Pre-College/Youth Programs
ACADEMY
Course Descriptions 2011.
NOTE: Classes offerings subject to change. Course selections for each session will be sent out with the acceptance packets.
Session B Classes
for 5th and 6th graders
(More 5th and 6th grade classes listed
in Session A)
VISUAL ARTS
CREATIVE CLAY SCULPTURE
Experience the art of Japan while you learn how to sculpt beautiful oranina (Japanese clay flutes), dishes, garden sculptures and other traditional Japanese pieces. Take home many of your creations that have been fired and glazed. Instructor: Wataru Sugiyama is an international sculptor and native of Japan. He has exhibited his work throughout the United States, England, Switzerland, Germany and Japan. 
THE FANTASY ILLUSTRATOR
Let your imagination soar as you draw fantastic beings and incredible creatures. Study the where, why and how of the great fantasy creatures of all time such as fairies, elves, ogres, dragons, sea monsters, centaurs, unicorns and dragons. Learn new drawing techniques for your favorites and design your own fantasy creations. Instructor: Craig Honeycutt has a Master’s in Art Education and is a local artist and art educator with more than twenty years teaching experience.
PICTURE THIS!
Discover new hands-on ways to paint, tear, scratch, and alter your photos to make personal visual expressions. You will use acrylic paints, oil pastels, inks, and wax to create a photo memory box, unique sculpture and mixed media art. This is a class that will help you improve your picture taking skills and get messy and crazy with art! Instructor: Mary Wilkins-Kelly is an artist who enjoys sharing her love of photography with her students. She has 15 years of teaching experience.
‘TOON IT UP!
‘Toon up your drawing skills as you draw your own cartoons inspired by animations like Up, Fenias and Pherb, or Disney and Manga favorites. Experiment with pencils and markers as you invent new ways to express your artistic talents as a cartoonist. You will be guided by a professional artist as you bring your cartoon characters to life. Instructor: Craig Honeycutt has a master’s in art education and is a local artist and art educator with more than twenty years teaching experience.
PERFORMING ARTS
ACTING UP!
Build your confidence as a performer in this energy filled theatre class. You will explore action on the stage as you learn the techniques of ‘short form’ improv creating scenes inspired by theatre games and audience suggestions. Find out how body language sends messages and how vocal and physical actions entertain and inform us. Amaze yourself as you combine these techniques to entertain and to be entertained! Instructor: Mike Fitzgerald has over 20 years professional theater experience and has taught in the Rogue Valley for the past 15 years.
FUN WITH FENCING
En guard…ready…fence! Safe inside a mask and jacket, you will be introduced to the exciting sport of fencing. Learn the skills of “touching” (scoring on) your partner while avoiding being scored on and learn the respect, ethics and camaraderie involved in this sport. Instructor: Dylan Shelton has fenced both foil and epee with the Southern Oregon Fencing Center for four years and has taught SOU-sponsored fencing classes.
‘GLEE’-CADEMY
Want to sing but not alone? Experience the joy of harmonizing in a group as you learn songs that keep you challenged and engaged and are a blast to sing. You’ll be amazed as you learn how to sing your part out while others are singing two or three different harmonies at the same time. Each part will be taught as a separate melody and then put back together to form the perfect harmony. You’ll improve your listening skills and gain the ultimate confidence in this blast of a class. Instructor: Jaese Lecuyer is a multi-disciplinary performer who has written and performed his own music throughout the United States. He has been a choir director and soloist working with kids for nearly 20 years.
JUST DANCE
Do you like to dance? Do you like hip hop? This class is just for you! The focus will be on technique, flexibility and the choreography of hip hop, a blend of jazz, modern and street dance. We’ll utilize high energy music and street style movement to explore this unique style of dance. All levels are welcome. Come and learn a routine that you can take home to impress your friends and family! Instructor: Danielle Basey is currently a student at Rogue Community College where she also teaches dance. She has been dancing for 16 years, participating in and teaching ballet, jazz, modern, lyrical and hip hop styles.
STAND UP CRACK UPS
Are you a jokester or a storyteller? Are you a nerd, a knockabout or a wise guy? Find your funny bone in this class as you learn about set up and pay off and ‘the rule of three’ and write your own stand up comedy material and try it out on a supportive audience. Explore delivery, timing and find your personal comic style in this class of laughs as you discover what kind of comic you are. Instructor: Eve Smyth is an actor, improviser, and playwright. She is the co-director of Oregon Stage Works Ashland Children’s Theatre and is a member of the local improv troupe The Hamazons.
SOCIAL STUDIES
ANCIENT TRAILS
Explore the life ways of First Nations people as you are led through the history of Native Americans in North America by a respected Native American elder, cultural Interpreter, storyteller and traditional craft artisan. Explore the lessons shared by our nation’s earliest inhabitants about the importance of family, community and respect for the earth and for the ‘seasonal round’ that signals the right time of year to hunt and gather food. Traditional style artifacts including weapons, tools, weaving and beadwork will be shared and demonstrations of traditional fire starting and flint knapping will amaze and intrigue you! Instructor: Tom Smith is a respected elder, cultural interpreter and teacher who has gifted thousands of students with his knowledge and insight about First Nations culture for nearly 20 years. He is the carrier of the Veteran’s Eagle Staff for ceremonies and Pow Wows throughout the Northwest.
DRAMA IN ANCIENT GREECE
Why was theatre important to the religious and civic life of the people living in ancient Greece? How did Greek theatre influence western literature? You’ll find out the answers to these questions as you explore and reenact scenes that stunned audiences in 400 BC and still have meaning today. Through hands on activities including designing your own sets, you’ll discover the major themes of Greek tragedy and comedy. Instructor: Andrew DeCarlow holds a degree in Latin and Ancient Greek from Brown University. He taught at St. Mary’s School before entering Yale University where he is studying to receive his MA in Religion.
SCIENCE
BITE ME: THE SCIENCE OF SHARKS
Explore the truth behind the myths about sharks as you gain hands on scientific experience examining real shark teeth, jaws and shark egg cases. You’ll learn about the global distribution and diversity of sharks as you analyze data on shark attacks, conduct a shark sizing activity and examine how human activities affect shark populations and how international laws affect sharks and prehistoric sharks. You’ll conduct a food-web simulation activity to find out about the importance of sharks in our food chain and you’ll even design your own shark mask in the tradition of the Pacific Northwest indigenous cultures to keep. Instructor: Sarah Finstad has a BS in Ecology and Evolution, a BA in Environmental Studies, and an MS in Environmental Education as well as a teaching credential for middle school science and high school biology. She grew up on the central California coast and have been scuba diving since the age of 8 and have explored marine ecosystems all over the world.
THE BUZZ ABOUT BEES
Discover all there is to know about bees! You will learn the history, science and mysteries of the life of the honeybee. Live bees housed in a special frame behind glass will be your guests as you use microscopes to identify their anatomy, dissect bees and plants, make a beeswax candle, examine honey frames and smokers and try on authentic beekeeping equipment and clothing used by beekeepers. And you’ll get a sweet sample of the bee’s hard work when you extract honey from the honeycomb! Instructor: Pat Morris has been a beekeeper for 25 years. He is the owner and CEO of Rogue River Bees and his bees pollinate from Central Valley California to the Willamette Valley. His bees produce 40-60,000 pounds of honey annually.
EXPLOSIVE SCIENCE
Exploding . . . foaming . . . popping . . . spraying . . . science can make a real mess! Explore why things explode, implode and sizzle. In this class you'll learn the science behind things like soda spraying out of a can, Old Faithful, building implosion, earthquakes, and rockets. Have safe fun as you make your own mini-rockets, volcanoes, Mentos fountains and more! Instructor: Chris Rennaker holds a MS in Environmental Education from SOU and a BS in Biology from Ball State University. He has taught biology at Eagle Point Middle School, Crater Renaissance Academy and developed environmental education curriculum for the Deer Creek Center. 
SCENE OF THE CRIME
Use your intuitive and hard science skills as you conduct forensic tests on the evidence found at a mock crime scene. You will learn crime scene analysis and study physical evidence for clues. You’ll work with fingerprints, hair, fibers and insect impressions. Crack the case as you investigate chromatography, examine blood samples and test for DNA to piece together what really happened at the scene of the crime. Instructor: Heather Ransom earned her Master’s in Education from SOU and has taught middle school science for the past 17 years. She has been awarded numerous grants to coordinate student attendance at a variety of science field trips around the state and country.
SCIENCE…YOU GOT TO EAT IT UP!
Take a closer look at the products in our grocery stores and find out who develops all that “stuff.” You will learn how food scientists develop your favorite beverages and even the foods for NASA. Have fun as you develop your own candy products and beverages. Then learn about the various components of food—fats, carbohydrates and proteins as you participate in exciting lab exercises to demonstrate their presence in foods and beverages. Instructor: Heather Ransom earned her Master’s in Education from SOU and has taught middle school science for the past 17 years. She has been awarded numerous grants to coordinate student attendance at a variety of science field trips around the state and country.
COMPUTERS/VIDEO
EXTREME TECH
Come learn the latest and greatest in technology while using state-of-the-art equipment. Learn how to publish your own website, delve into HTML, and develop web-ready video and audio content Combine these skills to deliver your own unique website using integrated Google tools. Extreme Tech will whet that techno-artistic appetite using cutting edge Adobe products such as DreamWeaver, Flash, and Photoshop. Instructor: Anthony White has his Master’s in Teaching from Southern Oregon University with endorsements in Spanish and ESOL. He has extensive computer and technology experience.
TECHNO STORYTELLING
Tell stories with a 21st Century edge! Learn to dub a movie using your own words and craft a narrated movie with still shots. You’ll learn how to create digital scrapbooks, and author your own digitized book with pages that turn like a real book. If you have a story to tell, this class will take your story to a whole new level! Instructor: Rita Phillips has taught middle and high school social studies and language arts in the Grants Pass School District for ten years. She is a technology coach conducting workshops and presentations for teachers throughout the district.
MATHEMATICS/LOGICAL THINKING/ENGINEERING
IT’S MY BUSINESS
Discover how dollars are made using the worldwide web! Learn how many of today’s entrepreneurs set up businesses to make a profit in a virtual world. Check out some computer equipment and models that built the movement into what e-commerce is today. Discover how blogging, social media, search engines and advertising can work for you as a future business owner! Instructor: Caleb Laplante works for ShopDragon.com, a new kind of eCommerce website platform helping small businesses sell effectively on the internet to both their national and local audiences. He is also an alumnus of ACADEMY!
MOUSETRAP ENGINEERING
You will be challenged to use your creativity and construction skills to design and build a vehicle that will attempt to travel thirty meters powered only by the energy of a mousetrap! Advanced designs and speedier cars will be possible for those willing to exceed the challenge. Instructor: John Hampton is a Math Teacher at North Valley High School. He grew up in rural Alaska, hunting, fishing and trapping. While attending school he owned and ran his own business by the age of 18.He loves math and the application of its concepts in the world around us.