Nels Ross and Richie Derwald are The UP Guys – uplifting and empowering through elementary, middle, and high school assemblies as well as staff development.
They have shared 2500+ solo or duo programs to rave reviews from schools, arts centers, libraries, recreation, museums, and others.
Applying their diverse training in theater, circus arts, music, and education, they promote laughter and learning!
⇣The UP Guys share how FUN supports a bright future. This interactive program reinforces proven principles and models for success. It is evidence-based edutainment on essential foundations and mindsets, through humor, music, and variety arts! (Age-Adapted)
Participants learn about powerful:
Foundations – Values, Relationships, Purpose, Creative Outlets
Mindsets – Positive, Present, Purposeful, Playful
ℹ️ Available as age-adapted assembly programs, in-depth staff training, or both.
Celebrate the laughter-learning connection through theater, variety arts, and fun. Perfect for holidays, family nights, end-of-year, and other celebrations. (All Ages)
➕ Halloween, Thanksgiving, Valentine's...
Celebrate character through theater, variety arts, and fun. Themes include "UPLFFT" and "TAP Your Potential," with proven principles to uplift and empower. (K-12)
➕ Kindness, Bullying, Diversity, Respect...
Celebrate wellness through theater, variety arts, and fun. This program reinforces age-appropriate choices for physical, social, and emotional health. (K-12)
➕ Substance Abuse, Red Ribbon Week...
Celebrate reading and lifelong learning through theater, variety arts, and fun. We can "read, know, and grow" on our way to wherever we want to go. (K-6)
➕ Read Across America, PARP, RIF...
Celebrate STEAM – Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, & Math – through theater, variety arts, flying objects, bouncing balls, spinning plates, and more. (K-6)
➕ Ask about STEM and STREAM too...
Through creative play with juggling and more, participants develop social-emotional learning and life skills such as goal setting and resilience. (All Ages)
➕ Reinforce P.E., PBIS, school goals...
As seen at schools and...
As there are too many schools to list, here are districts which have had programs in New York, where it all started. Ask about New England, Northeast, and beyond too.
Addison • Akron • Albion • Alden • Alexander • Alexandria • Allegany-Limestone • Altmar-Parish-Williamstown • Amherst • Attica • Auburn • Avon • Barker • Batavia • Bath • Bemus Point • Binghamton • Brasher Falls • Brighton • Brockport • Buffalo • Caledonia-Mumford • Camden • Canandaigua • Cattaraugus-Little Valley • Chautauqua Lake • Cheektowaga • Cheektowaga-Maryvale • Cheektowaga-Sloan • Chenango Valley • Cherry Valley-Springfield • Churchville-Chili • Clarence • Clymer • Corning • Cortland • Cuba-Rushford • Dansville • Depew • Dunkirk • East Aurora • East Bloomfield • East Irondequoit • East Rochester • East Syracuse-Minoa • Eden • Elba • Ellicottville • Elmira • Evans-Brant • Fairport • Fayetteville-Manlius • Forestville • Franklinville • Fredonia • Frewsburg • Frontier • Gananda • Gates-Chili • General Brown • Geneseo • Geneva • Gorham-Middlesex • Grand Island • Greece • Hamburg • Hamilton • Hilton • Holland • Holley • Homer • Honeoye • Honeoye Falls-Lima • Hopevale at Hamburg • Horseheads • Ilion • Iroquois • Ithaca • Jamestown • Jamesville-Dewitt • Jasper-Troupsburg • Jordan-Elbridge • Kendall • Kenmore-Tonawanda • Lancaster • Lansing • Laurens • Le Roy • Letchworth • Lewiston-Porter • Liverpool • Livonia • Lockport • Lyndonville • Lyons • Maine-Endwell • Manchester-Shortsville • Marcellus • Marion • Medina • Mexico • Morrisville-Eaton • Mount Markham • Mount Morris • Naples • Newark • Newfane • Newfield • Niagara Falls • Niagara-Wheatfield • North Collins • North Rose-Wolcott • North Syracuse • North Tonawanda • Norwich • Oakfield-Alabama • Olean • Oneida • Orchard Park • Oswego • Palmyra-Macedon • Panama • Pavilion • Pembroke • Penfield • Penn Yan • Perry • Phoenix • Pine Valley • Pittsford • Port Byron • Potsdam • Red Creek • Ripley • Rochester • Rome • Royalton-Hartland • Rush-Henrietta • Salamanca • Sauquoit Valley • Seneca Falls • Sidney • Sodus • South Jefferson • South Lewis • Southwestern at Jamestown • Spencerport • Springville-Griffith Institute • Starpoint • Susquehanna Valley • Sweet Home • Tonawanda • Town of Webb • Trumansburg • Tully • Union Springs • Union-Endicott • Van Hornesville-Owen Young • Vestal • Victor • Warsaw • Waterloo • Watkins Glen • Wayland-Cohocton • Wayne • Webster • West Irondequoit • West Seneca • West Valley • Westmoreland • Wheatland-Chili • Williamson • Williamsville • Wilson • Windsor • Wyoming • York • Yorkshire-Pioneer • Still Reading? Wow.
*solo and team programs"Five stars! Teachers kept stopping by to share their delight with the program and the positive message on character. Several said it was the best assembly in all their years of teaching."
June Karassik"We are so grateful for your truly wonderful program. We didn’t realize how much it would make our day! Also, thank you for catering your program to our theme – it was a great touch to an already stellar performance."
Erin Foster"Fantastic presentation! It was a really good experience for this group because they are very stressed… You had everybody up and involved… Marvelous!"
Robert Martinez"One of the most energizing and engaging performances focused on bullying and character development that we have seen!"
Frank Spagnolo"Awesome job with the keynote for our Career Day. It was both entertaining and effective. Faculty and students loved it! Nothing but positive comments. You rock!!!"
Kathy Hoyt"Thank you for speaking at our conference in St. Petersburg. I thoroughly enjoyed your presentation, and the discussions and standing ovation proved it was very well received."
Anita Johnson"AWESOME!! Engaging and worth every minute… We had a blast and were talking about it the rest of the day… Great stressbuster… Hands down the best we’ve ever had!"
Kathy Collins"Absolutely fabulous! How wonderful it was to have science conveyed in such a fun way! You had everyone on the edge of their seats the whole time."
Kristy Bartenstein"Thank you for contributing to the success of our high school student leadership retreat… We are grateful for your commitment to your work, and we are in awe of your talent!"
Charmy Perry"Thank you again for presenting at our event last week. People are still talking about it, practicing their juggling, and saying that it was the best kick off ever!"
Laryn Bishop