New & Improved! Respect and Bully-Prevention Assembly

It’s been several years since I first created my Mission:  Possible respect and bully prevention assembly.  So, when counselor Mario Reaves at Saltar’s Point Elementary offered to let me borrow the materials he is using to teach his students I took advantage of the opportunity. 

My show remains about 50/50 teaching kids about positive character traits (respect, perseverance, positive attitude, empathy, treating others right) and bully prevention. 

Posters are updated with some new action items that kids can use when they run into situations where they become angry and want to impusively react. 

I enjoyed visiting Saltar’s Point – my first time to their school – and Mr. Reaves gave me a wonderful review.  Thank you!

Tumwater Youth Program

I first worked with the City of Tumwater hosting magic workshops for kids about 1998.  Since then I’ve been part of their summer day camps, “Thunder Valley” 4th of July celebration, and many other events. 

Their “Tumwater Youth Program”, headed up by Recreation Coordinator Charlie Groth, is held several times each year.  There are different events for different age groups. 

Last year I did strolling magic for their middle school event.  These photos from last weekend were for their elementary students and included a huge inflatable “ride”, board games, craft projects, Wii, basketball, gym activities, and pizza. 

Oh yeah, and MAGIC!  Here I am with some fans doing close-up magic.  (A stand-up show followed.)

Thanks Charlie for sharing these fun photos!

Science Magic in Spokane

It’s time to get students pumped up to participate in Science Fairs!  I traveled to Spokane and visited Woodridge, Adams, and Progress Elementary with my Science Magic assembly. 

It’s my FOURTH time visiting Adams Elementary in Spokane Valley.  In past years I’ve presented my Read Across America Magic Show as part of their Dr. Seuss birthday celebration.  And let me tell you, their school goes ALL OUT for this.  Teachers are all in Seuss costumes, green eggs and ham (and pancakes and sausages) are served for breakfast (local merchants help donate food), and kids all make and wear their stove-pipe hats.   It’s a real productions, and one year two teachers sang a rhyming “thank you” to me after my assembly! 

Progress Elementary had me for both an afternoon and evening program.  It was hugely popular; partly because I told the kids that afternoon to come back in the evening and see “Sparky the Trained Chicken”, and partly because Teresa and the Progress PTA did a super job promoting the show.

Holiday Magic at a Library Near You

If you have KIDS ready to get out of the house after all of the CHRISTMAS FUN, check out one of my free, open-to-the-public Holiday Magic Shows:  

• Monday, December 28 @ 10:30 am at the Black Diamond Library
• Tuesday, December 29 @ 2 and 3:30 pm at the Bothell Regional Library
• Wednesday, December 30:  11 am at the Winlock Library; 3 pm at the Tumwater Library, 6 pm at the Olympia Library
• Thursday, December 31 @ 11 am at the Burien Library

This is your LAST CHANCE to catch my show until next year

Santa Breakfast at the Olympia Country & Golf Club

… isn’t complete without magic!  I first performed for their Santa Breakfast in 1998 and have been back nearly every year since.  It was originally the first Saturday, then the first two Saturdays in December.  A couple of years ago Janice, the Country Club Catering Manager, added the third Saturday as well.  They keep selling out!  

Here’s the secret – it’s a STEAL.  The prices are unbelievably affordable, and the Country Club is decorated beautifully.  They do it more as a service for their members and guests than as a money-maker, but it would be a great value at twice the price. 

Richard Hurley was kind enough to send this photo that he took with kids surrounding me before the Holiday Magic Show officially began.  Thanks, Richard! 

I’ll start the rumor here – Janice is considering adding a Sunday in 2010 for a total of FOUR Santa Breakfasts.  (They were booked solid with 175 reservations this past Saturday.)  A hearty breakfast, funny and amazing magic show, and SANTA?  You can’t get too much of a good thing! 

Save 50% Off Your School Assembly

One of the biggest reasons for fundraising is to bring fun and educational programs to your school. So, why not make your fundraiser do double-duty?  Work with Northwest Fundraising and you can reach your financial goals while getting a great deal on one of my four completely different school assembly magic programs.

Lake Hills Elementary used Northwest Fundraising, made a bunch of money, and saved $262 off my Reading Magic assembly.  You can too!  How much fun was it?  Listen to Cathi with the Lake Hills PTA and decide for yourself. 

Read more details about this special offer on my website, then call David Proctor with Northwest Fundraising at (800) 779-1706 or send e-mail to nwfr@comcast.net to learn about their great money-making programs for schools and organizations.

Holiday Magic

Whew!  It’s the second week in December and I’ve already done ten shows.  Last weekend I was in Corvallis and Salem for company parties.  Susan Adkins with Class Act Event Coordinators did a phenomenal job creating a Charles Dickens-themed event for the Videx company Christmas party. 

The Salem show was for the James W. Fowler Company.  It’s the third time in six years that they’ve invited me to be part of their Christmas party.  And, like Videx, it’s great knowing that there are companies that are not just surviving, but thriving in the challenging economy.  2010 is looking to be a huge year for them.

I picked up a top hat and scarf to fit the Dickens theme.  I liked the look so much it became part of my annual Christmas photo! 

Many thanks to my good friend and business partner Rick Anderson with Bruno Photography for taking all of my promo photos over the years. 

The hat and scarf are functional, too.  Last weekend I performed strolling magic outside for the Dupont Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony where temperatures were well below thirty degrees.  It’s the first time I wore long underwear tops and bottoms beneath my tuxedo, a wool cap under the top hat, the scarf, and was still chilly! 

• Yesterday:  Frank Tobey Jones staff party (Tacoma)
       BizXchange holiday mixer (Seattle)
• Today:  Lionfish Creative holiday party/Seattle
• Saturday:  Olympia Country Club Santa Breakfast
       Tacoma Fire Department
       Microsoft holiday party (Seattle)
• Sunday:  Bellevue Regional Library – open to the public
       Microsoft holiday party (Bellevue)
• Monday:  Bow Lake Elementary Reading Magic (Federal Way)
       Valley View Elementary Reading Magic (Seatac)
       Federal Way 320th Library Holiday Magic – open to the public
• Tuesday:  Lake Hills Elementary Reading Magic (Bellevue)
       Aberdeen Police Officer’s Guild
• Wednesday:  Military Officer’s Association of America (Olympia)

Sign, Sign, Everywhere a Sign

I love it when schools include my shows in their reader board.  I send custom posters to schools as a matter of course, but mentioning it on a reader board is a great way to get the message to parents who drive their child to or from school. 

 

Yesterday the King County Library System hosted two of my programs; one at Twin Lakes Elementary in Federal Way and another at the Boulevard Park Library in Seattle.   The school program was for the KCLS “Ready, Set, Read” incentive and performed my Reading Magic program. 

The evening was open to the public and attended by parents with young kids.  They ate it up and were a totally enthusiastic crowd.   It was my first Holiday Magic show for the year.  Time to get tuned up as this is a HUGE weekend with four holiday parties!

 

Today I presented my Science Magic assembly for Waller Road Elementary in Tacoma in the afternoon and returned in the evening with my Family Night Magic Show.  Two years ago I performed my Mission:  Possible respect and bully prevention program along with an evening show. 

I love doing an afternoon and evening program.  It really improves attendance when the kids go home talking about what they’ve just seen.  They can literally drag their parents back to school, and the parents end up having a super time themselves.

New Science Magic demo video

In 1998 I created my first program for the King County Library System.   Their theme was science.  Libraries always have themes, and the closer your program title and description matches the theme, the better your chance for bookings. 

A couple of years earlier I built Reading Magic for the Timberland Regional Library Summer Reading Program and figured I could do the same for KCLS.  So, like any good marketer I chose a short and snappy title (“Science Magic”), made up a program description, and submitted my bid.  And thought nothing else about the whole thing. 

These were the days before e-mail (well, before I was booking shows by e-mail) and the first day librarians could call to schedule programs I was amazed when five ladies called to book programs.  This was repeated the next day, and the day after that. 

Holy smokes!  It was time to put together a program.  Now what did I tell them I was going to do???

Fast forward a dozen years and Science Magic is a perennial favorite with libraries and schools.

“I just wanted to thank you for coming to High Lakes Elementary, and putting on such a great show!  We have received nothing but positive feedback and “kudos” for the assembly, as well as Science & Math night from teachers, parents and most importantly, our students.  Your energy and quick wit captivates the audience in seconds, and the fact you are able to weave science knowledge in with magic is beyond entertaining.  There were times that I laughed so hard I cried from pure amusement!!” 
     -Heather Fleiner, High Lakes PTA

Gregg Campbell with Break Away Video videotaped my assembly at Olympic Elementary in Longview and put together a great demo.  It captures the fun and learning of the show.  Take a look at the video and leave a comment.

Watch one of my Science Magic instructional videos, print out my Class Activity Sheet, or build your own Levitating Magician.

Magic at the Hands-On Children’s Museum

Families are invited to “Magic Tricks and Secrets Live”, a combination magic show, hands-on workshop, and DVD release party on Saturday, November 21, 2009 from 11:00 am – 3:00 pm at the Hands-On Children’s Museum in downtown Olympia (106 11th Ave SW).  Magician Jeff Evans performs shows at noon and 2:00 pm. Admission is $7.95/person, $4.95 for toddlers, and free for HOCM members.

Kids learn magic with rubber bands, paperclips, playing cards, and more. All props and hands-on instruction are provided and kids go home with a “Mystery Dollar” and “Levitating Magician” cut-out. Magic workshops are recommended for ages 6+. Magic Tricks and Secrets DVDs are available for purchase at the Museum that day.

Explore the DVD trailers at www.magictricksandsecrets.com.

The Magic Tricks and Secrets DVD series is created by Jeff Evans and George Ford. “Living Room Magic volumes 1 and 2” include magic with everyday items you already have around the home; string, playing cards, paper, and more. Some effects are impromptu and can be done anytime, anywhere: others require some practice, but are well within the ability of anyone willing to put in a little bit of practice.