Today is the 11th day of the 11th month, otherwise known as Veterans Day, and originally known as Armistice Day to mark the official end of the first world war. In 1954 this was changed by Congress and the law signed by President Eisenhower officially naming today as a day of remembrance dedicated to all veterans of all the wars this country has fought. 

This week, as we have pointed out already, is Character Counts Week. But there is another area of recognition to celebrate this week. October 25 through October 31 is officially International Magic Week! 

Something a little different this month. I recently came across something I want to share. Be advised... THIS IS NOT FOR THE WEAK HEARTED! But I believe it is a very important piece of information we all need to know.

There are many, many performers in this country making their livings, or trying to make their livings, through performing school assembly programs for kids. Some are good, some are great and some are, well ... some are not so great.

I don’t know if you caught this but it took me by surprise. China recently launched a piece of a future space station into orbit. Coming as it does on the heals of the end of our Space Shuttle program it kind of rocked me back on my heels a little.

A million years ago, back in the early Pleistocene era, when your humble writer first began working with this august, old lion of a company, Mobile Ed had only just begun venturing beyond school assemblies focused on science, and had entered the world of social studies. The first addition was a remarkable program on Huck Finn performed by a good friend of mine by the name of Wayne David Parker, but known to his friends simply as “Daba”. The second addition to this new field came in the form of a program about our illustrious sixteenth president performed by a tall, skinny (at least, he was back then) actor who, for reasons of modesty, shall remain nameless (yeah, it was me).

As September rolls rapidly toward its conclusion (Boy, can you believe how quickly that went by?), we find ourselves looking ahead toward the rest of the school year. Many schools have now made their plans for school assemblies, though many have not yet even begun. Just some thoughts today on strategically planning your school assemblies for maximum benefit in supporting the curriculum.

There was only one possible choice for this month’s Mobile Ed Dog of the Month. While there has been so much publicity about this dog, for anyone who is not aware we will tell the story again.

So, I am imagining a hypothetical school. Math scores are down and reading scores don't look good. Well meaning federal regulations insist these scores must rise. Worried administrators face a decision. What can be done?

We have written before about the great symbiotic relationship enjoyed by summer camps and school assemblies. Usually we are discussing summer camps in Michigan where the majority of our school assembly presenters are based during the summer. But we do also perform at summer camps in other states as well. Around the Chicago area we have two locally based performers who are available for summer camps in that parts if the country. And in Southern California we have three great presenters available to appear as part of summer camp activities. With both a Sky Dome Planetarium and an Earth Dome resident in the Los Angeles area we often are called upon to use these in camp formats, but we are also able to offer a couple of science programs, a social studies unit and a creative writing day.