Beverly P. Schwartz to Perform STEM Tales

Not Just for Kids Storytelling Series Celebrating 34th Anniversary

Fort Hunter, NY – Schoharie Crossing State Historic Site will host Beverly P. Schwartz on Sunday, September 13th at 6pm as part of their 34th Annual Not Just for Kids Storytelling series. These programs bring wonderful storytellers to share performances for audiences of all ages.  Held at the Visitor Center and Museum on Schoharie Street in Fort Hunter, these events have brought smiles, tears, laughter, and more to the community for decades.

Beverly P. Schwartz, a STEM storyteller who will share fascinating tales that weave science and learning into a fun exploration of the self. Schwartz created the first STEM curriculum to engage students in 1987, but the sharing hasn’t stopped there.

In October of 1987, while teaching at School 14 in Troy, Beverly P. Schwartz created a collaborative program with Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) to help bring the New York State Science syllabus to students in her third-grade class through demonstrations, hands-on lessons, individual projects, and field trips to RPI. Originally called Learn Tech, in 1990, Ms. Schwartz renamed the program Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). After the initial launch in the third-grade classroom, the program was disseminated to other classrooms of School 14. As a result, Ms. Schwartz earned the 1990 Christa McAuliffe Award for New York. The STEM program was filmed by NBC Nightly News with Tom Brokaw, narrated by Ann Curry, and presented by Jane Pauley on November 27, 1990.

NJ4Ks 2026 wraps up on Sunday, September 27th with Kent Busman, who for or over 20 years has been telling stories to people of all ages. Busman was able to integrate stories into his vocation as Director of Camp Fowler and Conference Center, a youth camp in Speculator, NY, he has used stories in the entire camp experience. “Telling stories of caring for the world, stories of wonder and joy, and stories of faith and hope, help to remind the listeners of not only how special the world is, but how special they are, too.”

For over 30 years, the Not Just for Kids Storytelling series has brought amazing, dazzling, hysterical, emotional, compelling, complex, sad, joyous, and outright outrageous story performances to the community.

These programs are free and open to the public. All start at 6:00pm. Held inside the Enders House if raining, adjacent to the Visitor Center on Schoharie Street in Fort Hunter.  Refreshments will be provided.  For more information, please call the Visitor Center: 518-829-7516 or email SchoharieCrossing@parks.ny.gov. Schoharie Crossing, PO Box 140, 129 Schoharie Street, Fort Hunter, NY 12069.

New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation

The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation oversees more than 250 parks, historic sites, recreational trails, golf courses, boat launches and more, and welcomes over 88 million visits annually. For more information on any of these recreation areas, visit parks.ny.gov, download the free NY State Parks Explorer app or call 518-474-0456.Connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn, the OPRHP Blog or via the OPRHP Newsroom.