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Monday Night Keynote Presentation by Peter H. Reynolds

(to be held at Strong National Museum of Play)

Make Your Mark, and See Where it Takes You…
Offered by Peter H. Reynolds

Celebrating 25 years in educational technology, New York Times Best Selling Illustrator, Peter H. Reynolds, children’s advocate, author, illustrator, and successful entrepreneur, will share his uplifting vision how to inspire more creative classrooms and share his knowledge and love of the written word.
 
Hear about Peter’s six essentials to foster creativity and innovation in the classroom.  See how technology allows one to make new connections, share new ideas, and see what else is possible.
 
His message is served up in a delightful, touching and unforgettable style which is an entertaining blend of...his fanciful art work, live animation and a reading of one his books, The Dot, The North Star, Ish, So Few of Me, or his latest creation, Rose’s Garden. Peter will also share his latest DVD, Stories That Matter, Stories That Move along with his heart-warming tales of how creative educators dared him to make his mark.

Peter’s words, illustrations, animations and actions remind us to:
Be Brave,
Be Original,
Be Inspirational,
Be Inspired,
Be Active,
Make it a Meaningful Journey

Peter H. Reynolds is on a mission. The New York Times best-selling Author-Illustrator and advocate for “off the path” learners is dedicated to crafting stories, media and technology that challenge children and grown-up children around the world to reach their full potential.

Peter has made his mark in many ways, including founding FableVision with his identical twin brother Paul. FableVision, an educational media developer and publisher, creates innovative learning software and interactive media. FableVision has partnered with the “best of the best” in children’s educational media, including PBS, the Jim Henson Company, Scholastic, MIT’s Education Arcade, and the National Academy of Sciences, to create award-winning websites, animation, books, and online games.

FableVision’s original software products include Stationery Studio, Get A Clue, and the internationally acclaimed BrainCogs and Essay Express, as well as Peter H. Reynolds’ Animation-ish (www.animation-ish.com), an easy-to use animation program that has garnered numerous awards and accolades from parenting and educational publications.

Peter’s cornerstone books about protecting and nurturing the creative spirit, The Dot and Ish, have been translated into many languages and have won numerous honors and awards. The film versions of the books landed the Carnegie Medal of Excellence and the American Library Association’s 2006 Notable Children's Videos Honors. His cornerstone book The North Star has inspired "children of all ages" around the world as a book, a curriculum, and a musical and stage adaptation.

Someday and the Judy Moody series, books illustrated by Peter, were on the New York Times Best Seller Children's List for several months, as was the 35^th Anniversary edition of the classic book Free to be You and Me by Marlo Thomas and Friends, which Peter helped redesign and illustrate.

Most recently we saw the release of the 10^th Anniversary Edition of The North Star from Candlewick Press, as well as Rose’s Garden, a book dedicated to Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy that celebrates the spirit of community, the beauty of nature, and the power of faith and imagination, with a quote from the late Senator Edward M. Kennedy.

In 2007, Peter received an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from his undergraduate alma mater, Fitchburg State College, in recognition of his “substantial contributions to education and the arts.” He was named Verizon Literacy Champion in 2008 for his tireless efforts in promoting reading, writing and self-expression, and was chosen to host the LINK-live Presidential Inaugural Gala, focused on the theme of “technology serving humanity,” part of President Barack Obama’s Inaugural celebration.

Much of Peter's spare time is spent giving back to the community—revitalizing the businesses in his beloved town, Dedham, MA, supporting schools, and serving on the board of several non-profit organizations, such as Horizons for the Homeless and Everybody Wins Metro Boston.