppet!). Set to original music, “The Dragon and the Wanderer” does not use language, and has played very well for ESL students, deaf students, autistic students, and students with developmental disabilities. WORKSHOPS: We run puppeteering and puppet-building workshops (catered to grade level/student capabilities). Workshops can coordinate with Art and/or STEAM classes, and can be brought into those classrooms as a single-day workshop or a multi-day artist residency. In our shadow puppet building workshops, participants will build their own shadow puppets out of paper plates and learn how to manipulate them on a shadow screen. In our physical theatre & puppeteering workshops, participants will practice bringing everyday objects to life, creating cooperative puppets in groups, and using physicality and motion to tell stories.

LAUGH-A-LOT POETRY - Interactive Assemblies Award-winning poet and children’s book author, Darren Sardelli, is an exciting, enthusiastic speaker who makes poetry fun and meaningful to young people. His relatable topics, empowering words, and light-hearted poems keep students engaged and entertained. Interaction and audience participation is a big part of his show. During a lower grade assembly, students solve poetry riddles, become characters in Darren’s poems, and are taught how to express themselves in positive ways. During an upper grade assembly, students learn the importance of words, find out how to make their writing stand out, and discover how powerful their imaginations can truly be. Participants will be motivated to read and write poetry, start an idea book, and think in a creative direction. BUILD-A-POEM WORKSHOP - Creative Thinking & Writing Are you looking for something that builds confidence, enhances creativity, and teaches a valuable skill? Darren Sardelli’s BUILD-A-POEM WORKSHOP does all this and more! Students learn how to paint pictures with words, make writing more descriptive, and write poetry that stands out. Darren combines everyone's ideas and writes a fun poem with his audience. After their poem is complete, students either illustrate the poem or write poems of their own. This workshop shows students how to put ideas in motion and gives them the tools they need to feel good about writing poetry. THE POWER OF WORDS! - Motivational Assemblies (6th-12th grade) International poet, author, and speaker, Darren Sardelli, empowers middle school and high school students with words. His assemblies are designed to motivate, educate, and demonstrate the incredible things that can be accomplished through hard work and perseverance. Darren's real-life stories connect with and captivate young adults. Through self-belief, determination, and dedication to his craft, Darren transformed himself from an unlikely writer into a professional poet. He shares his passion with students and shows them how words can heal, inspire, and impact lives. THE AWESOME POETRY SHOW – Family Night Award-winning poet and children’s book author, Darren Sardelli, brings poetry to life with his enthusiasm, excitement, and passion for writing. His relatable poems, light-hearted humor, and inspiring messages not only generate positivity, but also help his audience get in touch with their feelings and emotions. Throughout his show, Darren entertains people with his amusing and uplifting rhymes, showcases his poetry riddles, and brings families together with his empowering words.

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.

Margot and Murray -- her fluffy, loveable and kid-friendly Sheepadoodle, love to visit with children aged 3 – 7 years and talk about friendship, bravery, and perseverance. Margot’s energy is infectious and she easily bonds with children. And Murray is a hit with kids. In Margot’s debut children’s book, Murray Goes to the Playground, Murray learns an important lesson: while not everyone may want to be your friend, there’s always someone out there who will be your friend. Our 30- 45 minute school visits include an opportunity to meet and pet Murray, reading our book, Q & A, and a discussion about making friends, meeting dogs, or moving on from rejection. Murray has his Canine Good Citizen accreditation.

QP Leadership's unique, three-pronged expertise combining education administration, veteran teaching, and executive business success provides a results-focused approach to improving classroom culture, moving from an "I, Me, My" mindset to a collaborative "We, Us, Our" environment. Our effective strategies address the challenges teachers face every day with Generation Alpha, especially given the significant impact technology and AI are having on students' emotional intelligence and social emotional learning. We are designed for immediate application and deliver proven, actionable strategies: Compassionate Discipline, FORM, 'Whale Done', and Total Quality Management Models. QP Leadership will present a high-value, relevant, and engaging professional development session that meets the critical need for effective behavioral and cultural strategies in today's classrooms.

Jared Campbell is an award winning singer/songwriter from Upstate New York and has been traveling the country performing for thousands of people and hundreds of schools over the past 18 years. He’s shared the stage with national acts and had his music featured on TV shows. He’s also been acknowledged by Billboard Magazine as one of the top independent musicians in the northeast. His school presentation is unlike any other assembly you will bring in to your school. He reaches students through the power of music with songs he's written about some of the most crucial elements to living out your life with purpose. His message focuses on overcoming obstacles, bully prevention, respect, leadership and having an amazing outlook on life. His approach in relating to students is unlike any other presenter you will see. He mixes humor with deep emotion and literally takes the listener inside his songs through the use of powerful videos that are projected behind him during the show. Students continually walk into the show saying "I thought this was going to be just another dumb assembly" and have left the show routinely saying "In all four years of high school....this has been the best assembly ever!" - Maria 12th grade. There's plenty of humor as Jared constantly gets compared to the likes of Jack Black and you could say Jared's conducting a "School of Rock" but this school is meant to rock your life! Jared's heart is to reach the young people of today and encourage them to never stop dreaming and continue pushing forward to living out your purpose with passion!