Summer Classes Educate And Entertain Young Learners

The Central Valley School District is offering a handful of classes that go beyond the ordinary for summer school.

Young engineers can design and build magnetic levitation vehicles. Kids who want to do more on computers can learn how to do animation.

Drama, arts and water ecosystems - there are courses for all these interests.

Engineering for Kids will take on a different area of engineering every day, for students starting grades four through six.

Teacher Dan Obenchain said students will learn some physics and the principles of flight as they design and build a balsa wood glider.

Another day will be devoted to building bridges that will be tested to see how much weight they can hold.

“Basically, we’ll blow ‘em up,” Obenchain said.

The magnetic levitation vehicles are one of the most fun things the students will build in the class he said. Kids work with materials that range from magnets and motors, to foam board and popsicle sticks.

The engineering class runs five days, starting on Monday. Fee is $50.

The computer animation class, also taught by Obenchain, uses sophisticated software that lets the children, grades four through six, learn some of the fundamentals of animation. The class does not focus on cartooning, but on the mechanics of animation.

The class runs July 8-12 at University High School. Fee is $50.

A new class this summer is “Reading to Learn,” for students starting fifth or sixth grade. The class will include strategies for reading for information, study skills and using resource materials for projects like a research paper.

Teacher Michele Verdi said, “When we look at test scores, we are doing an excellent job teaching kids to enjoy reading as pleasure.” But reading for information requires different skills.

Reading to Learn runs Monday through July 24. The fee is $90.

For kids who enjoy singing, dancing and hamming it up, there is a class called “Want to be a Star”? This summer theater production goes from start to finish - an on-stage production - in eight days. The production is “Lovin’ Kindness,” with a theme of respect for everyone.

There are rapper parts, speaking parts and singing parts. The class is open to everyone from starting first graders to sixth graders. Martha Reese, who heads up the music, advises that this class works best for children who can read.

Dates are July 1-12, with the long July Fourth weekend off. Fee is $80.

A class called “Water World,” July 15-19, will look at water ecosystems in the Spokane area. Fee is $55.

Unless otherwise noted, the above classes meet at Opportunity Elementary. Call 921-7007 for more information on Central Valley summer programs.

All three Valley school districts are offering regular academic and athletic classes, as well as drivers education.

, DataTimes