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College for Kids summer program

By Lori O'Brien, Correspondent

WESTFIELD For parents still considering creative and affordable options to keep the kids busy during the summer have you considered college?

Yes . college.

Each summer, Westfield State College hosts its popular College for Kids program, offering a variety of hands-on classes for ages five to 16. Costs per subject vary depending on resources used. Registration is underway for classes which are planned from July 9 to Aug. 3. Depending on a child's interests the following courses are guaranteed to stimulate and engage them during the weeklong sessions.

Wee Chefs: ages five to seven. Children will learn measurement, kitchen safety and sanitation, and how to follow recipes. Kids will also have fun making ice cream cone cakes, pizza cookies, cookie pops and much more.

Pirates and Scalawags: ages five to seven. Kids will set sail with Captain Judy and be part of the craziest crew of pirates on the Seven Seas. Children will learn how to make a treasure map, pirate flags, treasure chests and more.

Mud and Muck: ages five to seven. In this fun nature exploration, children will take tours of special habitats to give them a better understanding of the natural world. Children will be expected to get muddy, mucky and wet while they sneak up on frogs wallowing in the mud and fish hanging out in the pond.

Beginning to Read: ages five to seven. Course work will include decoding, phonics, vowel sounds, and much more.

Learning Math Through Art: ages five to seven. Children will practice basic mathematical concepts of shape, volume, patterning and sequencing through life drawing and craft projects.

Intro to Lego Engineering: ages five to seven. Students will build and work with models to investigate fixed and movable pulleys, gears and belt drives.

Kitchen Art: ages five to seven. Children will use household kitchen items to make a variety of different arts and crafts.

Insect Safari: ages five to seven. Kids will learn about pillbugs, millipedes, cockroaches, earthworms and more.

Nature Art: ages five to eight. The course will feature nature crafts and activities to enhance environmental awareness.

Beginner Cartooning: ages five to nine and ages 10-16. Children will create their own comics, learn techniques that the pros use, and examine the history of cartooning and comics.

Family Yoga: ages five to nine and accompanying adults. Sessions include yoga postures, activities, games, crafts and stories to foster awareness of, and respect for self, others, and the world around us.

Lego Battle Bots: ages seven and older. Students will learn to design and build their own motorized battle cars and vehicles.

Jr. Police Academy: ages seven to nine. Officers from the Westfield State College Campus Department, along with other police, fire and EMS agencies, will instruct students on the duties of a police officer, teambuilding/physical fitness, crime scene searches, fingerprinting, arson investigation/fire safety, crime prevention, crime scene photography and first aid.

Lights, Camera, Action: The Ins and Outs of Video Creation for TV/Internet: ages seven to11. Children will create their own video, becoming producer, director, camera person, lighting tech and talent.

We Love Horses: ages seven to 12. Course highlights include horse anatomy, feeding and nutrients, breeds, horsemanship and safety.

Lego Vehicles: ages seven to 12. Kids will build 13 different vehicles capped off with a final project.

Beginning Piano: ages seven to 12. Students will learn the fundamentals of the piano, as well as how to read music and proper hand positions.

Down By The River: ages eight to 11. Kids will explore nature close up rain or shine - while on daily hikes.

On the Banks of the Nile: ages eight to 11. Participants will learn about the ancient Egyptians, create hieroglyphics on handmade papyrus, and make personalized mummy castings.

Lego Engineering I: ages eight to 12. Lessons will include simple machines, structures and forces, levers, wheels and axles, gears and gear math, ratchets and drive trains, motorized systems, and challenges for points.

Chinese Culture: ages eight to 12. Children will learn Chinese culture, how to write one's name and speak some Mandarin Chinese, as well as watch movies, listen to music, play Chinese games and chess, and learn Chinese Kung Fu.

Science of Art: ages eight to 12. Students will learn the scientific principles behind good art and make some of their own.

Revolting Recipes from the Pages of Ronald Dahl: ages eight to 12. Participants will learn to make snozzcumbers, wormy spaghetti, bird pie, hair toffee and Bruce Bogtrotter's Chocolate Cake.

Hands-on Creative Writing: ages 8-13. Students will explore poetry and story writing as they relate to the world around them.

Pottery: ages 8-16. This course will allow students to explore hand-building techniques with clay such as pinch pots, coiling and slab, while focusing on design elements such as movement, balance, texture and form.

Ancient Inventions: ages nine to 12. This class will investigate and reproduce some of the inventions that helped make so many modern things possible.

Game Creators: ages nine to 12. Students will play a variety of outdoor and board games and then use their imaginations to create their own games.

Drawing: ages nine to 12 and ages 13-16. Young artists in this studio-style drawing class will learn techniques that will boost them to a new level.

Acrylic Painting: ages nine to 12 and ages 13-16. Acrylic painting techniques will be demonstrated so students can explore still lives, landscapes, animals and figures.

Photo Safari: ages nine to 14. All aspects of camera operation will be covered, as well as composition, framing, and what makes a great picture. Children will capture images of people, the landscape, wildlife, architecture and more.

Digital Photo: ages nine to 14. The basics of photography and composition will be covered, and kids will be taken on a photo shoot. Kids will also learn how to scan photos, slides and negatives, and use PhotoShop to alter the photos.

Taxidermy for Kids: ages nine to 16. During this hands-on laboratory class, students will study fish, birds and small animal skins and learn the basics of taxidermy mounts.

Rocket Science: ages 10-14. After learning about Newton's Laws of Motion and Bernoulli's Principle, students will test flight theories, build kites and airplanes, and construct and launch rockets.

Advanced Cartooning: ages 10-16. Children will complete a cartoon project from concept to final inking.

How To Compose Music: ages 10-16. Participants will learn how their compositions can be notated, performed and digitally recorded, and students will walk away with scores and recordings of their music.

Scriptwriting and Play Production: ages 11-15. Participants will explore their emotions and creativity through theatre and produce a performance for family and friends by the end of the week.

Babysitter Training: ages 11-15. The course is taught by the American Red Cross and teaches the responsibilities and qualities of being a good babysitter.

Intermediate Piano: ages 11-15. Students will engage in learning the fundamentals of the piano.

Accessories Etc.: ages 11-15. Students will create jewelry, hair accessories, sandals, handbags and more.

Computer Animation: ages 11-16. Using 3-D digital animation software, students will build characters, apply movement, and composite their characters into virtual sets.

Gourmet Cooking with Chef Franco Dell' Olio: ages 13-16. Chef Franco offers intermediate and advanced cooking classes that teach children how to prepare fine dishes, summer salads, breakfasts, breads and desserts.

You're A Poet and Don't Know It: ages 13-16. Students will learn to write haiku, free verse and ballads all within a journal that will be handmade.

For fees, complete course offering descriptions, dates and registration information, call 572-8034 or visit www.wsc.ma.edu/communityed.