We offer dynamic, bilingual programs tailored for our diverse community, showcasing author visits, writing workshops, poetry readings, and engaging cultural events. Through immersive experiences, we celebrate heritage as our superpower, focusing on Afro-Caribbean culture and exploring themes like personal and cultural identity, belonging, migration, and family values. Our programs are designed to be engaging and culturally responsive, offering a rich fusion of experiences for all.

At the Granger Homestead and Carriage Museum we offer a plethora of educational enrichment programs. Our most popular programs are: Homestead Days: A two hour program where students spend time at 6-8 stations outside learning old-fashioned homestead skills such as candlemaking, butterchurning, and how to put out a fire via bucket brigade. Geared toward 2nd & 3rd Graders and offered in June each year. Summer Fun Days: A week of fun at the Homestead for children aged 7-12. For 3 hours each day, students will join in the historical summer camp fun. Each year rotating the activities to include: soapmaking, old fashioned game day, seed starting, and more. Open to the public, spots limited to 15 children per day. Twas the Night Before Christmas: A 45 minute program for nursery children through 1st grade that includes a reading of Twas the Night Before Christmas accompanied by a puppet show and followed by a scavenger hunt through the museum and a sampling of sugar plums. Generally the last week of school before Winter Break. We also offer private programs geared toward special interest groups. For example we have done a homestead skill day combined with museum tour for teens in the Children of the American Revolution group. We also offer multiple Girl Scout and Boy Scout Badge Programs.

Programs present the fascinating story of the Shakers, beginning with their arrival to our site in Albany in 1776, under the leadership of a woman named Mother Ann Lee. We follow their impact on local and national history and material culture. Daily life in this community was deeply impacted by the introduction of the nearby Erie Canal which fueled its transformation from an agricultural community to a community that was both agricultural and industrial. The Shakers lived as hard working and mindful innovators. They were strict pacifists who sought religious freedom and relinquished private property within their communities, and embraced human equality regardless of gender or race. Today, the Shakers are probably best known for their human-centered architecture and furniture design. It’s simple, functional, and beautiful. It's easy to get lost in the aesthetic qualities of Shaker objects, so a big part of what we do is bring attention to the human side of these objects, and how they are reflective of Shaker values. Students can learn to weave on a loom, and other hands-on activities are possible.

Dear School District Administrators and Educators, As both a lifelong musician and a proud product of our public school music programs, I’m passionate about bringing real-world music industry experiences into classrooms across New York State. I’ve had the privilege of working with many districts to design exciting, hands-on programs that inspire creativity, connect to STEAM principles, and align directly with state learning standards. My Music Industry Programs combine songwriting, instrument design and repair, live performance, and recording arts—giving students the opportunity to create, innovate, and explore the many sides of the modern music world. Using tools like 3D printers, CNC machines, and digital audio workstations, students connect engineering, math, technology, and art while building instruments, writing songs, and learning to play. These programs encourage collaboration, problem-solving, and self-expression—skills that reach far beyond music class and into every academic subject. As an educator and professional musician, I’ve shared the stage with legendary artists including Walter Trout, Mike Zito, Dickey Betts (Allman Bros.), Tommy Castro, Blackberry Smoke, Levon Helm (The Band), and Arlo Guthrie. I’ve toured with the Masters of the Telecaster (featuring G.E. Smith (SNL), Jim Weider, and Duke Levine (Bob Dylan)), received recognition from the Louis Armstrong Jazz Foundation, Berklee School of Music, and won Best Blues Recording from the Syracuse Area Music Awards two years in a row. I’ve also performed at major events like the NYS Blues Festival, Taste of Country Festival, Chenango Blues Festival, and countless sold-out venues across the region. Beyond performing, I’m deeply invested in arts education and community development. I’m the founder of a thriving Music School in Norwich, NY, serve on the Board of the Earlville Opera House, and act as Main Stage Music Coordinator for the Colorscape Chenango Arts & Music Festival. I also co-founded the Oxford Academy Summer Theater & Performing Arts Camp, Founder of the Norwich Youth Bureau Summer Guitar Camp and provide specialized backline support for touring artists—all of which help connect students to authentic, working examples of the music industry. Music is not just for the music classroom—it enhances literacy, history, math, science, and emotional intelligence. I believe every student deserves the chance to discover their creative voice, and I’d love to collaborate with your district to design a personalized, engaging, and unforgettable program for your students. Let’s create something extraordinary together!

Kate Klise wrote her first book when she was ten years old, so she speaks with a certain authority when she encourages children to begin their writing careers now. With more than thirty books to her credit (picture books, early readers, middle grade novels, and one YA title), Kate relates well to students of all ages. When working with early readers (grades K-2, 30 minutes), Kate offers gentle advice about writing stories and invites students to create an original story on the spot. When presenting to older students (grades 3–6, 50 minutes), Kate focuses on the writing process: where she gets her ideas, how she writes her rough drafts, why the art of rewriting is so critical, and—yes!—how she comes up with all those punny names in the Regarding and 43 Old Cemetery Road series. In addition, Kate explains the classic elements of storytelling, including the importance of sending characters on journeys. In addition to large-group presentations, Kate also offers fiction and non-fiction writing workshops for smaller groups (30 students or less, 50 minutes). As a 15-year veteran for People magazine, Kate enjoys sharing her tips and tricks for writing on deadline. Over the years she’s taught countless students how to write colorful, compelling, and often hilarious People magazine-style stories about themselves and others.

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.

Ten different programs including 45 minute presentations on the Dutch in NY, the Erie Canal, the American Revolution, Our Hudson River Heritage, How the Railroads Built America and America's Steamboat Heritage. Marvin Bubie is the author of (3) books: "On the Trail of Henry Hudson and Our Dutch Heritage Through the Municipal Seals in New York, 1609 to 2009" "Celebrating the Revolutionary War: Municipal Symbols of a Free Country" "Along the Erie Canal with the Municipal Seals of the Cities, Towns, and Villages of NY"

Brian Zickafoose is an award-winning Hudson Valley muralist, illustrator, and educator whose work bridges fine art and community engagement. As founder of Splash Art Murals, he transforms storefronts and public spaces across New York with vibrant seasonal and thematic designs that celebrate creativity, collaboration, and local identity. His large-scale projects—such as the Seeds of Connection mural at the Dutchess County Fairgrounds and the Art Day in the Village community banner series—demonstrate how art can activate public spaces and inspire collective pride. Through interactive workshops and artist-in-residence programs, Brian guides students in exploring visual storytelling, symbolism, and design thinking while building confidence and teamwork. His programs align with Visual Arts and SEL standards and can be adapted for grades 3–12 in classroom, assembly, or mural formats.

Author, Program Creator: Farm/Garden to Table Author Visits: 1. Fidget Grows a Pizza Garden - children learn about their food sources in a creative way through the art of storytelling while helping to encourage life skills and cooking activities at home. (activities depend on size of groups, but included planting, pizza making, storytelling workshops, how a plant grows, etc) 2. Fidget Screams for Ice Cream - children not only learn about their food sources through the art of storytelling, they also learn about using alternatives such as honey and fruit to sweeten their ice cream, while helping to encourage life skills and recipe making activities at home. (activities depending on size of groups, but included planting, ice cream making, story telling workshops, etc.) 3. Gal’s Apple-licious Eats - children have fun with recipe making workshops. 4.

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

Jermiko Thomas is an Educational Market Best-Selling Author, TEDx Speaker, and creator of the national and international award-winning Adventures of Walter children’s series. His books promote Social-Emotional Learning (SEL), STEM education, inclusion, friendship, bullying prevention, and autism awareness. Through Cornhill Publishing, he offers K–5 author visits, SEL workshops, STEM demonstrations, read-alouds, writing sessions, audiobook + ASL integration, activity sheets, and curriculum-aligned programming used in schools, BOCES systems, and libraries across Central New York and beyond. Programs support UDL, special education, deaf & hard-of-hearing communities, and general education classrooms. Jermiko Thomas is an Educational Market Best-Selling Author, TEDx Speaker, and creator of the national and international award-winning Adventures of Walter children’s series. His books are known for their engaging, uplifting, and award-winning rhyming storytelling style that helps children connect deeply with themes of Social-Emotional Learning (SEL), STEM, friendship, kindness, bullying prevention, autism awareness, and inclusion. He offers K–5 author visits, classroom presentations, interactive SEL/STEM workshops, ASL-integrated sessions, writing residencies, multimedia storytelling assemblies, and teacher professional development, all aligned with literacy standards, UDL principles, special education needs, and district SEL frameworks. Jermiko has been featured on TEDx, WSYR Bridge Street, WKTV, TALK! 100.7 FM, the Rome Sentinel, SUNY Polytechnic Institute, MVCC, and has delivered programs across numerous school districts. His work is officially verified as an Educational Market Best-Selling Author through Ingram Content Group distribution, and his books are placed in public and elementary school libraries across New York State. His mission is to inspire young learners through creativity, resilience, imagination, and the power of reading—proving that big dreams can grow from any community.

Kit's Interactive Theatre has 16 different high-energy shows that combine history, dance, music, improvisation and a great deal of humor where students and teachers become all the characters in the show. Students learn how their modern lives differ from those of their forebears as they explore how and why these critical events took shape. Programs are imaginative, educational and fun! They range from Ancient Egypt and Women's Rights to Mother Nature and Cinderella's Fairy Godmother.