Are you looking to inspire and motivate your students to overcome adversity and achieve their dreams? As a seasoned speaker for large groups and classroom settings, I offer a powerful and personal presentation that will resonate deeply with young people. My topics include advocating against bullying, developing self-belief, curating effective storytelling, and the importance of sharing your personal story. Additionally, I provide practical guidance on effective writing techniques, helping students to develop their writing skills with confidence and clarity. Drawing from my own experiences of overcoming challenges such as a broken family, poverty, and mental illness, I provide a relatable and inspiring perspective. My goal is to empower students to find their voices, believe in themselves, and create a life where they follow their passions and make a positive impact on the world. By sharing my story, I aim to offer a lifeline to those struggling, inspire hope, and stress the importance of asking for help. From small writing sessions to public speaking workshops, I offer a unique variety of experiences that will impact any age group!

Sculpture/ Written Word Residency In this residency, students will work with multi-media artist Erin Eckler to construct poetry or a creative writing piece that will be transcribed onto a sculpture that visually illustrates their writing. The sculptural element will be constructed using recycled materials ranging from fiber to paper. The first half of sessions will guide the student to begin creating their written work while learning techniques for breaking down and reforming the recycled materials. The second half of sessions will be supporting the constructing of their sculptural pieces while fine tuning their poetry and prose. The students will be taught hand sewing, weaving, 3D construction, collage, and how to deconstruct recycled materials for use. Resident artist will provide technical support and problem solving as needed while the students construct their pieces.

In the Footsteps of History is a transformative educational experience that takes students on extraordinary journeys led by renowned modern-day explorers. The culmination of 14 years of dedicated teaching in both public and private schools across the nation, this groundbreaking program, developed by a diverse team of leading educators, professors, writers, award-winning documentary filmmakers, explorers, and world-class game designers, is unlike anything you’ve experienced in the classroom before! Presenting a new way of learning history that ignites curiosity and passion, In the Footsteps of History seamlessly blends live explorer-in-residence programming, with cutting edge technology, investigation, and academic rigor that brings history to life through the excitement of adventure and exploration. (Works on Chromebook, PC or Mac).

Music enrichment geared to your curriculum. This can include a songwriting component and a wide variety of topics.

We offer hands-on learning experiences for all levels and ages in the creation of woven three dimensional baskets, lanterns, living structures and sculpture.

Captain Bill's Seneca Lake Cruises has developed two field trip cruise opportunities highlighting local history, and geography, in an attempt to create a sense of place for students grades K through 7. This cruise is in the GST BOCES exploratory enrichment coser #426. K through 4th grade is a 50 minute cruise at a rate of $15 per student for 2025. Grades 5 through 7 is a more in depth look at geology, history and the ecology of our area This is a 90 minute cruise at a rate of $23 per student fir 2025.

This Visiting Author Presentation focuses on disability acceptance & inclusion while connecting to the presenter's various children's books. By attending this program, students learn about different disabilities and the process of writing realistic fiction while becoming inspired to make a positive difference in their schools and communities. Great presentation for Autism Awareness Month (April) and Disability Awareness Month (October). Contact Author directly through her website for free Reading Guide. Amy also offers parent workshops related to raising a child with disabilities and understanding the unique needs of siblings.

On Monday they’re cast as characters. By Saturday, they’ve GAINED CHARACTER. The kind that really counts! A week-long residency STARRING 50-60 of your local school age children in a full-scale musical. A tour team arrives in your town in their Red Truck loaded with a set, lights, costumes, and props, everything it takes to put on a play…except the cast. The team holds an open audition and casts 50-60 local students to perform in the production. The show is rehearsed throughout the week and two public performances are presented at the end of the week! Our Mission: Empowering children and adults through theatre education and performance to develop lifelong skills while enriching communities worldwide through live productions.

Misty Yarnall is a writer and teaching artist. She actively teaches creative writing and theatre workshops through libraries, homeschool co-ops, and nonprofit organizations. She is passionate about creating brave spaces for people of all ages to share their stories. A few examples of workshops she has led in the past are included below. World Building 101: Do you love reading adventure books with fantastical settings and magical elements? Have you ever wanted to write a story set in a place you’ve never been? In this workshop, students will master the layout of the land within their stories, no matter what genre. Students will take inspiration from real plants, animals, and cultures, and apply what they've learned to their made-up worlds. Writing for the Screen: Have you ever wondered how your favorite TV show got to the screen? Want to try your hand at writing a script made for TV? In this workshop, you will learn to write your own screenplay and collaborate on a pilot episode for a TV series. We will generate ideas, learn to use the three-act structure, and operate as if we were in our own TV writers' room. Playing with Plays: Through movement-based improv games and collaborative writing prompts, students will better understand how plays go from the page to the stage. We will learn about character motivations, use of props, scene structure, and understanding of performance. Students will end the workshop with a new play to showcase. Guided Journaling: Have you always wanted to start journaling, but aren’t sure where to start? Have you been journaling for a while and want a community to write and share with? In this workshop, participants will complete writing prompts geared towards eliminating the daunting, listy idea of journaling and replace it with interactive, fun activities for all ages and backgrounds. No prior journaling or writing experience necessary!

Top Youth Speakers is proud to offer a roster of over 30 top ranked speakers for youth and professional staff audiences. We provide speaking services for assemblies, workshops, conferences, and professional development or leadership training for all levels of the educational field. From anti-bullying and kindness to resiliency and burnout prevention, we are proud to serve the Arts in Education network with stellar experiences.

Alan Katz is the author of more than 50 picture books, poetry collections, and middle grade novels for young readers (including Take Me Out of the Bathtub, Got Your Nose, OOPS!, The Funniest Joke Book Ever for Kids, and Misty the Cloud, a NYT bestseller written with Dylan Dreyer of the Today show). Alan's program is an inspiring look at his career as a reader and writer. In a virtual multimedia presentation that includes his work as an award-winning author, TV writer, animation creator, comic book/trading card writer, theater producer, kids' radio host and more, he laughingly fosters a “hey, I can read that/I can write that” attitude. Silly Dilly singing, ridiculous rhyming and a recap of his wildly creative career make for an insightful and enjoyable presentation. (Incidentally, he's also got three-person musicals based on my Silly Dilly songbooks and on my joke book, and can bring them to your school or library...starring my son, who's now playing Peter in the Pinkalicious musical Off-Broadway!)

The Herschell Carrousel Factory Museum educational programs offer unique experiences, including our perforator machine that creates band organ rolls (one of the first forms of coding!) and viewing simple machines at work. In 2016, the Carrousel Museum received the Excellence in Collaboration Award from the Erie County Association of School Boards for our “T-NT (Tonawanda – North Tonawanda) STEAM is Dynamite!” program. Join us for fun, interactive tours, and brand new workshops in our Education Center. Students will have the opportunity to participate in hands on learning and see practical applications of their curriculum. Our exhibits offer the opportunity to ride a 1916 Herschell Carrousel, and tour the factory where it was originally constructed! Additionally, our programs can come to you in person or virtually.