So what are you curious about? Have you ever wanted to learn how to make cheese? Do you think it would be fun to practice tai chi? Maybe you’ve always wanted to go on a trip to Europe but are nervous to go alone.
Look no further! You can do this and more right here in the St. Cloud area through St. Cloud Area School District Community Education.
Community education boasts local instructors sharing their expertise and passions with other community members at a reasonable price within community facilities. It also brings people together who share common interests. Above all, it is about promoting lifelong learning, community engagement and the District’s mission to create a safe and caring climate in which we prepare, engage, educate, empower and inspire all learners in partnership with their surrounding community to be successful in today’s and tomorrow’s society.
Enrichment with community education begins with birth, spans a lifetime and includes everyone.
Enrichment for young children, begins in early childhood, and community education offers classes for parents with their infants through Early Childhood Family Education (ECFE.) Classes like “Birth to 6 Months,” “Itsy Bitsy Yoga” and “Family Time,” provide parents hands-on experiences with their child.
“ECFE allows us to get out and interact with other kids and adults,” says Lacey Wolterman, an ECFE parent. “I think it allows the kids to trust other adults, to trust other kids and build good relationships that they can use throughout their life.”
Youth learning continues on with classes for preschool age through high school. Youth categories include arts and crafts, food, health and fitness, recreation, special interest and aquatics.
Parent Kelly Neisen says she loves youth enrichment courses. “My daughter gets to try different courses, and we can see what she likes and doesn’t like, and there is a wide variety of activities that she can try.”
Makayla Michael, a youth class participant who has taken several classes, says, “My favorite thing about community ed is spending time with friends and doing something fun.”
But kids aren’t the only ones who get to have fun. Adult enrichment classes allow the adults to get out and explore.
Community education offers so many possibilities for adults: everything from health and fitness to technology and travel. There is always something new to try such as “Painting Barn Quilts,” or “BBQ Like a Pro.”
Yoga instructor for community education, Jill Florek says, “It’s the actual students who participate in the class that make it fun. The time that they have is for them. They want it to be for themselves.”
“I started teaching the classes about seven years ago,” says Florek. “I [also] took a lot of them [classes] over the years, and I found that they were a lot of fun. You actually meet new people. You make friends. And I thought, ‘I can do this. I can teach and help people.'”
Enrichment classes for adults also expand to teens and adults with disabilities. Project Challenge classes, for example, are specifically tailored to further learning of basic living skills and to foster independence.
Karen Toenyan has been participating for years.
“I joined community ed because it would help my disability and to meet new friends,” says Toenyan. “I’ve done ‘Subs and Karaoke,’ ‘Fun Tonight,’ ‘Valentine Party,’ dances, cooking classes, health and fitness, some trips and other special events.”
Chad Brenden is also a fan.
“I’ve taken so many classes I’ve lost count,” says Brenden.
He loves spending social time with friends. He and several roommates take the classes together.
If you ask Brenden why he takes the classes, he’ll reply, “You’ll have the time of your life, that’s for sure!”
St. Cloud Area School District community education provides lifelong learning from cradle to career—and beyond!
