Your students get a backstage pass to the musical side of math in this upbeat, hands-on program led by musician, composer and edutainer extraordinaire George Maurer. Listening is at the core of George’s work as a musician, and his ability to not just listen but really hear has led George through a pretty amazing and diverse 35-year career. George has shared the stage with Grammy winners like Bruno Mars and Eric Clapton, his arrangements have been performed by the Boston Pops and the National Symphony, and he turns on that star power to show K-8 audiences that math really can rock. Utilizing the magic of motion-based modern electronic instruments, George pulls back the curtain on the addition, subtraction, fractions and patterns behind rhythm, pitch and scales and then lets students create their own sounds and patterns using elementary equations and interactive instruments for all age levels— including the mysterious, mesmerizing theremin.

A leading motivational speaker and author, I share stories and insights that have enabled me to triumph over cerebral palsy and hearing loss, framing the program around the importance of love, family, and forgiveness in our lives. Though I was in a wheelchair for four years, and can now walk pretty well, the journey has not been easy. Though physically bullied in school and rather than respond in anger, I chose to forgive and help the bullies! A positive attitude can help us celebrate our unique gifts while kindness and respect can help those gifts be revealed. Each program culminates in a powerful documentary video to demonstrate, by example, that we should always focus on our abilities. As a former special needs kid, I describe how optimism and confidence allows us to share an important life philosophy using three simple words: Yes I Can! Which is precisely the title of my published book, helping teen readers and parents overcome self-doubt when faced with tremendous challenges. DETAILS FOR GRADE SCHOOLS: Shorter 35-minute presentation for grades K-2 (focused on disability awareness, character education, kindness and respect, and the qualities of a superhero) followed by a longer 60-minute presentation for grades 3-5 (focused on anti-bullying, leadership, and resilience). Two assemblies maximum per day, preferably before lunch. To help with drive time and share travel expenses from my New Jersey home, I suggest programs at multiple schools on consecutive days. Please email me to establish initial contact, due to my hearing loss, or leave voicemail on my landline. Also open to an introductory Zoom meeting for a "meet-and-greet" and to answer your questions. ONLINE SPEAKER RESUME: www.JustTheWayYouAre.com/resume

We provide high-quality, interactive live music concerts/performances for children 5-12 years old. FIESTA WITH FLOR is a multicultural musical celebration! Kids and families will join in the fun as they learn about different musical genres through dance, storytelling and songs, traveling with Latin GRAMMY® nominee Flor Bromley to the countries where the rhythms were born. This is not your typical children’s concert, it’s a whole family fiesta!

Teaching Artists ROC places teaching artists in area schools, after-school programs, senior centers, civic/cultural spaces and local events. These performers and artists enrich existing curricula and support programming by introducing participants to new ideas, concepts and cultures. Outlets of expression are provided for people of all ages, abilities, and walks of life. Who We Are We are independent teaching artists and ensembles sharing a common interest in providing meaningful arts learning experiences for students of all ages. As teaching artists, we share the skills and perspectives we have developed through years of dedication to our disciplines. We don’t just teach our art. We teach a variety of subject areas using our art. Each artist on our roster is different. Each has something special to offer.

What is Opera Saratoga’s Education Program? Each year, Opera Saratoga tours an Opera production to more than fifty public and private schools throughout the greater Capital and lower Adirondack regions of NY. The performances feature charismatic professional artists who love to share their joy of music and theater through the opera, as well as through question and answer sessions where students have the opportunity to meet the artists and learn about the music and what it takes to put on a performance. In a world where the default forms of entertainment for children are primarily television, video games, and the Internet, Opera Saratoga’s In-School Opera program provides youth with an all-too-rare opportunity to experience the visceral thrill of the live performing arts, up close and personal! Opera Saratoga's touring program includes a lesson plan that arrives a month before the performance, a professionally staged opera performance in your school, along with a post-performance discussion between the artists and your students. Schools will also receive an invitation to the dress rehearsal of the performances in Opera Saratoga's summer festival. Contact us now to book your opera performance for March 2025!

Playful Engineers Traveling Maker Space STEAM-Powered assemblies, hands-on workshops, whole-school events, and family nights featuring Rube Goldberg Machines, and other chain reactions, plus Artful Mechanisms - student-built toys made using principals of mechanical linkages and crankshafts. Kids learn real-world maker skills with our latchkey programs. We bring our traveling Maker Space including all materials, and we love working with all ages. Our play-based programs help kids learn while having loads of fun! In-person, and virtual programs are available from single programs to 2 week residencies!

You Inc provides engaging programming for K-12 to encourage students to develop good money habits and growth mindsets about money early on and continuously throughout their development. Topics related to money and personal finance should be introduced to students at each grade level. Just as math and reading have several different facets and sub topics for children to master from kindergarten to 12th grade and beyond, personal finance also has its own nuances and categories that can and should be mastered early in a child's development and continue to evolve into more complex topics and subtopics as children grow and develop into young adults. By doing so, we develop a generation of financially secure adults who experience better financial outcomes due to making better financial decisions. Our workshops help students understand the basics of earning, saving, budgeting, and giving back. For younger children, we use interactive activities and storytelling to introduce financial concepts in a fun and relatable way, laying the groundwork for good habits and smart decision-making. For older students, we dive deeper, covering topics such as goal-setting, smart spending, credit, and pathways to building wealth—all tailored to prepare them for the responsibilities of adulthood. We also emphasize the importance of financial independence and provide students with tools to break free from cycles of financial instability that they may see in their communities. Our culturally competent approach ensures that all students see themselves reflected in the material, and we prioritize empathy, understanding, and real-life application in a way that fosters financial inclusion for all. Our team is certified in financial education from the National Financial Educators Council with over a decade of experience teaching financial literacy across New York State. We are also a certified NYS Minority and Woman-Owned Business Enterprise (MWBE). Our goal is to help K-12 students gain essential life skills and grow up feeling confident and capable in managing their financial lives. Let's inspire a generation of students who are not only financially aware but also equipped to pursue their dreams with a strong, sustainable financial foundation. In addition to k-12 programs, we offer Family Finance Programs for the entire family unit, including parents and caregivers. These one day programs can take place in the evening and students attend with their parents/guardians and two separate workshops take place simultaneously, equipping the family ecosystem to elevate their money conversations in the home, and providing tools and strategies to help parents optimize their family finances while nurturing a culture of healthy financial habits in the home.

The Iroquois Museum is an anthropological museum that uses art to educate and inspire. Our collections of contemporary Iroquois art and archeological artifacts open a window into Iroquois culture and society. Our programs fulfill the NYS Learning Standards for the Arts, Social Studies, and Language Arts. The Museum provides a stimulating object-based learning environment that engages visitors on visual, tactile, and intellectual levels.

Yoga promotes inner and outer strength, confidence and self-esteem. Students learn how to move their bodies using yoga poses, connect with their breath using breathing techniques and still their minds using visualization. Mindfulness is the ability to stay present in the moment as it is, to pay attention on purpose. Students learn focusing and calming techniques allowing them to stay present. These practices of self care will certainly serve them throughout their entire lives. Students work at their own pace in a fun, supportive environment. Donna has certifications ERYT 500, RCYT, RPYT, YACEP through Yoga Alliance, teaching for over 25 years and has extensive experience teaching students in schools and camps for over 15 years.

James Bruchac was raised in the Adirondack foothills town of Greenfield Center, New York. A citizen of the Nulhegan Abenaki Tribe, and eldest son of acclaimed author and storyteller Dr. Joseph Bruchac III, James grew up immersed in the natural world, storytelling, and native culture. James has both authored and co-authored books for all ages. Children’s books include How Chipmunk Got His Stripes (Dial), Turtle’s Race with Beaver, Rabbit’s Snow Dance (Dial) When the Chenoo Howls (Walker), Be Good, a True Cautionary Tale (Bowman Books), and Native American Games and Stories (Fulcrum) and The Stories He Tells, The Story of Joseph Bruchac. General public titles include Scats and Tracks of the Northeast, Scats, and Tracks of the Southeast, Scats, and Tracks of the Mid-Atlantic (Falcon), and The Girl Who Helped Thunder, an anthology of Native American tales (Sterling). James is a member and former president of the Wordcraft Circle of Native Writers and Storytellers. Upcoming releases include Kids in the Woods (Bowman Books), Trails and Tales of The Grizzly, and Trails and Tales of The Wolf (fulcrum) Building on his family’s tradition, for over thirty years, James has shared stories at hundreds of schools and libraries across the country. Whether telling an interactive animal story or a monster tale, he keeps listeners of all ages on the edge of their seats as well as part of the action. James has performed at many festivals, museums including the Smithsonian Discovery Theater (Washington DC), the Corn Island Storytelling Festival (KY), Noble Tales Festival and the Connor Prairie Museum (IN), Indian Summer and Riverbend Festivals (WI), The Boston Children’s Museum and the John F. Kennedy Library and Museum (MA), the Hudson River Clearwater Festival, the Noteworthy Indian Museum, and The Old Songs Festival. James and other members of his family were featured on the PBS special Adirondack Storytellers (WMHT/PBS). James studied exercise science and English at Ithaca College and has a degree in American Studies from Skidmore College. Active in both high school and college athletics, Mr. Bruchac was a member of the 1988 Ithaca College National Championship football team and went on to be an Empire League Semi-pro All-star defensive end in 1991. He has studied martial arts since the age of ten, currently holding the rank of Shihan (5th-degree black belt) in Kyokushin Karate as well as being a third degree black belt in Brazilian Jui-Jitsu. Father Joseph and brother Jesse also hold black belts in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. All three working together to run Alliance Saratoga Jiu-Jitsu, and The Saratoga Academy of Elite Martial Arts.

Since 2003, Sheryl Faye has masterfully brought to life important historical women to both adults and children around the world. In her one-woman shows, she immerses the audience in a multimedia learning experience that captivates viewers and sparks their interest to explore more. These shows are available in two different versions, one for adult audiences and one for children which are perfect for school Enrichment Programs and any other historical-themed events, bringing history alive for adults and children alike.

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!