Stilt Story 

Neil offers Story Telling Performances which are specially designed for the following audiences...

• School Assemblies - All grade levels

• Children's Programs at Fairs/Festivals, Camps, and Libraries

• Leadership Trainings for youth and adults

Performances available in hour or half hour formats

SCHOOL ASSEMBLIES

My Story Telling Presentations have been developed with Michigan Career and Employability Content Standars and Benchmarks in Mind.  I want to encourage students to become confident, reliable people, who make a positive contribution to their community. 

I accomplish this by sharing original, interactive stories with younger children which include entertainment such as stiltwalking, balloon animals, unicycling and juggling, and which contain clear moral messages about rising above challenges.  For older audiences, I share how I have used my talents to both develop my own small business and to benefit my community through volunteering my time.

Performaces meet the following Career and Employability Skills Standards.......

• CONTENT STANDARD 7 - All Students will work cooperatively with people of diverse backgrounds and abilities, identify with the group's goals and values, learn to exercise leadership, teach others new skills, serve clients or customers, and will contribute to a group process with ideas suggestions, and efforts.

• CONTENT STANDARD 5 - All students will display personal qualities such as responsibility, self management, self confidence, ethical behavior, and respect for others.

• CONTENT STANDARD 4 - All students will make decisions and solve problems by specifying goals, identifying resources and constraints, generating alternatives, considering impacts, choosing appropriate alternatives, implementing plans of action, and evaluating results.

• CONTENT STANDARD 1 - All students will apply basic communication skills, apply scientific and social studies concepts, perform mathematical processes and apply technology in work-related situations.

CHILDREN'S PROGRAMS

I have two primary goals with my children's programs: 1) Get the children inolved, and 2) Teach the children a lasting moral lesson.  In each of my stories, characters (audience volunteers and balloon animals) face a series of challenges which they must brainstorm solutions and works as team to overcome.  I have multiple proven storylines, but prefer to adapt the content of each of my stories to reflect the theme of the event or program.

ESPECIALLY FOR LIBRARIES! - Performances can include a literary connection as audience members act out solutions to problems facing literature characters and/or can involve each student writing their own individual story as I present a choose-your-own-ending style format.

LEADERSHIP TRAININGS

As a professional stiltwalker I have used my talents to benefit my community in numerous ways, including volunteering my time and contributing to non-profit fundraising efforts.  I am most proud of my fundraising walk across Michigan on stilts in order to benefit United Cerebral Palsy of Michigan.  Read More. In sharing my experiences I am able to enlighten people to the pleasures and value of being an active member of the community, make them aware of the stuggles they are likely to face, and offer tips for making the most of one's talents.

Presntation Performances

$100  half hour presentation

$150 hour presentation

$15 per hour travel time

Since 2008 I have presented Story Telling Performances at the following locations....

• New Bedford Academy Elementary, Lambertville, MI

• Onsted Middle, Onsted, MI

• Blissfield Middle, Blissfield, MI

• Townsend Elementary, Vandercook Lake. MI

• Madison Elementary 4th grade classroom, Madison, MI

• Patterson Elementary, Tecumseh, MI

• Conductive Learning Center, Grand Rapids, MI

• Parma Elementary, Parma, MI

• Lincoln Park Elementary, Mona Shores, MI

• Churchhill Elementary, Mona Shores, MI

• Twin Lake Pre-school, Twin Lake, MI

• Traverse Intermediate Schools, Traverse City, MI

• Elk Rapids Elementary, Elk Rapids, MI

• Camp Quality, at Camp Dagget, Petoskey, MI

• St. Ignace Summer Day Camp, St. Ignace, MI

• Camp Michigamme Youth Camp, Mchigamme, MI

• Presbytery Point Sailing Camp, Michigamme, MI

• Indian Trails Camp for people with disabilities, Allendale, MI

• Newaygo Boys & Girls Club, Newaygo, MI

• St. John's Lutheran Church Youth Fellowship hour, Adrian, MI

• Superior Alliance for independent Living Speech, Marquette, MI

• Michigan Welcome Center Speech, Ironwood, MI

• Blissfield Kiwanis Meeting, Blissfield, MI

• Ternary Lions Club Meeting, Trenary, MI

• Adrian Civitan Speech, Adrian, MI