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.
Disability is O.K.!
1. "Disability is O.K.!" (Openness and Kindness) is a disability awareness presentation with interactive theatre that can be modified for different age groups. Using books and resources as a launching point, sharing our story, showing our mobility devices and real life examples, we will create a safe space to ask questions, be curious and learn about difference. Students and facilitators will create good/bad scenarios about life where we learn what really matters... being OPEN and KIND. Both Sofiya Cheyenne and her friends have dwarfism and they have been sharing their story to teach youth all over New York! We bring an incredible amount of knowledge since both of our experiences are so unique.
Assembly style: can do the whole student body but must be separated based on age. Must be within a 3hr window of time. (Example- 9am-9:45 prek-1st grade / 10am-10:45am 2nd and 3rd grade / 11am-11:45am 4th and 5th grade)
Classroom style: smaller and more intimate conversations and play! Can do up to two to four 45 min sessions in a 4hr hour window. Must be within a 4hr window. (Example- 9am-9:45 Kindergarten / 10am-10:45am 3rd grade / 11am-11:45am 4th grade / 12-12:45pm 5th grade)
Workshops are contingent on size of class / age and AV equipment materials available.
2. "And SEEN" is a student centered theatre class that will teach disability culture and access, empathy, leadership and other important life skills.. Through improvisation, I AM Poems and theatrical expression we have created a hands-on approach to learning about the self and our impact in the world. Using exercises such improv, meaningful play, creative writing, and storytelling, we build self-esteem and confidence in our students so they can tackle the world like the incredible leaders they are! With empathy and empowerment at the center of this workshop the students will be SEEN in their craft, in their peers, and in themselves.
Workshops are subject to change based on age and size of group.
I can even adjust my lesson to the specific needs of students ( i.e. bullying, self awareness, social awareness, social/emotional skills, confidence, leadership, team building )
Weekly rate - $2,500 for four to five 1 hr sessions with the same classroom
Sofiya is a New York based multi-disciplinary performance artist, teaching artist, and disability advocate/consultant. She has appeared on television shows such as “At Home With Amy Sedaris” on TrueTV, “StartUP” on Netflix, and “Loudermilk” on AmazonPrime. She is passionate in her advocacy as her advisor roles in ADAptNYC 2030 Steering Committee, Access Council for ART NY and the Co-Chair of The Dwarf Artist Coalition of Little People of America. She has educated all school age youth about theater, disability culture and accessibility with her work at New Victory Theater, GirlBeHeard, EPIC Players and Queens Theater. Sofiya encourages the power of community, self-expression and storytelling. Her lessons are centered on themes of identity, and inclusive language and as a result, students build empathy for their friends and thinking through an anti-bullying lens. Sofiya believes engaging students about her disability and the use of “meaningful play” is the best way to bring up our future leaders of the world!! www.sofiyacheyenne.com
Created to serve school districts, college, libraries, and theaters across Upstate New York, CNY Jazz Management is dedicated to the educational mission of the CNY Jazz Arts Foundation, the region’s primary provider of jazz programming in concert, cabaret, scholastic and festival settings in schools and in public. Our core cultural history shows are available separately or in a group: All That Jazz, a whirlwind history of jazz; Blues Shout, a history of male blues and jazz singers of the 20th Century; Music & Musket, exploring the role of the musician in the Civil War; and Jazz On Demand, unlocking the secrets of songwriting and listening creatively! All programs are narrated and include a vocabulary/teacher’s guide. We also offer full-day or multi-day residencies by all of our large ensembles, with or without national guest soloist/teaching artists, co-designed with you to fit your program needs – clinics, jams, and grand concerts. you may preview all of our shows and watch an overview of our entire arts-in-education service at the video link on our web site. Contact us for more information about presenting any of our offerings in your school!
The Children’s Food Lab brings food and nutrition education to schools throughout the NYC and Mid-Hudson region. The Children’s Food Lab (CFL) offers food arts and sciences discovery labs, where curious minds of all ages can connect to the transformative power of food — food that is integral to the health of their bodies, minds, communities, and environment.
CFL labs are hands-on, multi-sensory with a STEAM-based approached. They incorporate science, technology, math, nutrition, social studies, ELA, and the arts whenever possible. Students learn the incredible stories behind ingredients they eat all the time, foods like corn, wheat, milk, eggs, herbs, oats, vegetables, spices, cacao, and on. Students explore how food is grown, processed, and prepared, as well as how their food choices affect the health of their bodies and environment. The context and backstory of each ingredient creates a deeper connection between students and their food – a connection that will last a lifetime and shape the course of a child’s health and well-being.
With a reach of over 12 million students, TEEN TRUTH is a leading educational services company dedicated to empowering student voices, fostering positive school culture, and building student resilience. Originating from the success of an award-winning, student-filmed documentary series, TEEN TRUTH delivers North America’s best school assemblies, interactive student leadership summits, and high-quality professional development workshops.
Visit www.teentruth.net to discover how we can elevate Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) initiatives at your middle or high school.
High-energy 45-minute assembly programs about bullying-prevention, character education, reading, and science. Who knew LEARNING could be this much FUN?!
It’s not just a highly engaging circus-themed school show! And it’s not a normal character education school assembly. While most character ed assemblies focus only on defining character traits and explaining how to use those traits, Diversity Circus goes much deeper. This powerful and effective character assembly will teach your students that every person belongs. “Be Fair, Be Aware, include others, and use Respect” are the four lessons students will learn during the Diversity Circus character education school assembly. This effective elementary character education program also covers Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s character message, Cultural Diversity, Diversity in the Classroom, Being Fair, and more. It’s a perfect program to honor the MLK Holiday, and Black History Month, and to support your school’s PBIS program and anti-bullying efforts. The Diversity Circus character school show uses TONS of audience participation, hilarious comedy, kooky characters, costumes, incredible one-of-a-kind magical illusions, and non-stop hysterical action to engage students and to keep kids talking long after the show is over.
French Mountain Studios brings a mobile casting lab directly to your school with The Crucible: SPARK — a single-day, hands-on metalcasting workshop for up to 60 students. Students design and carve original relief tiles in pre-rammed sand molds and watch their work come to life in a live metal pour using an environmentally friendly furnace. Every student leaves with a cast metal tile they made themselves — or the class can choose to have their work installed as a permanent sculptural installation at their school. No prior experience needed. SPARK connects visual arts, materials science, and industrial process in a way no classroom can replicate. Available M/W/F and Saturdays. Serves grades K–12.
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.
The Wild Center, located in the Adirondack Mountains of upstate NY, spans 115 acres and offers visitors a variety of experiences. Named the 2024 #1 science museum in the country by USA Today readers, The Wild Center’s mission is to ignite an enduring passion for nature that inspires action to ensure a thriving natural world. Highlights include a vast trail system, treetop adventures on Wild Walk, Raquette River Roll interactive ball runs, Forest Music, Birdly Virtual Reality, art installations and 54,000 square feet of indoor exhibit space with interactives in Planet Adirondack and Climate Solutions, all year long.
The Wild Center offers on-site and virtual field trips for students, camps, scout groups, and youth groups. The Wild Center blends natural history, science, technology, and art into a unique experience that builds upon classroom learning and lifelong memories. Experiences can be a Virtual Field Trip, an onsite Wild Classroom Workshop lead by Wild Center staff, and/or an onsite Self-Guided Experience. The Wild Center’s programs are experiential, student-driven, and designed to support New York State Educational Standards while engaging students in hands-on, interactive learning experiences.
Please contact the School Programs Coordinator at schoolprograms@wildcenter.org, call us at (518) 359-7800 x 123, or visit our website at www.wildcenter.org/schoolprograms for more information and/or to schedule a field trip.
Over the past 25 years, I’ve had the honor and privilege of inspiring students all over the world to create and write stories.
My presentations are approximately 45 to 60 minutes of high energy, immersing students in my story creation process. Using time-lapse video, music, and digital technology, I discuss writing, biology, research, illustration, and editing while addressing how and where I get my ideas. I keep a journal full of ideas and drawings. My stories start from those ideas, and I show the process from idea seed to finished story.
I narrate a new or previously published story to the students, engaging them with video and music.
I follow with a live computer drawing demonstration, usually projected onto a screen or big TV behind me. In most instances, it’s a simple drawing created from scratch that contains many concepts learned in curricula: insect biology, the difference between a bug and a beetle, primary and opposite colors, symmetry, and horizontal/ vertical placement. It also has just the right touch of humor :-)
I airdrop a digital copy to the teachers to take back to their classrooms afterward.
I like to take questions from the students at the end of the presentation.
I appreciate the efforts of all the librarians, PTOs, and school administrators who have made my visits possible. My presentations have been described as engaging, educational, and a lot of fun.
Cheryl Wills is the 3x great granddaughter of Civil War Veteran Sandy Wills. The Emmy award winning journalist and children's book author visits schools nationwide teaching about her family's transition from Slavery to Freedom in Tennessee using primary sources in an exciting and captivating power point presentation.
Cheryl made national news in 2024, when she hired an archaeology team to locate the remains of her heroic grandfather. He was found in an unmarked grave and the U.S. Army reburied Pvt. Sandy with full military honors in August of 2024. See report on CBS News!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZGQybuYerV4&t=8s
We offer outreach programs, virtual classroom programs and museum tours. Our outreach programs bring the museum to your location. They are interactive and feature hands-on learning with art and artifacts from the museum and a craft or activity to take home. These programs meet NYS standards. Our virtual classroom programs also feature our art and artifacts but are presented virtually and are taught live with the option of student participation through classroom devices such as laptops or tablets. Our museums tours can vary from a self-guided free play tour to our Explore and Create and Explore and discover options, which feature a craft or cultural lesson.