winter can blanket us with spring fever. The arrival of the SoWashCo Community Education spring and summer catalog offers hope for warmer days ahead.
“People trust that we’re offering quality programs at convenient locations for an affordable price,” says communications specialist Marni Kanne.
Kanne says more than 15,000 residents—ranging from parents signing up their young toddlers and children to local senior citizens—registered for more than 500 spring and summer classes, programs and offerings. “More than 11,600 of those are kids and youth,” she says. Its classes are known for filling up quickly, so Kanne suggests following the programming on the SoWashCo Community Education Facebook page to get ahead of the crowd. “Some of the most popular classes fill up quickly … People are chomping at the bit,” she says.
Toddler and Youth Programming
Popular options for kids and youth include swimming lessons, especially beginner classes, gymnastics lessons, which always fill quickly and are aimed at all levels, and the Serenity Farm Horse Camp, which allows kids ages 6–12 get up close to equine education learning care, grooming and riding at the Stillwater stable.
When kids are out of school for summer, more camps and courses can be offered, like Camp Invention, a kindergarten through grade six STEM experience, which aims to spark curiosity and creativity in exploration. The program is part of an extensive set of STEM courses and is mainly geared toward younger grades; it features everything from beginner coding and modding to more advanced skills where students can drop creative coding to make games like Minecraft and Super Mario. There are also opportunities to learn about drones, edit videos for YouTube, design video games and use Legos as hands-on learning tools.
There are a myriad of art and theater classes, including a Loft Stage program for grades six through nine that features acting, singing and dancing. Whether your kids want to learn to sew, create, draw or sculpt, there’s a class for that, too.
Adult Programming
Whether you’re interested in learning the basics of first aid, budgeting or other life skills, Kanne says the adult programs cover multiple topics.
She notes popular adult classes include adult yoga, grilling basics and a Paint Your Pet class. And Instant Pot and air fryer classes are always popular. She says, “They give participants new ideas after they’ve burned through the six recipes that came with their appliances.”
A more unique option is the class on the Feldenkrais Method, devised by Israeli Moshé Feldenkrais in the mid-20th century. It’s a class that teaches awareness through movement—improving body movement, comfort and the psychological state.
Area senior citizens can pay $15 per school year to attend weekly classes including bridge, cribbage and other card games, plus support groups and more.
Registration
Registration starts in late February for spring and summer classes. Find more information and youth and adult classes online at sowashco.ce.eleyo.com.
