Want to learn the art of jewelry making or how to fly a drone? Interested in grant writing or improving your self defense. Then check out the final classes slated for Bluefield College’s spring 2018 Fine Arts Community School, which offers something to learn for students of all ages and interests.
Dedicated to providing quality fine arts instruction to the community since 1993, BC’s Fine Arts Community School (FACS) is a community service outreach program that enables local families and students of all ages and interests, including home-schoolers, to explore and study the arts with the guidance of mentors and professionals who have appropriate training and experience. Expanding beyond the arts in recent years, FACS also offers training in a variety of other trades and skill to reach an even broader audience of those who enjoy learning and experiencing new interests.
A handful of classes, workshops and lessons are still available on the Fine Arts Community School schedule this spring, including Introduction to Grant Writing, Jewelry Design, Ladies Self Defense, Drone Piloting 101, and private lessons in music, dance and writing, all detailed below in chronological order.
Introduction to Grant Writing
· Dates: April 4-25
· Times: Wednesdays 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
· Tuition : $150 plus $25 registration fee (discounts for multiple people within same group)
· Ages: Adults
· Instructor: Dr. Roderick Neal
· Description: Developing effective grant writing skills are essential to acquiring funding from government agencies and private foundations. This experience will enable you to understand the fundamental and universal components of a grant proposal. Students will have the opportunity to prepare a complete proposal to a funding source that they have identified during the workshop. You will actually apply what you learn.
Jewelry Design Workshop
• Date: Saturday, April 21
• Time: 9:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
• Tuition: $70 tuition (plus $15 for tools, if needed)
• Ages: 14 and up
• Instructors: Bronwyn Owen and Myra Yates
• Description: In this jewelry design and handcrafted links workshop, students will make a unique chain, utilizing wire links you create and incorporating your choice beads. Learn how to use basic jewelry tools, form wire links and beaded links, connect links, and finish a one-of-a-kind jewelry piece. Basic jewelry tools required: side cutters, needle nose pliers, flat nose pliers, and round nose pliers. A basic tool pack will be available for $15. All other supplies will be provided, including 16g copper wire, 26g copper wire, focal beads, accent beads, and chain and jump rings.
Ladies Self Defense Workshop
• Date: Friday, May 4
• Time: 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
• Tuition: $25
• Ages: 12 and up
• Instructor: Melissa Bishop, Third Degree Black Belt in Shinsei Hapkido
• Description: The only confrontation you are guaranteed to walk away from is the one you are never in. However, we all know that we do not live in a perfect world and that sometimes violence shows up on our doorstep uninvited. Violence can occur anywhere and at any time. In this course, ladies will be presented with a variety of information and self-defense strategies that could prove useful to them if they ever find themselves in a potentially violent encounter. Instruction to include how to avoid attacks, the vital targets of the human body, and our own personal arsenal of built in weapons, as well as a variety of self-defense techniques.
Drone Piloting 101
· Date: Saturday, June 2 (deadline for registration and payment is May 18)
· Time: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
· Tuition $90 per student (parent is welcome to attend with child)
· Ages: 8 and up
· Instructor: Josh Grubb
· Description: For aspiring pilots, learn to fly a quadcopter (commonly referred to as a drone) from the professionally licensed UAV pilots at Aerovision UAV. Have fun learning how to fly safely and responsibly. Practice with your very own Cheerwing CW4 (included in cost), and pilot a DJI Phantom 4 Professional. The tuition includes a new Cheerwing CW4 quadcopter with 2.4 ghz transmitter. Deadline for registration and payment is May 18 in order to have the drones ordered and received by the start of the class.
Private Music Lessons
· Dates and times: 30-minute lesson dates and times determined by student and instructor
· Tuition: $110 for five lessons or $190 for 10 lessons, plus a $25 registration fee
· Ages: all
· Description: Lessons available for banjo, cello, flute, guitar, harp, mandolin, piano, trumpet, violin, woodwinds, and voice.
Private Dance Lessons
· Dates and times: 30-minute lesson dates and times determined by student and instructor
· Tuition: $250 plus a $25 registration fee
· Ages: all
· Description: Private dance lessons will be offered throughout the semester for students seeking one-on-one instruction. Students taking private lessons also have the option of performing a routine in the spring recital. Many dance styles offered. No experience required.
Private Writing Lessons
· Dates and times: 30-minute lesson dates and times determined by student and instructor
· Tuition: $65 for three lessons, $100 for five lessons or $175 for 10 lessons, plus a $25 registration fee
· Ages: all
· Instructor: Crystal Kieloch
· Description: Private writing lessons with an experienced writing coach and English instructor are available for all ages and levels of skill. From help with standard grammar or writing a research paper to a great letter to the editor or a short story or novel.
To register for a FACS class, visit bluefield.edu/facs or call 276-326-4215. A $25 non-refundable registration fee and is due per student per class when registering for most lessons and classes (but not workshops). If registering more than one person within a family, the registration fee is discounted to $15 per person. In some cases, an additional supplies fee (i.e. art supplies) may be charged in addition to tuition.
Tuition and fees are due by the start of instruction and may be mailed and made payable to Bluefield College, FACS, 3000 College Avenue, Bluefield, VA 24605. For more information, contact FACS coordinator Burma McChesney by email at [email protected] or by phone at 276-326-4248.