Art of Memoir 3/8
Etch your indelible mark on the world! Memoir is the story of your life. In this course, you will learn the tools, craft, and practices to enable you to write about the important moments of your life and transform them into a compelling story. You will embark on an adventure of self-discovery. You will learn to etch your unique memories and experiences into a polished story to share with friends and family. This class is designed for writers of all abilities. All you need is paper, a notebook, pens or pencils, and a sense of fun. 6 Sessions. Class size limited to 10.
TH 6:30-8:30pm with Ellen Herrling at BHS $49
Cake Decorating, Beginning 1/12 - Postponed
Each week we will be learning a number of techniques to enhance your casual dessert for the family or to celebrate that special occasion. We will learn a variety of borders, writing, basketweaving and simple dropped flowers. The first week, students should bring a batch of unfrosted cupcakes, a pound of powdered sugar, vegetable shortening (a small can) and some flavoring (vanilla, almond or whatever you prefer). We will practice some very simple tricks that will give you a chance to experiment and see the possibilities and give you a fancy dessert for the next day. There will be tools available for you to use the first class, until you see what you may want to purchase for future use. Feel free to bring tips or bags or whatever you may have. 5 Sessions.
TH 6-8:30pm with Gail Hallowell at BMS $59
Cake Decorating, Advanced 3/8
If you have mastered the basics of cake decorating and now want to create life-like flowers and decorating as on professional creations, this class is for you. These decorations are hard frosting and, once made, will last a long time and can be used more than once or saved as a mememto of an event. Students should come prepared with tips, bags, meringue powder, powdered sugar, wax paper, and flower nails, as well as a large cookie sheet. 3 Sessions.
TH 6:00-8:30pm with Gail Hallowell at BMS $37
Chinese Cooking, Beginner 3/26
Have you ever tried real Chinese food? Would you like to learn how to make Chinese food in your own kitchen? Sign up and join in. Have fun while learning. Bring your friends. Learn the skills of Chinese Cooking. Materials fee: $30.00, payable to the instructor at the first class. Each course will have different recipes. 6 Sessions.
M 5:30-7:30pm with LuSheng Li at BMS $59
Chinese Cooking, Advanced 3/27
Would you like to learn more about how to make Chinese Food in your own kitchen? You will Also be able to explore the basics of Asian cooking. Sign up and join in. Have fun while learning. Bring your friends. Learn the skills of Chinese Cooking. Materials fee: $30.00, payable to the instructor at the first class. Each course will have different recipes. 7 sessions.
T 5:30-8:00pm with LuSheng Li at BMS $69
Container Gardening 4/5 or 5/3
We will be looking at the basic construction, proper care and nurturing of container gardens, along with the types of plants appropriate to containers. The second session will be spent constructing a container garden of your choice to take home. We will consider both vegetable and flower containers, located in shade or sun or somewhere in between and why some plants work better than others in these particular spots. 2 Sessions.
TH 6:00-8:30pm with Gail Hallowell at BMS $29
Crafting Your Own Strange or Weird Tale: 1/11 - Postponed
Examining the Unusual and Inexplicable in Life
In this class you will create stories based upon your own imaginings, dreams, and personal experiences. This is fiction writing with the accent upon the development of circumstances which are difficult to explain and understand but those which hold symbolic relevance for the reader (the writer, too, hopefully!) once the narrative material and characters have been artistically plotted out. Not always having “solutions,” these mysteries should be presented and considered satisfying works of fiction. The instructor will regularly read passages from short stories to help stimulate students’ thinking and creative endeavors. Some aims for the class are for you to come to a deeper understanding about the possibilities of life, to understand how we are often strangely connected to one another, and to see that we often realize some of our greatest inner truths during events and relationships which stretch the limits of our comprehension and wisdom. 7 Sessions.
W 3-5pm with Charles Kroll at BHS $64
Dog Obedience 1/11 or 3/7
Basic dog obedience as well as advanced dog obedience. Basic Class: dogs will learn, among other things, six basic commands: sit, stay, stand, down, heel, and come. Advanced Class: dogs learn attention and finish while handlers will learn footwork. (2nd person/dog: $25). 6 Sessions.
W 6:45-8pm with Denyse Adams at JS $49
Energy Efficiency for Your Home 1/11 or 2/15
Did you see ice dams on your roof last winter? Did you see icicles drip and grow even when it was below freezing? Then you’re losing heat. That means you’re losing money! Ice dams are one way to see that heat is leaving your home, but not all signs are that obvious to the naked eye. Come to this class and join RH Foster, BPI certified Energy Advisor Kevin White to learn how to stop heat loss in your home and help you save on heating costs. Leave with an energy tool kit in hand and start your energy saving now. Materials Fee: $25, payable at first session to RH Foster. 1 Session.
W 5:30-8:30pm with Kevin White at BHS $9
Fly Tying, Beginner 3/7
If you are a beginner with no experience or have some experience and would like to polish your tying skills, this course is for you. All materials and equipment will be supplied. If you have your own equipment and would like to use it, that is certainly acceptable. The first night will be an introduction to the equipment, materials and some basic knots and at least one pattern will be tied. On the following nights, 2 patterns will be tied using a variety of tying techniques. You should expect to have 15-20 flies at the conclusion of the course. If you have a particular pattern you would like to incorporate into the course, please talk to Don and he will accommodate those requests whenever possible. Materials fee: $20, payable to the instructor at the first class. 6 Sessions.
W 6-8:30pm with Don Corey at BHS $64
Grow Your Own Organic Garden 4/4
Are you concerned about the rising cost of food? Unsure what the term “certified organic” means? Interested in learning how to grow your own vegetables in a sustainable manner? Join us for a workshop on how to grow your own organic garden. We’ll talk about the basics of soil science, how to enrich your soil to produce healthy, high-yielding plants. The course will also cover the basics of making and using compost, the principles of crop rotation and how to incorporate green manures and manage nutrients in the garden. Other topics will include how to tell the difference between cultivated plants and weeds, basic weed control strategies and common insects, pests and methods of natural insect control. Materials fee: $5.00, payable to the instructor at the first class. 3 Sessions.
W 6pm-7:30pm with Paul Volckhausen at BHS $34
Hand Applique 5/8
Hand applique has long been a popular technique used to embellish clothing and create beautiful quilts and a variety of useful and lovely items. This is your chance to learn the basics. You will be creating a lovely wall hanging to display in your home or to give as a gift to a dear friend who will be awed by your talents. You will learn about the tools (there aren’t that many) and techniques needed and how to design your own piece. Materials fee: $6, payable to the instructor at the first class. 3 Sessions.
T 6-8:30pm with Sherry Fournier at BHS $39
Italian Cooking 1/11 - Postponed
Let me work with you to bring the authentic flavor of Italy into your home. Be surprised how easy, fun and healthy Italian cooking can be. Limited only by your imagination. This class is for you if you have an interest in the skills of basic Italian cooking and a desire to become more proficient in the cuisine. We’ll work with pasta, vegetables, herbs and spices in preparation of sauces, salads and main dishes. Materials fee: $40, payable to the instructor at the first class. 6 Sessions.
W 6-8:30pm with Charles Bickford at BMS $64
Jewelry Making, Beginning 1/25
Learn to make your own accessories! Basic beading and stringing techniques will have you setting your own trends. Rely on your own skills to make beautiful pieces of jewelry and learn how to attach clasps, add charms and chain to your creations. Design single and multi-strand necklaces, bracelets, and stunning earrings you and your friends will love. Each week builds upon the next to add creative, new design features to your projects. You can leave each class with a finished project letting gorgeous and simple be your guide to personal fashion or fabulous gifts. For the first class you will need a bead board, 1 roll of beading wire, crimp beads, clasp, pliers and wire cutters. 6 Sessions.
W 6-8pm with Tonya Sprague at BHS $59
Jewelry Making, Advanced 3/14
This course gives many more options to your jewelry making, such as bead weaving and the basics of seed bead stitches, even and odd count peyote stitch and how to work pattern from a graft. Basic tools that you will need: beading needles, Fireline bead thread (6lb), beading wire 19 or 21 strand, scissors, crimp beads, crimp covers, clasps, various tubes of seed beads size 11 and crimp pliers. For the first week only you will need 31 bicone 6mm cyrstals. 5 Sessions.
W 6-8pm with Tonya Sprague at BHS $44
Karate 1/4
Enjoy yourself while learning self defense! Increase your confidence, respect, mental and physical endurance. Offered year round by Adult Education and the Bucksport Branch of Tracy’s Karate. Karate is a great family sport with safety and health issues a top priority. Experienced instructors. Give it a try. You can’t be too old, too big, or too small. To register, contact Sensei Linwood Bridges, 7th degree black belt, 469-7416. Ask about our Discount Programs! This is an ongoing program and you may come to register at anytime. Ongoing.
W 5-8pm with Sensei Linwood Bridges at JS $50 youth/$55 adult
Maine Driving Dynamics 2/28
New Highway Safety Laws create a mandatory automobile insurance premium discount for safe, mature drivers and require insurance companies to provide appropriate three-year premium discounts to drivers 55 years or older if they have completed a crash prevention course approved by the Department of Public Safety, Bureau of Highway Safety. 2 Sessions.
T/TH 6pm-8:30pm with Department of Public Safety at BHS 64 and younger $40; 65 and older $10
Nightmares of the Future: 1/11 - Postponed
Cinematic Projections of the Loss of Paradise
This film class will examine imaginings of possible societies of the future and the types of challenges they pose for humanity. Generally more negative than positive for the ordinary citizen, they are ominous versions of what sorts of conditions and values we may create for ourselves in coming times. We will hold discussions after the film screenings which will examine the concepts and characters of the work and also look at cinematic techniques used to bring out the director’s and writer’s ideas for this particular portrayal of a new world. The focus will be the featured philosophies and values, individuals’ reactions and adaptions to them, as well as their attempts to defy and change them. A few possible titles include: Brazil, Blade Runner, Fahrenheit 451, A Handmaid’s Tale, A Scanner Darkly, A Clockwork Orange, Dune, and Dark City. (Only a handful will be seen in class.) 7 Sessions.
W 6-9pm with Charles Kroll at BHS $89
Pilates 1/12 & 3/8
This beginner to intermediate mat class will promote core strength, improve posture, coordination, balance, and increase your breathing capacity by controlled flowing movements. Classes will include warm-up and breath work, mat series exercises, side series exercises, and closing. You will need to bring your own mat and wear comfortable clothes. 6 Sessions.
TH 6-7pm with Betsy Grossman at JS. $54 or $11/night.
Planning the Garden 4/10 or 4/26
In preparation for gardening season, we will look at such things as crop rotation, companion gardening and proper siting for your garden. With the increase in food prices and the need to economize, this is a great hobby. It also gives time outside in the fresh air, as well as a great way to share special time with the little folks in your life. Proper planning will help make your garden more successful, 1st time around or 20th. 1 Session.
4/10 T 6:00-8:00pm with Gail Hallowell at BMS $15
4/26 TH 6:00-8:30pm with Gail Hallowell at BMS $15
Quilting 1/9 & 3/5
If you are a novice quilter, this course will give you the support and guidance to grow and become more proficient. If you have the desire to create something useful and beautiful to become a family treasure, here is your chance. We will be creating a full-sized quilt using both pieced squares and appliqued enhancements. Using machine quilting, we will start with some of the basics, choosing coordinating fabrics, measuring and cutting the material, construction of the basic blocks. On the first night students will need to bring scissors, thread, their machines, if they have one, and 3 to 4 fat quarters (these are half cuts of half-yard pieces which measure 18” x 22”) as well as a background fabric (plain beige or bleach or “white on white” or “beige on beige”) of at least 2 yards. The fat quarters should be coordinated colors you want in your quilt. If you have rulers, rotary cutters and cutting mats, bring those as well, but do not buy them just for the class until you are sure this is a hobby that you love. There will be some available for use in the class. Each week we will be building on skills and techniques learned in previous classes. At the end of the class we will have a bed-sized quilt, ready to use or give as a gift. 5 Sessions.
M 6-8:30pm with Gail Hallowell at BMS $54
Restorative Justice, Introduction To 2/28
The goals of Restorative Justice are “community safety” and “accountability.” Restorative Justice is a philosophy which holds community healing as its cornerstone. Like community policing, it’s a way of doing business differently. What restorative justice offers is a different view of crime and a new goal for justice. Ideally, the victim, the offender and the community should be involved in ‘making things right’ to enable all parties to be returned to their pre-crime states. The class will teach you the core concepts of restorative practices and how they are currently being applied in coastal Maine communities from Washington to Sagadahoc Counties. 1 Session.
T 6:30-8pm Don Hutchison or Suzanne Farley at BHS $9
Self-Publishing for Maine Authors 3/8
Independent writers now have a whole new way of producing and marketing their books. Recent innovations in the rapidly-changing technology in printing have created a boom in self-publishing. Good books that don’t meet traditional publisher’s criteria can now be affordably printed and marketed by self-publishing authors. This workshop will outline some of the options both traditional and nontraditional, including what is offered locally. Students will discover how to get the technical assistance they need and explore the many types of organizations, printers, and publishers that work with Maine authors. Materials fee: $15, payable to instructor Jane Karker at the first class. 1 Session.
TH 6:30-8:30pm with Jane Karker, Genie Dailey, and Cheryl McKeary from Maine Authors Publishing & Cooperative at BHS $9
Sewing for 18” Dolls 2/15 or 5/16
We will be creating a wardrobe for the “American Girl” style doll, from nightwear to party dresses, along with accessories. Bring sewing machine if you have one, 4 or more fabrics 1/4 to 1/2 yard each, thread, sharp scissors and any extras you might want to use. Patterns will be provided. This is a great project for the birthday present for the little girl in your life. 3 Sessions.
W 6:00-8:30pm with Gail Hallowell at BMS. $34
Writing From the Heart and Bones 1/12
Leave your lonely garret and come write in community. Using Natalie Goldberg’s writing practices format we will explore the depths of our writing sources. Bring a notebook, a pen and your sense of fun and discovery. 6 Sessions.
TH 6:30-8:30pm with Ellen Herrling at BHS $49
Yoga 1/10, 3/6, 5/1
Hatha style yoga for ALL levels. Beginners are more than welcome. Yoga helps reduce stress, increases flexibility and strength, and also promotes relaxation. A fun class which will increase your energy and leave you with a serene feeling. Students should wear comfortable clothing and bring a mat. 7 Sessions.
T 6-7:15pm with Betsy Grossman at JS $54 or $11/night
Zumba 1/2
It’s more than a trend; it’s a movement! A Zumba workout mixes body sculpting movements with dance steps derived from cumbia, merengue, salsa, reggaeton, hip hop, mambo, rumba, flamenco, calypso and salsation. The routines feature aerobic interval training with a combination of fast and slow rhythms. It targets areas such as the glutes, legs, arms, abdominals, and the heart. A Zumba class is not formulaic in that instructors often add their own music choices and choreographies to make their class presentation locally unique. Let’s face it, exercise has never been known to be much fun UNTIL NOW! Our goal is simple: We want you to want to work out, to love working out, to get hooked. Zumba is offered through RSU 25 Adult Education in conjunction with the Down East Family YMCA. Ages 12 and up. Ongoing.
M/TH 5:45-6:45pm at OCS $4 for Y members and residents of RSU 25, $8 all others.