Smiles & Songs
Entertaining Learning Experiences
Developed through live music, humor, engaging stories, playful interaction, lead-up activities and creativity.
Special programs that motivate, educate and activate children to the joy of reading.
Other presentations target cooperation, bullying, listening skills, social and emotional needs, character, esteem, teamwork, wise risk taking and
peer pressure.
Still more center on cultural diversity, exploration and history. Some programs include puppet work, publishing projects, crafts and more.
“Saddle Up And Read Bookaroo!”
All Presentations Available As A
Performance, Workshop or Residency
Just Give A Yell
and we’ll send program topics with descriptions. We’re happy to create a customized presentation too!
518.423.8827
Our Philosophy
“Success” is adding value to ourselves
“Significance” is adding value to others
We may be the ones on stage for your event;
but we’re playing the supporting role to
teachers who give, love, serve, help,
encourage, and add value to others.
Our goal is to give every child the occasion
of a rewarding experience and the opportunity
to shine.
“Liberty Sings”, just one of many presentations from Smiles & Songs. An historical epitaph of a tree that would not die. We, the people of the United States of America molded many of our strategies for independence at special gathering places. Each of the Colonies had one unique anchor site -- a “Liberty Tree”. We were animated by a love of liberty and independence unknown to the balance of the world.
And the “Liberty Trees” served as rallying points where rousing speeches and inspiring songs energized the birth of a nation. Weather and age led to the demise of
several, the British toppled others. At more than 400 years old, the
last surviving Liberty Tree (Annapolis, MD) was felled by hurricane
Floyd in 1999.
Great leaders spoke from this very tree: Samuel Chase, Presidents
and countless others. “Liberty Sings” is presented as a narrative
from the perspective of the Tree that observed and participated in
the dawning of the American Experiment. The story incorporates
excerpts from notable addresses, pranks played on the Tree by
students at St. John’s College, period melodies, the valiant struggle
of the Tree to survive and the heartwarming resurrection of its
branches and trunk that were being transformed into mulch. The
presentation and content are customized to be meaningful and
grade level appropriate.
Rescued in the nick of time, the last surviving Liberty Tree was
preserved. The wood was milled into beautiful planks and
composed into a limited edition instrument --
“The Liberty Tree Guitar”-- a truly fitting application that will enable
the Tree to sing for years to come. One of the “Liberty Tree” guitars is used to provide
music for this stirring and historically accurate program. Students will learn songs, sing along with the guitar and have the opportunity to touch the flesh of the tree that stood sentinel over the emergence of our nation . . . that inspired our founding fathers.
Liberty sings on through this guitar.
Your students will experience the opportunity to do the same.
Fashioning Teachable Moments
Creating Opportunity
Releasing Potential
Entertaining programs with an agenda. Student focused presentations that enrich learning. Interactive and engaging in a style designed to increase attention and retention.
We view it as a great pleasure to create teacher inspired presentations that are customized
to precisely meet objectives -- please contact us with your ideas.
Teacher Inspired Programs
