Well it's New Years Day, and do you know where your school assemblies are?

Welcome to a new year and a new world of possibilities! Schools looking for elementary enrichment programs or Middle School assembly ideas are often drawn to certain areas for the first month of the year.

Elementary schools usually like the idea of kicking off the new semester with some kind of program about bullying or character issues such as those defined by the wonderful "Character Counts" initiative. And, happily, there are some great enrichment programs and school shows available that deal with these areas. Inspector Iwannano is a terrifically fun and exciting school show program devised around the Six Pillars of Character as outlined in the Character Counts guidelines. With a lot of audience participation, this great educational assembly program uses the format of a wacky detective trying to solve a mystery in order to lead children through the ins and outs of Character Counts. If you are looking for great school assemblies and ideas for elementary enrichment programs this is a terrific program that will meet your needs!

Those searching for Middle School assembly ideas, as well as those at the elementary level seeking educational school shows will find January a great time to celebrate a couple of important birthdays through the introduction of a cool social studies school assembly program.

As everyone knows, because we celebrate the day with a school holiday almost everywhere, Dr. Martin Luther King was born in January. Thus it is a perfect time to invite the great man to visit your school through the magic of a great school assembly! Martin Luther King comes alive for your students in a riveting 45-minute school assembly perfectly suited to and adaptable for all grades. Don't wait though! This time of year there are likely to be few dates left open, but it never hurts to check.

If January won't work, remember that February is right around the corner and is, as we all know, when we celebrate Black History Month and the many wonderful accomplishments of African Americans. Not only is Martin Luther King a great school assembly for February, schools looking for ideas for assemblies celebrating Black History may also look at Frederick Douglass, the famous African American leader, confidant of Abraham Lincoln and former slave. Another great choice, available for schools on the East coast, is The Spirit to Overcome, a truly magnificent accounting of the contributions and accomplishments of Women of Color throughout our history.

Well, we may all know about Dr. King's birthday in January, but how many are totally unaware (as I was myself, until very recently) that another great American was also born in January? Ben Franklin was born on January 17, 1706 and his school show is wonderfully appropriate for schools looking for school assemblies and school enrichment programs to start the year off on a patriotic note. But don't forget - besides being a patriot, Ben Franklin was also a printer, a scientist, an inventor and a musician. So a Ben Franklin school show is also perfect for kicking off an approach to school science fairs, and for promoting ideas for science fair projects (though try to dissuade them from trying the kite and key thing...heh,heh,heh)

Whatever you choose, from Character Counts to a variety of Social Studies school shows, January and February, with their winter blues, provide a superb opportunity to encourage learning through the use of an exciting school assembly! Oh, and don't forget that February is also Presidents month when we celebrate the birthday of George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. More on them next time!

Geoff Beauchamp is the Regional Manager of Mobile Ed Productions where "Education Through Entertainment" has been the guiding principal since 1979. Mobile Ed Productions produces and markets quality educational school assembly programs in the fields of science, history, writing, astronomy, natural science, mathematics, character issues and a variety of other curriculum based areas. In addition, Mr. Beauchamp is a professional actor with 30 years of experience in film, television and on stage. He created and still performs occasionally in Mobile Ed's THE LIVING LINCOLN