Rachel’s Challenge provides school presentations that inspire kindness, connection, and hope. Our assemblies for students and staff address bullying and violence prevention while equipping schools with practical tools to improve culture and strengthen relationships.

Explore Frederic Church’s masterwork, Olana, through a field trip, virtual tour, or professional development! During each program, participants learn more about the art, culture, and history of Olana and the Hudson River Valley through place-based learning activities and lessons. Each offering can be modified to suit classroom and curriculum needs. FIELD TRIPS include a historic house tour and Landscape Walk and cost $10 per student. Add-on art workshops cost an additional $5 per student and include all artmaking materials. Students will leave with a completed work of art. All themes can be tailored to meet specific curriculum goals and student needs. Themes include: 1. "Place as Inspiration" where students learn how Church and his contemporaries were inspired by the Hudson Valley before exploring how they can connect to and advocate for important places in their own lives and communities. 2. "Land as Canvas" where students consider nature as a source of creativity and invention in Olana's designed landscape, collecting natural materials to observe patterns in local flora and fauna. 3. "Sketching as Seeing" where students dive into Frederic Church’s artistic process and experiment with his outdoor sketching (plein air) techniques. 4. "Adventures in Architecture" where students learn more about how global architectural traditions influenced Frederic Church’s design of Olana’s historic house and explore his handling of scale, engineering, and design. VIRTUAL TOURS can be tailored to meet specific curriculum goals and classroom needs and conducted via Zoom or Google Meet, and other platforms by request. All virtual sessions are designed to be 1 hour in length and can be scaled for various age ranges, groups, and audiences. All field trips and virtual tours are for grades PreK-12 and other education groups. $5-$15 per student. FREE for schools in Columbia and Greene Counties. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT days for teachers and administrators can be booked upon request and include a tour of the historic house and landscape, a workshop session, and use of the Wagon House Education Center. Please contact education@olana.org to learn more.

Hudson Valley Dance Cultivators (HVDC) provides dance residency programs for children and teens in grades PK to 12. All HVDC programs are designed to provide sequential dance learning that nurtures students’ creative expression while teaching foundational skills. Residencies are developed in collaboration with teachers and administration to integrate with grade level learning goals. HVDC artists have extensive experience teaching diverse students including students with disabilities in inclusion and self-contained classrooms. Residencies are designed to meet the access needs of ALL students.

Discover the enchantment of learning with The Amazing Arthur and “Hocus Pocus, I Can Focus,” a mesmerizing school assembly show blending magic, juggling, yo-yos, and laughter to captivate K-12 audiences. This is a “SHOW not TELL” Shared experience Crafted by a former teacher with over 25 years of full-time presenting, this unique presentation thrives on audience participation and comedy, making every moment unforgettable. At the heart of the show is a powerful message: the joy of doing what you love and the personal growth that comes from practicing a skill. It’s about putting down the screen and picking up a passion—discovering that progress towards a goal is where true happiness lies. With numerous opportunities for audience involvement, students are not just spectators but active participants. This dynamic engagement ensures that the message of discovery and self-improvement is not only heard but experienced. The ultimate goal? To remind students how amazing they are and what they can achieve with time, effort, and a break from digital distractions. It’s an empowering realization that resonates long after the show ends.

A leading motivational speaker with 45 years of experience, since age 10, I host programs to help transform fear and ignorance into kindness and respect for those who strive to rise above adversity. Combining the topics of disability awareness, anti-bullying, leadership, and resilience, I share captivating anecdotes that have enabled me to triumph over cerebral palsy and hearing loss. These programs empower students while instilling in them the confidence they need to excel in class, treat peers and teammates with kindness and respect, understand the consequences of bullying, and be motivated to realize their dreams and goals. For example, though I encountered physical bullying in school, I chose not to respond in anger, but to forgive and help the bullies! Many students are stunned to learn why I responded this way. Love is the greatest gift we can give and receive in our lives. Using humor to engage audiences, these stories and insights elicit a cascade of emotions that help children and teens find the courage to accept and navigate life's challenges, igniting a spark of hope and optimism that leads to confidence and achievement. Each program culminates in a powerful documentary video, including skydiving, scuba diving, my artwork, and other creative expressions. Together, this represents a journey centered around an important life philosophy: "Yes I Can!" Those three words are precisely the name of my new book. I created this published resource to help teens, parents, and other special needs kids overcome self-doubt and anxiety when faced with bullying or prejudice. Each chapter is filled with stories that highlight principles such as self-love, positive attitude, support group, perseverance, resilience, and empathy. You can search my name on Amazon and read the reviews. Following my programs, I donate a signed hardcover to the school library. I suggest assemblies at multiple schools, possibly in the same district, on consecutive days to help share travel and hotel expenses from my central NJ home. Due to my hearing loss, please email me to establish initial contact before reaching out by telephone. I am flexible with speaker fees, depending on audience size. For assembly details and video testimonials, visit my online speaking resume: www.JustTheWayYouAre.com/resume

Daniel Carlton is a multiple award-winning actor, storyteller, playwright, poet, lyricist, director, and teaching artist. His performances and workshops, for practically every age level, address a vast variety of topics including poetry, storytelling, history through drama, life skills through dramatic role plays, and so much more. He is also a published author. Recent performances include productions of “Finding North”(with David Gonzalez) and “The Meeting”, in addition to seventeen Off-Broadway productions, multiple solo shows, and performances with the Children of War Theater Project. Directing credits include “Jabari Dreams of Freedom” (New Victory Theater NYC, National tour), “Hero: Boy From Troy" (First Woman Productions.National Tour), “48 Hours in Harlem" (Harlem 9 Theater Co.), “Freedom Riders” (Mad River Theater Works), and “What If” (Negro Ensemble Company). An enthusiastic creator of new works, Daniel wrote and directed the national tour of “Keep Marching” (Mad River Theater Works), “March On” (Apollo Theater), “Pigfoot Mary Says Goodbye To The Harlem Renaissance” (Schomburg Center For Research and Black Culture), “Night Train 57” (Kennedy Center workshop), and “Freedom Flight” (national tour), as well as penning “A Whistle in Mississippi”, (with Micheal Green )“Check Yo Invite Parts 1 and 2”( Live Theater and Radio Play HarlemStage) and “Timeless Journeys (various tours)”. With Nambi E. Kelley, he also co-wrote “Hidden Inside”, “This Ability”, and “So Journey To The Truth”. Daniel’s work as a Storyteller has been presented in places as varied as Summerstage Kids and Family Series( Parks throughout the 5 boroughs), The Museum For The City Of NY, The Brooklyn Museum, The BrooklynChildren’s Museum, hundred of libraries, schools, temporary housing facilities, and even war zones. Solo Storytelling For Family audiences shows Include:The Eagle in Harlem and Other Tales.” Urban “Folktales Remixed” Memories of Self Journey To Weeksville, and many more. Daniel teaches acting to all ages, poetry for both the page and performance , life skills, public speaking, playwriting ,and devised theater for organizations that include : Apollo Theater Education , Alvin Ailey Dance Foundation, Community Works, Blackberry Productions, MadRiver Theater Works, YAFFA Performing Arts, JazzMobile, CityParks Foundation , First Woman Productions , NYU, University Of Iowa, and many more. Daniel can perform solo or, depending on budget, in duo or trio format. There are other videos on YouTube. Here's video of an interview explaining the Finding North project he performs with David Gonzalez. Daniel can perform this solo. https://youtu.be/uj7KZ4SF4nQ?si=qSk4SjB7cLr9hqFv Daniel has several other shows which we can send you information about upon request.

BubbleMania: Science, Art & Comedy! An extremely "pop"ular assembly that combines bubbling skills, clean humor and toe-tapping tunes with an exploration of the natural sciences to amaze, amuse and inspire. This show connects the dots between creativity and scientific know-how. Students K-5 learn how bubbles form, how to use simple tools to create jaw-dropping bubble sculpture at home (spaceship, bubble cube, bubble disco ball), the science of bubble bursting, secret formulas and more. Includes eye-popping, artistic routines choreographed to jazzy music and a finale that finds a student trapped inside a giant bubble. Developed by Casey Carle, international award-winning bubble manipulator with credits that include Cirque du Soleil, Sesame Street and The Smithsonian Institute. Thousands of shows presented at schools across New York & New England for two decades. Brains will whirl, eyes will go wide and jaws will drop for students and staff alike. Amaze, amuse and inspire with BubbleMania!

the gifford family theatre (GFT) at le moyne college has been presenting theatre for young audiences each may/june for over 20 years. GFT provides an opportunity for young people to experience the joy of live theatre in a professional yet intimate (under 200 seats) setting on le moyne's campus. one of the most memorable moments in a child's life is the first time they experience the excitement of live theatre. GFt combines that excitement and fun with character education, using live performances to bring lessons of character to life. our plays are generally adaptations of well known children's books, making it easy to tie the performances to your Ela/literacy curriculum.

The SO Fun Gameshow - Promote Inclusion & Decrease Bullying through FUN and Community! (Also options for The SO Lit Gameshow - Literacy Learning through Fun!) AS SEEN ON NEWS12 and at hundreds of the top summer camps and schools! A program that wows and builds togetherness! With the look and feel of a big-budget TV show, your students become the next contestants on this high-energy game show. We bring a big TV set to your school with moving lights, cameras, TV screens, and hilarious props that get EVERYONE working together. "The excitement and engagement you are able to do with the kids just blows me away." - Arthritis Foundation "I've seen so many school assemblies over my years in education and you are by far, the BEST!" -Sara Cohen, Principal The Churchill School NYC Students will work as a Team to unlock answers and complete zany challenges. Developed by a writer from The Carbonaro Effect, Voice Actor who originated the role of Boots on Dora, and a Behavior Analyst, this gameshow is unlike anything your students have ever seen! Students will have fun, build teamwork and confidence, and learn cool facts along the way. This program was developed by SO Fun City an organization that specializes in inclusive programming! www.SOFunCity.com

Author visits are inspiring events that deepen students' enthusiasm for reading and writing. Lonni Lane Marketing works with hosts throughout the process to make author visits run seamlessly with all the details ironed out in advance of the event. Learn more about these authors and their unique programs, which can be customized for different audiences: R. W. Alley, Jonathon Auxier, Mary Casanova, Candace Fleming, Donna Gephart, Cyndi Giorgis, I.W.Gregorio, Greg Howard, Julie Leung (local author), Emma Otheguy (local author), Margi Preus, Caroline Tung Richmond, Eric Rohmann, Barb Rosenstock, Laura Shovan, Elly Swartz, Cat Winters, Dan Yaccarino

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.

We offer in-person and virtual Professional Development, supporting early childhood educators to thoughtfully integrate musical learning and play into their classroom setting to support literacy and language development, social-emotional skills, and fostering a positive, loving classroom environment where all children can thrive. We offer a digital, supplemental, instructional resource that provides teachers with over 300 research-based, high quality musical learning and play activities that are specifically curated for the early childhood classroom, appropriate for Morning Circle, Transitions, Large and Small Group Instruction, Nap time, and End of Day. We offer a Certification Pathway for educators interested in additional learning and support around integrating musical learning and play into their daily classroom routine.