Daily Jefferson County Union – Posted: Wednesday, February 17, 2016
The Fort Atkinson Club community center is offering free after-school engineering, art, theater and dance workshops for middle school-age youngsters.
The programs for pupils in grades 6-8 take place from 3:30 to 5 p.m. on five Tuesdays, Feb. 23-March 29, at the club, located at 211 S. Water St. East. They are held in partnership with the Boys and Girls Club of Fort Atkinson.
Participants with perfect attendance will be invited to a pizza party on the final day, from 5 to 6 p.m.
Workshops are divided into two series: PowerUp Paper Airplanes and Adventures in Art. Students must sign up for only one. Following are the descriptions:
• Engineer your own battery-powered paper airplane operated by a cell phone app. This five-week program promotes creativity, problem-solving and fun through building a properly engineered learning toy using PowerUp.
The PowerUp kit converts your classic self-made origami paper airplane into an electric flying machine. The smartphone app resembles a cockpit with levers to increase propeller speed, allowing the airplane to gain or maintain altitude. Tilting the phone right or left controls the module’s high-precision rudder, allowing you to steer the plane in midair.
The free class takes place on Tuesdays from Feb. 23-March 29, ending with a long-distance flight competition.
Register at http://paperplanesfac.eventbrite.com by Feb. 22. Class size is limited to 10.
This workshop is led by Peter Spangler of Wisconsin Makers, a regional makerspace located in Whitewater.
• Adventures in Art is being offered each Tuesday from Feb. 23-March 29 at the Fort Atkinson Club. Youngsters who participate in all five may attend the final day’s pizza party.
To register, visit http://adventuresinart.eventbrite.com.
Activities include:
Feb. 23: Selfie Collages: Canvas + Paint + Magazines = Crazy Selfie Art Collages. Explore collage and mixed media while making a paper-pieced work of art that’s all about you!
Leading the class will be Michelle Whisner, owner of crafted.
March 1: Hip-hop dance led by Colleen Burt.
March 8: Zoodles: Play around with paper and ink and have fun learning to create easy zoodles … part art, part doodle, all kinds of fun! Easy to learn and beautifully abstract!
Leading the class will be Michelle Whisner, owner of crafted.
March 15: The Fort Atkinson Community Theatre (FACT) will lead a fun, interactive theater workshop.
March 29: Hip-hop dance led by Colleen Burt followed, with pizza party from 5 to 6 p.m.