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Fall Kid and Teen Academy

Fall 2024 Community Education Kid and Teen Courses

Piano Lessons 

September 16 – December 6
By Appointment
CRN# 90536
CFP 300-51  
Fee: $350

This course, designed especially for beginners ages 6-16, will include fundamental instruction in note reading, rhythm recognition, proper hand position, and chords. Instruction will consist of ten (10), half-hour individual lessons. Register for Piano Lessons.

Guitar Lessons 

September 16 – December 6
By Appointment
CRN# 90537
CFP 305-01  
Fee: $350

This course, designed especially for beginners ages 6-16, will include fundamental instruction in reading notes, strumming chords to songs, and technical development. Instruction will consist of ten (10), half-hour individual lessons. Students must bring their own guitars. Register for Guitar Lessons.

Voice Lessons 

September 16 – December 6
By Appointment
CRN# 90539
CFP 306-51  
Fee: $350

Students will learn proper singing technique and vocal independence through solo work. Students should be 6-16 years of age. Instruction will consist of ten (10), half-hour individual lessons. Register for Voice Lessons.

Cookie Decorating 

Section #2: Christmas!

Thursday, December 5
6-8 p.m.
CRN# 90695
CFP 504-52
Fee: $69

If you’ve never worked with royal icing or have dabbled just a little, this class is for you. Students, ages 10 and older, will work step-by-step on each cookie to learn hands-on the various decorating techniques used with royal icing. Cindy Burek of Buttercup Cookie will teach students about piping/outlining, flooding, and wet on wet techniques. Students will complete five cookie designs. Students will take them home with them in a bakery box, along with a decorating tool, a cookie cutter, and a packet of seasonal sprinkles and/or cookie decorations. All supplies are provided. Once class registration has closed, students will be sent Cindy’s informational blog loaded with basics of baking cookies, tips, and tricks of the trade, as well as links to places online to checkout for additional tutorials. Due to the perishables needed for this course, the withdrawal deadline for this class is two days prior to the start date. Register for Cookie Decorating.

Intro to Ballet and Modern Dance for Teens/Adults 

Section #2:

Tuesdays
October 29 – November 19
7-8 p.m.
CRN# 91001
CFP 742-53  
Fee: $60

This class will be located at Dreamlights Studio at the Viaport Mall, 93 W. Campbell Rd., Schenectady, NY 12306Students will learn elements of classical ballet, classical modern dance (Horton, Lemon, Graham…) with a healthy dose of post-modern dance (generally a mix of theater and dance) and jazz. Please wear stretchy clothing, have long hair pulled up in a pony tail, and be prepared to dance in socks or bare foot. Register for Intro to Ballet and Modern Dance.

Beginning Line Dance for Teens/Adults 

Section #2:

Wednesdays
October 30 – November 20
6-7 p.m. 
CRN# 91004
CFP 830-52  
Fee: $60

This class will be located at Dreamlights Studio at the Viaport Mall, 93 W. Campbell Rd., Schenectady, NY 12306
Come join us and learn how to Line Dance, the All-American classic, using many popular music styles you’ve heard since the early 1970s, then head out to local dance venues to join the fun. No experience needed. Register for Beginning Line Dance.

Experimental Dance Theater 

Section #2:

Thursdays
November 7 – December 5
5-6 p.m. 
CRN# 90992
CFP 883-52  
Fee: $60

This class will be located at Dreamlights Studio at the Viaport Mall, 93 W. Campbell Rd., Schenectady, NY 12306
Students will develop strength, dance technique, rhythm, and body awareness. This class is an excellent way for young dancers to gain self-confidence and prepare them for the next step in their dance training. They will learn elements of classical ballet, modern dance (generally a mix of theater and dance), and jazz.  Please wear stretchy clothing, have long hair pulled up in a ponytail and be prepared to dance in socks or barefoot. Register for Intro to Experemental Dance Theater.

Latin Dance Club for Teens/Adults 

Section #2:

Thursdays
November 7 – December 5
7-8 p.m. 
CRN# 90991
CFP 882-52
Fee: $60

This class will be located at Dreamlights Studio at the Viaport Mall, 93 W. Campbell Rd., Schenectady, NY 12306
Students 16 years and older will learn the basic steps, style and rhythm of Merengue, Bachata, Salsa, and Cha Cha. No partner or experience necessary. Register for Latin Dance Club.

Ballroom Dance for Teens/Adults 

Section #2:

Thursdays
November 7 – December 5
6-7 p.m. 
CRN# 90990
CFP 881-52
Fee: $60

This class will be located at Dreamlights Studio at the Viaport Mall, 93 W. Campbell Rd., Schenectady, NY 12306
Students ages 16 years and older will learn the basic steps, style and rhythm of the Waltz, Rumba, Swing and Foxtrot. No partner or experience is necessary. Register for Ballroom Dance for Teens/Adults.

Movement and Music for Pre-Schoolers

Section #2:

Thursdays
November 7 – December 5
4-5 p.m. 
CRN# 90994
CFP 889-52
Fee: $60

This class will be located at Dreamlights Studio at the Viaport Mall, 93 W. Campbell Rd., Schenectady, NY 12306
This class combines music with physical movement that includes singing, dancing, playing instruments, and moving to the beat. By moving with other people and sharing a space, children will learn through doing, which contributes to coordination, body awareness and balance, memory, focus, imagination and social skills. Whether by running around or dancing away, music is critical in a child’s development. Register for Music and Movement for Pre-schoolers.

Black Rocket logoSUNY Schenectady's Kid and Teen Academy with Black Rocket 

SUNY Schenectady has partnered with Black Rocket to deliver high-quality and fun online tech education to students ages 8-14 years. Students can choose from any of the great cutting-edge courses in coding, game design, eSports, virtual reality and more. Jump-start your future in creative tech with SUNY Schenectady and Black Rocket!
See a full listing of Black Rocket courses and learn more.

ROBLOX® Makers

Saturdays
September 28- November 2
10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Ages 8-14 years  
Fee: $179

Unlock the power of ROBLOX® Studio, the world creation tool used by real-world ROBLOX® developers. Learn how to build 3D models and create an adventure in your ROBLOX® world. Bring characters to life with unique animations you design. Student-created projects will be available on a password protected Black Rocket website to share with friends and family. Compatible with MAC and Windows OS only. Register Here - Scroll to Find Your Course.

New! A.I. Adventures – Intro to Machine Learning

Section #1:

Tuesday and Thursday
October 8 – November 5
6:30-8:30 p.m.
Ages 8-14 years
 Fee: $179

Section #2:

Saturdays
November 9 – December 14
10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Ages 8-14 years  
Fee: $179

Explore the world of artificial intelligence to design fully interactive games and experiences using cutting-edge technology. This program combines artificial intelligence with coding to create an unforgettable learning adventure. Students will construct machine learning models that use image and text recognition within block-based coding software to build a portfolio of projects. Student-created projects will be available on a password-protected Black Rocket website to share with friends and family. Students will work in pairs or teams for most of the program. Compatible with MAC, Windows, and Chrome OS. Register Here - Scroll to Find Your Course.

Minecraft Modders 

Tuesdays and Thursdays
October 8 – November 5
5-6:30 p.m. 
Ages 8-14 years  
Fee: $179

Use your favorite game to learn the basics of modding and foundations of programming. Learn scripting and logic statements as you create your first mods. Introductory coding will also be taught through a simulated environment inspired by Minecraft. Student projects will be available on a password protected Black Rocket website to share with friends and family. Students must own a Java version of Minecraft to take this class. Tablet, phone, and game console versions of Minecraft are not compatible. Returning students can create more advanced projects that build on previous years. Students must purchase Minecraft Java Edition. Compatible with MAC and Windows OS only. Register Here - Scroll to Find Your Course.

Python Programmers

Mondays and Wednesdays
November 4 – 27  
5-6:30 p.m.
Ages 8-14 years  
Fee: $179

Want to learn the world’s fastest-growing programming language favored by Google, NASA, YouTube, and the CIA? Learn how to code with Python to create engaging apps and games. Each lesson takes you step-by-step on a programming path that will let you challenge friends with fun content you create from start to finish! Returning students can create more advanced projects that build on previous years. $10 license fee per student with this class. Compatible with MAC and Windows OS only. Register Here - Scroll to Find Your Course.

YouTube Content Creators

Saturdays
November 9 – December 14
10:30-12:30 p.m.
Ages 8-14 years  
Fee: $179

Find your voice and leave your mark on the world. Whether you are 6 or 60, it’s time to start a career as the next YouTube star. Explore the variety of content and personalities that exist on YouTube and how to find your own niche. Learn the Dos and Don’ts of the platform and how to practice good digital citizenship. Develop your on-camera presence, your own channel branding, and professional editing skills. Take home a plan for launching your own channel with the content created in class. Student projects will be available on a password protected Black Rocket website to share with friends and family. A webcam is required for this course. Compatible with MAC and Windows OS only. Register Here - Scroll to Find Your Course.

Make Your First Video Game

Tuesdays and Thursdays
November 14 – December 12  
6:30-8 p.m. 
Ages 8-14 years  
Fee: $179

If you love playing video games, this is the class for you. Make your first video game in this one-of-a-kind class that shows you the keys to designing your first 2D platformer game. Conceptualization, play experience, level design, graphics, sounds, and simple coding are just some of the concepts that we’ll explore. No prior experience necessary, just a desire to have fun. Student projects will be available on a password protected Black Rocket website to share with friends and family. Games are only compatible on PC computers; Mac versions can be created after the program for $15.00 conversion fee. Returning students can create more advanced projects that build on previous years. Compatible with MAC and Windows OS only. Register Here - Scroll to Find Your Course.