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.

Sit back and let the musicians of Percussia take you on a musical journey using percussion instruments, chants and rhythms from all over the world. With stops in Brazil, West Africa, India, Cuba and China, this high-octane, engaging program deepens students’ knowledge of geography, global cultures, and their music. Students become active participants in the show by clapping rhythms, singing songs and even participating in a Chinese Lion Dance. Percussia would be thrilled to join you at your next assembly and kick off our trip with our signature samba parade.

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

The ELLEN SINOPOLI DANCE COMPANY offers a range of workshops and performances for schools using dance narrative and technique to bring new meaning to literature, science, math and social studies. These are designed to offer young people the opportunity to experience the bravery of creativity and invention; to step into the realm of how one might learn differently and to see themselves in the most positive way possible. All programs can be customized to meet the unique needs of each school. ESDC’s participatory performances bring that same use of creativity and imagination for young people to enjoy. Story Hours allow children to see books through movement rather than just words, enhancing the learning adventure. CREATIVE MOVEMENT WORKSHOPS: (Grades: K-12) $225 Held on their own or in conjunction with an ESDC performance, workshops are designed to nurture the creative potential of each student and to encourage kinesthetic learning experiences while deepening their understanding of classroom curriculum. Led by 2 dancers and a musician, these workshops introduce children to the basic elements of dance: movement skills, body shapes/parts, space, time, force and form. Students explore theme-based ideas transforming themselves through movement choices to become bats, monkeys and jaguars from the rainforest; mimicking earthquakes exploding from the center to ripple out; experiencing the dynamics of reflection and refraction while moving through space. Students present a sampling of their activities for fellow classmates and families. PARTICIPATORY AND REPERTORY PERFORMANCES SCIENCE IN MOTION: BRINGING SCIENCE TO LIFE (Grades: K-5) $2000 An interactive program that brings the study of clouds, water, birds and their habitats to life. ESDC performs selections from its repertory as well as inviting students to join the dancers on stage to join in the exploration. ESDC’s CHOREOPHYSICS (Grades 9-12) $2500 Lecture/Demonstration, designed for High Schools students, is based on the laws of Physics. IF BOOKS COULD DANCE! CHILDREN’S LITERATURE THROUGH DANCE (Grades: K-5) $2000 Exploring literature, poetry, creativity, and visual art with movement, ESDC brings books to life. These captivatingly creative dances incorporate the stories of Kobi Yamada’s What Do You Do With an Idea?, poetry from Jack Prelutsky’s Behold the Bold Umbrellaphant, and Maurice Sendak’s Where the Wild Things Are. UNDERCOVER PLAYGROUND: A SITE-SPECIFIC OUTDOOR PERFORMANCE (Grades: K-5) $2000 This performance is created exclusively for your school playground with dancers utilizing the equipment in unexpected and fun-filled ways. This playful performance is outside and outside-of-the-box! The space offers each audience member a unique perspective and an opportunity to get up close and personal with the dance and the dancers. Live musical accompaniment! DANCE BY CHANCE: A FUN, INTERACTIVE SHOW INTEGRATING MATHEMATICS (Grades: 3-6) $2000 Mixing math with movement and matching learning to fun, we ask the audience math questions in an engaging way, leaving pencil and paper behind. The show teases their brain power, enhancing classroom learning in fun and unique ways. SEE THE DANCE! HOW MOVEMENT CAN BE USED TO COMMUNICATE (Grades: K-12) $2000 Favorite works from ESDC's repertory will be selected based on your school’s needs and interests, areas of study, or curriculum. This performance demonstrates how creativity and movement capture thoughts, ideas, actions, emotions, images, and concepts. FROM THE MIND OF A SINGLE, LONG VINE ONE HUNDRED OPENING LIVES (Grades:3-12) $2500 ESDC unites dance and visual arts through timeless stories inspired by African influenced wood sculptures created by craftsman Jim Lewis. The dance follows a community of people through the universal aspects of childhood, leadership, conflict, death, and healing from within. Students are encouraged to think about their role in the global community, working together to create a better place. MOVEMENT STORY HOUR: LITERACY THROUGH MOVEMENT (Grades: PreK-3) $125 Reading from the company’s library of children’s books, ESDC incorporates creative movement to enhance the reading experience. Children become a part of the story and find a love of reading!

We are a non-profit environmental Education Center that offers a variety of nature/outdoor education programs for audiences of all ages and abilities.

The Career Day Inc. Full Day Program offers a transformative experience that connects students with a diverse range of professionals across industries and backgrounds. Speakers include school alumni and local professionals who share their personal journeys and practical insights, encouraging students to explore their interests and make informed decisions about their futures. The day begins with a high-energy keynote assembly, delivered by a dynamic speaker whose story sets an empowering tone. This opening session inspires students to embrace their unique talents and approach their futures with confidence. Following the keynote, students rotate through career-specific breakout sessions based on interests of THEIR CHOICE. In these smaller classroom settings, they engage directly with professionals—from electricians and engineers to artists and healthcare workers—who demonstrate how academic subjects like math, science, or art apply in real-world careers. For many students, these connections illuminate unexpected pathways, such as how a love of drawing could lead to a career in surgery, architecture, or design. All participating students are invited to apply for the Arie A. Bucheister Memorial Scholarship, a $1,000 award granted to one student per school. The scholarship honors those who express how Career Day Inc. programs influenced their educational and career aspirations and encouraged lasting connections with mentors and potential career opportunities. Each Full Day Program is customized in collaboration with school administrators to meet the unique needs, schedules, and demographics of the school community. By introducing students to a wide spectrum of careers and pushing them to think beyond their comfort zones, Career Day Inc. empowers students of all academic levels to pursue exciting and often unimaginable possibilities. The Career Day Inc. Panel Style Assembly offers students a dynamic and inspiring experience by connecting them with a diverse panel of professionals across various industries. Each program is customized in collaboration with school administrators to reflect the interests, demographics, and goals of the student population. Career Day Inc. curates engaging speakers, including school alumni, local professionals, and subject-matter experts—who share personal stories, career insights, and advice for future success. Panels typically feature three to seven presenters, depending on the school’s schedule. A key feature of the program is student interaction. Ample time is provided for Q&A, and students are encouraged to submit questions in advance. The most thoughtful questions are highlighted and rewarded during the event to promote deeper engagement. To enhance the impact, many schools now include breakout sessions following the panel. These smaller group discussions allow students to connect more personally with the speaker or field that resonates most with their career goals, heritage, or cultural identity. The Career Day Inc. Panel Assembly fosters an inclusive, student-centered environment that broadens awareness of real-world career paths and empowers students to make informed decisions about their futures.

We offer writing workshops, motivational speaking, Basketball workshops from a former professional. Workshops* can be tailored to audiences at the Kindergarten level all the way up through the High school level. *Cultural Writing workshop *Motivational Speech *Basketball Skills Session (Played in NBA and Europe) *World Travel Experiences (Lived in over 15 different Countries) *Author visit: author of the book "Love" https://www.amazon.com/LOVE-Willie-Deane/dp/1633084671

Discover the fascinating world of Native American folklore, respect for nature and a sense of family, community and caring for the land. Marty Hight shares her stories about beliefs held deeply sacred and get an inside look at how the Native Americans world changed as their land was taken and they were forced to march to a new and strange land. Or, learn how to craft corn husk dolls and hear the story about her creation. Marty invites your students to help illustrate her stories, demonstrate dances and celebrates their special gifts. In this school assembly, history comes alive as stories told for centuries are shared in an engaging way to impart character lessons and tribal history. It’s ideal for Grades K-6. TOPICS INCLUDE: HISTORY • CULTURE • STORYTELLING • SINGING • NATURE • TRADITIONS • DIVERSITY • LANGUAGE • CRAFTS • AND MORE! Marty Hight (Ma-ha-gum-se / Shawnee) is a Native American who has a Cherokee and Shawnee heritage. She is a proud member of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma who draws from family history and storytelling to share her people’s history, language, songs, customs, rituals and legends through vivid narratives. Reach out today to learn how you can join in the excitement when you host Marty Hight!

Arts for Learning WNY'S mission is to inspire, expand learning, and strengthen our community through engagement with the arts. We offer assembly, workshop, and long-term residency programs with professional artists, committed to their craft, and using it as a tool for creative learning. Art forms include music, multi-media arts, theater, dance, and visual and literary arts. Services are provided in the eight counties of Western New York, including Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie, Genesee, Niagara, Orleans, and Wyoming.m

Bright Star Touring Theatre has grown to become one of the nation's largest professional touring theaters for young audiences. Bright Star was founded in 2003 and currently expects to serve around 4,000 audiences this year with programming across America and around the world. Bright Star annually offers more than 60 different 45-minute programs ranging from anti-bullying and literary classics to American history and science-based STEM shows. Bright Star is the nation's largest provider of Black History programming and has had the honor of bringing shows to venues as diverse as the National Park Service and the National Archives and to schools and libraries across New York State. This season, our programs include more than 70 shows, including Peter Pan, Winnie-the-Pooh, A Dickens Tale, Bullysaurus Rex, The Story of Anne Frank, The Life of Dr. King, Let It Shine: The American Civil Rights Movement, a bilingual Little Red Riding Hood, and more. In addition to touring productions designed to perform in any space, the company offers theater production camps, theater workshops, residencies, and more. Our shows include comprehensive classroom study guides, post-show Q&A's, and professional actors that join our company from around the country. We are always here to answer questions and help you become acquainted with us and our work! We can't wait to entertain your young audience, as we've done for millions of audience members around the globe.

Our virtual school author talk program brings the magic of stories to inspire, educate, and connect with students in the classroom. Whether it's the laughter from a funny tale, the curiosity kindled by a mystery, or the wonder of discovering new worlds, each BookBreak virtual author talk is designed to spark a love of reading and enhance literacy. Our innovative platform connects students with renowned authors virtually, allowing schools to participate who would not normally be able to afford the speaking fees of bestselling authors. With BookBreak, you can offer your students the excitement and inspiration of a live author event, empowering them to thrive as readers and writers. With over 2,000 subscribing schools and counting, our goal is to embed author talks as an integrated component of student learning. By seamlessly integrating these virtual author sessions into your curriculum, you’ll ignite a fire for reading, kindle a passion for writing, and captivate even the most reluctant readers. These interactive experiences are more than just talks—they’re a catalyst for transforming student motivation and cultivating a vibrant school-wide culture of reading. Use our curriculum aligned virtual author talks and included pre- and post- activities and watch as your students’ enthusiasm soars and their love for literature flourishes!

Program Theme Our concert program “Place” explores diverse geographies, languages and musical /cultural traditions from all over the globe, featuring a fusion of original and traditional music from our 6-7 piece ensemble, with a focus on Ghanaian/West African influences. West African dancing is included is showcased in our performance, featuring 1-2 dancers originally from Accra, Ghana. Program Description “Place” takes the original music of Heard and brings the audience somewhere special and distinct in each piece– like the crowded bustle of an Accra open-air market (Market Song), a winding wintry boulevard in Montreal (Cotes des Neiges) or the summer streets of Brazil. (Danca Verao) Through narrative storytelling around our compositional inspirations, we explore cultural, geographical and environmental dimensions of other countries and places. A slideshow featuring maps and photos from our group's recent trip to Ghana provide a beautiful visual backdrop to our performance. Heard musicians include: Elizabeth Woodbury Kasius, keyboards, Laura Andrea Leguía, woodwinds, Bobby Kendall, bass, Brian Melick, percussion, Zorkie Nelson, percussion, Forsino Nelson, dance, Augustina Nelson, dance. All of our members sing! Breakout workshops in West African dance and world percussion can accompany the residency experience. Some of the schools/libraries/museums we’ve performed for include: Troy City School District, Troy, NY--Schools 2, 14, 16, 18 and Carroll Hill Elementary schools Van Rensselaer Elem, Rensselaer, NY Lake George Elementary Lake George, NY Samaritan Children’s Center, Troy, NY Susan Odell Taylor School, Troy, NY Paige Elementary, Schenectady, NY North Colonie Schools, Albany, NY--Boght Hills and Latham Ridge Elementary Schools Saratoga Springs Public Schools- Division St. Elementary Robert C. Parker School, East Greenbush, NY Abram Lansing School, Cohoes, NY Salem State College, Salem, MA ACC, Queensbury, NY HVCC, Troy, NY College of St. Rose, Albany, NY World Awareness Children’s Museum, Glens Falls, NY Guilderland Public Library, Guilderland, NY Albany Public Library–Arbor Hill and Delaware Ave. branches Millbrook, NY Library Silver Bay YMCA Resort Camp Chingachgook YMCA camp