I have been reading a fascinating book lately, made even more pertinent by the passing this week of Columbus Day (did you notice? It was last Monday). 1492 - The Year The World Began - by Felipe Fernandez Armesto details the myriad ways in which the world was changed by the voyage of Columbus and the European discovery of “the New World” It is a great book and one I highly recommend. Great stuff about all the changes the world experienced because of that voyage, many of which you might never have imagined. However, there is one area of change we all know a little about and that is the change wrought on the native population of North America by the arrival of Europeans.
Recently we spent time in Illinois attending the annual Centre East school assembly performers showcase in Skokie. One of our performers, Dick Buchholz, was there all day sharing his knowledge and enthusiasm with school representatives from all over Northern Illinois.
Rolling into the Labor Day weekend here and couldn’t be more ready for a great holiday weekend!
We just came back from Chicago where we had a booth set up for the Centre East School Assembly Performers Showcase in Skokie, Illinois. Everyone had a great time! It was exciting to reconnect with many of our past clients from schools all over the greater Chicago area as well as to meet many new friends.
A lot of scheduling was furiously taking place in the frantic swirl of events, as performers hustled on and off the main stage plying their wares, while representatives of schools hurried back and forth among the different booths visiting with all the myriad types of presenters and picking their shows for the year. We met with school parents and teachers and other reps as well as many library staff also seeking exciting shows for their sites.
I have to say I also love meeting with different performers. It is amazing the variety of talent available to schools and the vast array of different types of school assemblies they offer! In addition to the science, social studies, creative writing and character issue and anti bullying type school assembly programs offered by Mobile Ed Productions, there were musicians, story tellers, multicultural dance groups and a host of others. We met with many old friends and made new friends of many others.
Joining us in our booth were performers Dick Buchholz and Tom Swenson, both long time Mobile Ed alum's. Dick, of course, is well known as one of the foremost naturalists and live animal authorities on the school assembly scene. With twenty five years or more of experience bringing natural science into schools nationwide, Dick, who is the past president of the Chicago Herpetological Society, is now resident in the Chicago area and available to bring his animals to schools and libraries there throughout the year. Tom Swenson also sat in with us for the day. Tom is a great guy who has performed science programs for Mobile Ed in the past. But now he calls on his great acting background to offer midwestern schools a chance to enjoy awesome visits to their school by Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Edison and Mark Twain. All three great school assembly programs are also available throughout the year in Illinois, Wisconsin and other midwest states. Tom had a fun time helping out with some of the snakes and other reptiles Dick had on display during the show.
All in all it was a great time for everyone! Now if you missed the event and are still seeking dates for school assembly programs for your school or library, it would be prudent to call soon. Many dates are now filled, but, at least for now, we do still have available dates for most programs. But that won’t last long! So give us a call as soon as you can!
It's Monday here in Michigan and we are all very excited even before having any coffee! It's because it's almost time for the Centre East School Assembly Performer Showcase in Skokie, Illinois!
The summer is winding down, and although we have not yet seen Labor Day, there are already schools starting classes in some states, and getting ready to start in others. Like a big sleepy bear coming out of hibernation, the world of education is stirring again, and with that awakening comes a realization in many places that the school assemblies have not been scheduled for the coming year yet.
Finding the right school assembly or enrichment program for your school can be tough. There are a lot of performers, acts and companies from which to choose. How do you know which is best for your needs? How do you know who is professional and who is not, who is talented and who is not, who will meet your needs and budget, and who will not?
