The Compassionate Leaders Circle (CLC) proudly offers Student Leadership Labs for K-12 students, fostering creativity, self-discovery, and meaningful connections at every stage of their educational journey. Book Lab for Elementary Schools empowers young learners to write and illustrate their own stories, which are professionally published on Amazon. This exciting experience allows students to showcase their work to friends, family, and local libraries, building confidence and pride in their achievements. Dream Lab for Middle Schools guides students to uncover their core values and collaborate in learning pods. These sessions strengthen their connection with themselves and their peers while setting actionable goals for a purposeful and rewarding transition into high school. Purpose Lab for High School and University students helps participants realign with their personal values and aspirations. Using proven methodologies, this program equips students with actionable steps to pursue a fulfilling life and realize their full potential. CLC has aligned its programs with NYSED’s initiatives, including the “Portrait of a Graduate,” to support students in achieving a successful path to graduation. Each lab is thoughtfully designed to inspire and empower students, creating lasting impacts both within and beyond the classroom.

For PreK-6th Grade: Tri-Cities Opera Opera invites you to the farm, where most of the animals like things to be ‘normal and pretty’–not noisy or different! When the new ducklings hatch, there is one ‘ugly duckling’ who doesn’t fit in with the others and spends her days reading by herself. But when a big, bad wolf comes on the scene, it will take someone like the ugly duckling–who has learned about big, bad wolves in her stories–to outwit him and teach the whole farm about the value of being true to yourself. Named as a nod to Binghamton’s famous carousels, Opera-Go-Round has been delivering the excitement of a fully-staged children’s opera to schools throughout New York State and northern Pennsylvania for nearly 50 years. Students engage with our singers and pianist to explore this unique art form with stories connected to curriculum standards and take away valuable social-emotional learning lessons. The program includes a 35-minute performance and 15-minute question and answer session with the Opera-Go-Round team. Dates are available from late September 2024 through May 2025. Contact ogr@tricitiesopera.org for more information or to schedule your performance! Cost: $1,400 within 50 miles of TCO Opera Center, $1,500 over 50 miles from TCO Opera Center. For Middle & High School Groups: TCO is excited to offer free tickets for your group to attend any of our mainstage productions. The Magic Flute (Sept 6 & 8, 2024) is an abridged version of a Mozart favorite. All Is Calm (Nov 15, 16, & 17, 2024) tells the story of the WWI Christmas truce. A Grand Night for Singing (Mar 8, 2025) includes favorites from Rogers and Hammerstein. Rigoletto (Apr 27, 2025) will be a grand version of a Verdi masterpiece. Contact operations@tricitiesopera.org to reserve your bloc of seats!

The Art Thing Collaborative, Inc. is a social arts crew on a mission to bring people together by bringing art to the people! We offer fun and inspiring community-focused "Art Things" for kids (and grownups!) of all ages: from epic, hands-on creative battles like Art WAR to big collaborative projects and pop-up, art adventures like Positive Space, where art isn’t just something you look at, it’s something you can play in! We invite your school and community to team up with us to create something inspiring and have some unforgettable fun at The Art Thing!

The Moneyling Financial Education Curriculum is a comprehensive, story-based program that. makes financial literacy engaging and relatable through real-life scenarios and characters. Designed for flexible delivery, it offers teacher-led instruction, interactive Learning Management System (LMS) features, or a hybrid model - complete with auto-graded assignments, printable resources, and progress tracking. This dynamic curriculum simplifies complex financial concepts, helping students apply practical knowledge to real-world situations.

Nick Tokman, “Sunshine” on Discovery Channel’s ‘Deadliest Catch,’ speaks nationally building students' self-worth so they think for themselves and make the best decisions for their future. He partners with schools to address common issues students face including peer pressure, high expectations from family and negative influences. Through storytelling and visuals, he shares with students his path prior to becoming known as ‘Sunshine’ on the hit tv show and how he dealt with struggles that many teens and tweens go through along with the mindset he developed to overcome his obstacles, mistakes and failures. After Nick’s presentation, students will leave believing in themselves to say no to peer pressure and other outside influences that get in the way of who they are and what they want to do with their lives. Having presented across the country to crowds as large as 17,000 people, students will leave remembering these lessons in an entertaining and memorable way. Nick is available both live and virtually. See Nick’s website to tour his virtual studio!

EarthBeat Music presents West African Drum-Dance-Sing Presentations, Workshops and Residencies! Our programs enhance mental health and well-being, foster personal development and encourage creative expressiveness through the powerful, transformative practices of drumming, movement, and singing. We share West African traditional music, which includes diving into the rich history, culture and language, to create more resilient and empathetic communities. We strive to connect students to the Master Musicians - our mentors - from West Africa, as well as other regional visual and dance artists to create a WHOLE experience.

Broadway Utica has a uniquely designed program called UticaWorx. This is an inclusive performing arts program established in 2023, created to welcome participants of all ages, backgrounds, and skill levels. Offering everything from summer camps to specialized workshops led by professional actors, choreographers, vocalists, and motivational speakers, the program provides immersive, skill-building experiences that nurture passion and creativity. With a faculty of experienced industry professionals and a rich curriculum, UticaWorx inspires participants to grow, whether they’re pursuing a future in the arts or simply exploring a creative outlet.

At Pimentel Murals, we welcome students into a warm, imaginative space where creativity blossoms and empty walls are transformed into colorful murals through teamwork and collaboration. In each session, young artists work side by side, sharing ideas and painting techniques, guided by a professional muralist who helps them harness their imagination and learn valuable new skills. Patience and focus grow naturally as students mix paint, practice brush strokes, and contribute to a larger design, each stroke reflecting personal creativity and the group’s collective vision. Throughout this creative journey, students find joy in exploring colors and shapes, gaining confidence in their artistic abilities and discovering that their ideas truly matter.

Exciting multimedia school assembly programs featuring LIVE performance of rock and roll songs by three talented musicians. Educational content is reinforced by large computer projections of photos and videos. In schools since 1984, "READING ROCKS" promotes literacy; "BIG 80s" features STEM themes and "Mistletunes" is a multicultural December program.

The Martin House offers 75 minute tours for students of all grade levels. We offer 2 hour tours but they are typically better for college level students. We also offer several programs that include tours, our Printmaking program is for grades 6 and up and our Art Glass program is for all ages. The Martin House also offers free large programs to the community several times a year. Students of all grade levels are welcome to come on a field trip to see the Martin House.

Griffin Brady is a celebrated teaching artist who holds a masters degree in Ethnomusicology and is the acclaimed director of the Slyboots School, Slyboots Circus and the Bernard Woma Dagara Music Center USA. Griffin leads tours to schools across the country with the Slyboots Circus and the Saakumu Dance Troupe from Ghana, West Africa.

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