Summer 2009 registration is now open!

2009 For elementary school students... For middle school students... Transitional school students... For high school students... Startup, Wind-down, Combo Time, and lunch schedule

Elementary School Students
Ages 7-10

3-DIMENSIONAL Art
Ages 7-10. Explore three-dimensional forms in a variety of media. Sculptural styles from master artists include mobiles, stabiles, and assemblages. Create work based on design principles as they are applied to sculpture and gain an understanding of unity in form, color, and repetition of movement. Monday-Thursday section $129; Monday-Friday section $150 (includes $15 materials fee*)

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A Week of Windows
Ages 7-10. Spend a week getting acquainted with the basic functions of Windows software (and a computer) and practice keyboarding with daily warm-up exercises. Create interesting projects while learning which buttons to click. Word processing, drawing programs, making stationery and organizing collections are just some of the skills you'll master. Limited to 14 students. CDs and handouts provided. 1 week $140 (includes $5 materials fee*)

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Advanced Puppetry
Ages 7-10. More great puppet creations and lively, inventive stories. Develop better puppet manipulation skills. Bring puppets and objects to life by focusing on core puppetry skills. Class will include shadow puppetry, mask work, and working with different styles of puppets. Students will work toward a performance at the end of the week. 1 week $150 (includes $15 materials fee*)

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Around the World With Art
Ages 7-10. In conjunction with Abrakadoodle™ art education, students visit the jungles of Ecuador where Exotic Birds take wing, Mexico where Sun Faces shine, India where Festival Elephants are paraded through villages. Sculpt a Polar Bear like the Inuit's of the North, and display the many colors of the world around us with a Rainbow project. Each class introduces new vocabulary and techniques that enhance the multicultural art experience. 1 week $195 (includes $30 materials fee*)

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Art Creations on Pirate Island
Ages 7-10. Ahoy all Pirate Island buccaneers! Explore the treasures of Pirate Island through cartooning, origami, sand painting, sculpture, and cartography. Create pirate ships, colorful parrots, treasure maps, sea monsters, ship flags, doubloon necklaces, treasure chests and more! This class is offered in cooperation with Abrakadoodle™ art education. 1 week $195 (includes $30 materials fee*)

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Art In Hand
Ages 7-10. Many skills will be developed in this awesome arts and crafts course. Create beautiful writing cards from your own hand-made paper. Create a colorful collage, bring folded paper to life through action origami designs, create and decorate a one-of-a-kind box using air-dry clay and construct other exciting art projects. 1 week $155 (includes $20 materials fee*)

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Beginning Japanese *NEW!*
Ages 7-10. Konnichiwa! Learn Kanji alphabet characters, simple vocabulary, and pronunciation by taking part in elementary conversations. Enjoy modern Japanese culture by reviewing traditions, making crafts, tasting foods, and learning about life in Japan then and now. Taught by a native speaker. 1 week $150 (includes $15 materials fee*)

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Bella Italy
Ages 7-10. Learning another language is easier than you think, and especially when it's combined with a taste of the art, food, music, personalities and culture that make Italy the country of la dolce vita or "the sweet life." Practice Italian language in useful everyday situations where you can talk about yourself, your home, count and tell time, sing songs, dance, taste Italian specialties and savor all that Italy has to offer. Taught by a native speaker. 1 week $150 (includes $15 materials fee*)

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Cartoon Art for Students
Ages 7-10. Turn your doodles into designs of delight in this fun and colorful course. Let your imagination go wild while you hold the pencil and draw your own comic strip complete with color, word bubbles, and lettering. Learn skills like drawing people, animals, and inanimate objects. Sketch your own original creations. Monday-Thursday section $129; Monday-Friday section $150 (includes $15 materials fee*)

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Creepy Creatures
Ages 7-10. Come learn about all the animals you love to hate! Combining basic biology and art, you will be taken on a wild exploration into the habits and anatomy of what makes skunks, warthogs, snakes, spiders, bugs and other animals so YUCKY. Be prepared to go on bug hunts, make bug home replicas, and use your creative talents to design your own creepy creature. Learn why skunk spray smells so bad and concoct your own formula based on the scientific analysis. Not for the faint of heart! 1 week $150 (includes $15 materials fee*)

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Down and Dirty With Dinosaurs
Ages 7-10. Did you know that we have fossils right here in Maryland, even in Howard County? Come get down and dirty with dinosaurs as we explore how fossils were formed, how scientists identify fossils, and why it is important to study them. This hands-on class teaches you the evolution of animals, and presents theories of dinosaur behavior, diet, habitat, hunting strategies, and much more. 1 week $145 (includes $10 materials fee*)

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Elementary Engineering and Robotics
Ages 8-10. Discover the joys, thrills and spills of the world of science, engineering, and math. Throughout the week, you will engineer your own rocket that you can bring home, explore the mechanics of machines, and learn to program a robotic device. Professional scientists and engineers will share their expertise with you in class. Build your world! This class is offered in cooperation with TechStars, a division of Computer Explorers™. Monday-Thursday section $158; Monday-Friday section $185 (includes $20 materials fee*)

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Exploring World Languages
Ages 7-10. Explore languages such as Arabic, German, Greek, and Latin in just a few days' time. Pronunciation, vocabulary, greetings, and culture will be covered. Practice simple conversations through role play and learn, by using similar phrases, how small this world can be. 1 week $145 (includes $10 materials fee*)

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Fifty Nifty United States
Ages 7-10. Join this adventure through the 50 United States of America. Explore state capitals, silly laws, fun facts, state mottos, birds, flags, and exciting histories. Learn a great song to help remember all the names of the states. You will get into the geography of the USA as you taste many of the specialties of the different regions. 1 week $150 (includes $15 materials fee*)

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Fit, Fun, and Fine
Ages 7-10. Energize! Get healthy with all areas of fitness, from health, to nutrition, exercise and sports. Play traditional recess games (plus Twister), enjoy delicious and healthy snacks, and take part in team building exercises. Get ready to get active! Monday-Thursday section $129; Monday-Friday section $150 (includes $15 materials fee*)

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Garbage Galore *NEW!*
Ages 7-10 "Please take out the garbage!" Parents have been asking kids to do that for over a century, but have you given garbage a second thought? Look at the history of garbage, the study of garbage (Municipal Solid Waste), how different types of waste stack up, measuring and distinguishing waste, and how much of the problem can be solved by recycling. Take part in an energy quest, recycler-opoly, worm-ology, and web games that bring the trash to the class. 1 week $145 (includes $10 materials fee*)

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Lights, Camera, Action: Moviemaking
Ages 8-11. Computers, Cameras, and Art--what a perfect combination for creative kids! Working in teams of 2-3, students in this limited enrollment class do it all- from story creation to making the characters & sets. As they learn the production process, they will design and compose using a storyboard, animate, record, download, assemble, and edit their own movies. Fun, learning and excitement go hand in hand with production. This class is offered in cooperation with TechStars, a division of Computer Explorers(TM). 1 week $185 (includes $30 materials fee*)

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Long Lost Latin *NEW!*
Ages 8-10. Travel back in time to a little town along the most northern reaches of the Roman Empire (Hadrian's Wall). Meet your guide, Minimus the mouse, as you visit with an ancient Roman family. Learn how the people lived as you explore the Latin language. Become familiar with Latin words and simple phrases. This is a great introduction to the language and helps build lifetime skills in logic and language. 1 week $129 (includes $15 materials fee*)

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Money Magic
Ages 7-10. Spend a week learning about the stories, history, and magic of money through the ages. Examine the art and science behind currency, allowances, wants and needs, banking, investing, and building wealth. Create you own currency and run a model bank. Students will learn practical facts about money through hands on activities that have the potential to build positive lifelong financial skills. 1 week $145 (includes $10 materials fee*)

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Multiples of Math
Ages 7-10. Math is more than numbers. It is also word problems and turning those words into numbers. Get lots of practice in solving puzzles, playing games, reviewing money decisions, and turning a graph into a piece of cake. You can "count" on enjoying this class and finding out how numbers relate to the real world. 1 week $150 (includes $15 materials fee*)

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Natural Forces
Ages 7-10. Mother Nature has a temper and she displays it in many of the areas of the globe, sometimes with predictability, sometimes without warning. Chart tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, floods, volcanoes, wildfires, and rainbows both geographically and seasonally. Create some of these forces right in the classroom and discuss both the science of the force and its impact on humans. 1 week $150 (includes $15 materials fee*)

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Nose for News
Ages 8-10. Bring your pencil and imagination and turn yourself into "STAR REPORTER" as you put together a newscast with your classmates. Learn interviewing skills and practice writing about sporting events, restaurant/food critiques, video/book reviews, and more. The class will have a chance to present the news on DVD and the final project will be distributed to all class participants. 1 week $145 (includes $10 materials fee*)

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Oooo Goo, and Stinky To Gross Science
Ages 7-10. Come and explore the weird and wacky world of science. If you're daring, cover different areas of science with a terrific slimey hands-on project for each day. Chemistry Concoctions, Yucky Biology, Phantasy Physics and much more will capture your scientific curiosity. Enjoy science as you never have before! Monday-Thursday section $129; Monday-Friday section $150 (includes $15 materials fee*)

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Partners With Potter
Ages 8-12. Are you a Harry Potter fan? Step into his world as we discover the meanings behind characters' names, create a textbook for the care and feeding of magical animals, design trading cards, and invent dishes for a holiday banquet. These are just a few of the activities you will use to learn about these popular books. You should have read the first book, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, before attending the first class. Monday-Thursday section $129; Monday-Friday section $150 (includes $15 materials fee*)

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Performing Magic
Ages 8-12. Wave a wand and PRESTO... make things disappear and put on a show. Using simple props and flexible fingers, learn straight, mental, and comedy magic tricks and techniques from a professional magician. Whether it involves cards, coins, rope, scarves, or other gadgets, you will learn secrets of magic from the past and develop confidence and stage presence as you demonstrate proficiency in performing prestidigitation. 1 week $155 (includes $20 materials fee*)

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Pets and Vets
Ages 7-10. Caring for pets, making a bird feeder, learning about endangered species, and discovering the duties of a vet are some of the educational, creative, and fun activities in this unique class. Learn animal behavior facts, tricks, and tips on grooming, feeding, and becoming a responsible pet owner. Develop sensitivity and skills so that you may make a difference in protecting animals and pursuing a possible career. Monday-Thursday section $134; Monday-Friday section $155 (includes $20 materials fee*)

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Practice in PowerPoint
Ages 7-10. This exciting hands-on course teaches you the ins and outs of the Microsoft PowerPoint program. Learn how to create a slide, change colors, fonts, and backgrounds, make transitions from one slide to another, and incorporate clip art. Save the slides for a presentation at the final class. 1 week $140 (includes $5 materials fee*)

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Puppetry
Ages 7-10. Long before there were Muppets, there were glove puppets, rod puppets, shadow puppets, and marionettes to name a few. Create your own puppets and put on a show in this unique class that combines skills of crafter, performer, storyteller and technician. 1 week $150 (includes $15 materials fee*)

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Reading, Writing, and Reasoning
Ages 8-10. Use plot, setting, theme, and character analysis to explore many different kinds of literature. Learn to interpret stories creatively through book talks, story mapping, and discussion questions about social values and author's intent. Sharpen your critical thinking skills through puzzles, games, and story structure analyses. Learn how authors use inductive and deductive reasoning to craft stories and send messages to readers. Have fun while becoming a critically aware reader, writer, and thinker! Monday-Thursday section $119; Monday-Friday section $140 (includes $5 materials fee*)

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Sign Language II for Students
Ages 7-10. After you've learned the alphabet and basic gestures of signing, try your "hand" at telling a story or singing a song. Use facial expressions and handspelling to help communicate at this next level of American Sign Language. Using sign language helps you pay better attention in school, watch visual clues more carefully, and exercise your memory skills. 1 week $145 (includes $10 materials fee*)

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Sign Language for Students
Ages 7-10. Learn the basics of signing, including simple vocabulary and conversational skills, fingerspelling, and some of the essential differences between American Sign Language and English Sign Language. Using fun activities, you'll learn how to gesture and how to interpret gestures in a unique and useful language. You will receive a DVD with signed vocabulary. Monday-Thursday section $129; Monday-Friday section $145 (includes $10 materials fee*)

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Speaking Chinese for Students
Ages 7-10. Learning Chinese is not as hard as you think! Voyage to the Far East as you explore a language that is 6000 years old. Find out some of the traditions and customs. Begin to recognize some of the Chinese characters, simple everyday vocabulary, and elementary Chinese sentences. Expand your horizons! 1 week $150 (includes $15 materials fee*)

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Speaking French for Students
Ages 7-10. Explore the fascinating country of France and get a head start on speaking this popular language. Learn to count, tell time, read, write, speak, and comprehend simple sentences. Cultural explorations cover holidays, food, music, games, sports, and French magazines. 1 week $150 (includes $15 materials fee*)

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Speaking Spanish and Hispanic Culture
Ages 7-10. This class is a beginning language course for students who have had limited exposure to introductory Spanish. The course covers simple grammar rules and vocabulary building. Conversation topics will go beyond basic greetings to include food, games, holidays, Hispanic culture and modern Hispanic life. Course is taught by native speaker. 1 week $140 (includes $5 materials fee*)

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Stock Market Game
Ages 8-12. Run with the "bulls" or be a "bear" in this fast-paced interactive course that introduces you to today's stock market. Cover basic topics such as the Dow Jones, mutual funds, Price Earnings Ratios and much more. Join in a unique opportunity to participate in a mock stock market game where you invest an imaginary $100,000 into stocks and then track your performance over the week. Hang on to your hats and checkbooks and get ready for a ride on Wall Street. You must bring a calculator and be able to use multiplication tables. 1 week $140 (includes $5 materials fee*)

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Touch, Type, and Create
Ages 8-10. Do you use the "hunt and peck" method to send an instant message or an email to your friends? Learn how to type at a rate of 15 - 25 words per minute without making a lot of mistakes. Use Microsoft Office Word 2007 to become skilled at basic word processing, formatting, correcting errors, and proofreading your work. Practice cutting and pasting, changing fonts, underlining, using italics, and bolding. This interactive class will keep your fingers flying across your keyboard. Monday-Thursday section $119; Monday-Friday section $140 (includes $5 materials fee*)

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Who Done It?
Ages 7-10. Become a detective and solve mysteries. Join your classmates in solving a crime from start to finish using fingerprints, secret codes, clues, disguises, and other investigative techniques. Put your skills to the test and unravel the puzzle. Monday-Thursday section $124; Monday-Friday section $145 (includes $10 materials fee*)

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Young Writer's World
Ages 7-10. Develop writing techniques not normally learned until much later in school. This interactive class covers a variety of writing styles and related skills including illustration and publication. You have the chance to write and share stories, poems, and journal entries, and compile them into your own "book." 1 week $140 (includes $5 materials fee*)

Middle School Students

Amateur Architect *NEW!*
Age 11-14. Architecture reflects the civilization and culture of the times. From the Mayan pyramids and Greek temples to the modern monuments and complexes, examine the differences and similarities in the way buildings are constructed. Analyze examples of homes, cathedrals, and cities. Try your hand at designing classical to futuristic structures. 1 week $150 (includes $15 materials fee*)

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Archaeology
Ages 11-14. History leaves evidence and that evidence ends up buried in the dirt under your feet. Learn about archaeological field methods, mapping and interpretation using real archaeological artifacts. Explore famous archaeological digs from dinosaurs to mummies to the Titanic. There will be an opportunity to get your hands dirty and make some discoveries of your own. 1 week $150 (includes $15 materials fee*)

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Bedazzled by Beads
Ages 10-14. Are you attracted to jewelry? Learn how to turn ordinary beads, metal, and string into stunning wearable art. Use patterns to create colorful bead strands, glass and wire pendants, bracelets, earrings, and more. Practice weaving beautiful friendship bracelets and discover the cultural significance of the jewelry you love. 1 week $155 (includes $20 materials fee*)

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Body Fit *NEW!*
Ages 11-14. Gear up for a completely fit body. From nutrition to physical activity, learn how the right fuel (food) is necessary to keep the body healthy and moving. Discover the importance of reading and understanding food labels, eating out without being left out, and controlling portion size. Receive coaching on the benefits of getting active using traditional and non-traditional types of physical activity as you build self-esteem and self-confidence. 1 week $150 (includes $15 materials fee*)

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Business Beginnings
Ages 11-14. Turn your creative concepts into a well-structured business operation. From the brainstorming of an idea through production and waste control to actual sales, you will learn the how-tos and how-not-tos of beginning a business. You will create a product, sell it, and plan how to use the profits. Bring $5 to the first class for start-up. Monday-Thursday section $119; Monday-Friday section $140 (includes $5 materials fee*)

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Career Research
Ages 11-14. There's an old saying that goes, "Find a job that you love and you'll never work a day in your life." What do you want to do when you grow up? What's hot in the job market and how do you get that good job? Gather information about potential jobs according to your talent and ability. Start considering choices that will set you on a career path armed with facts about specific jobs, your skills and interests, and current educational requirements. 1 week $140 (includes $5 materials fee*)

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Chess and Games of Strategy
Ages 11-14. Make a move in the right direction by learning this classic board game. Strategy means outwitting your opponent, and Chess is the most famous game of skill. Learn the background of Chess, terminology, goals of the game, rules and simple moves to open play. Discuss the mechanics and skills used in several games of strategy like Checkers, Battleship and even Tic-Tac-Toe. Beginners welcome. Monday-Thursday section $119; Monday-Friday section $140 (includes $5 materials fee*)

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Color Me Green-Ecology Today
Ages 11-14. It's not too soon to learn important sustainability concepts and their interconnections. Examine ecosystems that occur around us and in every aspect of our lives such as local environments and natural resources, population growth, home, food, land and air. Take part in a fishing game, read your own ecological footprint, and go "trash digging" for recyclables. Help design and implement an action plan to become ecologically aware and responsible. 1 week $145 (includes $10 materials fee*)

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Creative Writing
Ages 11-14. Explore the world of your imagination and create free verse, blank verse, lyric poetry, character sketches, personal narratives, and dramatic monologues. Learn techniques of journal writing. You will publish a literary magazine using a PC. Monday-Thursday section $224; Monday-Friday section $255(includes $5 materials fee*)

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Crime Scene Investigators
Ages 11-14. Learn to apply a variety of scientific techniques to examine the surroundings and solve a mystery. Study a crime scene looking for pertinent clues, analyze fingerprints, identify mysterious substances, and use chromatography to narrow your search for the "perp." Enjoy hearing about the experiences of a pro. Guest speakers will talk about the use of forensic science to solve local historical mysteries and discuss what is happening in the field today. This class goes beyond "Who Done It?" to "How Was It Done?" 1 week $150 (includes $15 materials fee*)

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Cryptology
Ages 11-14. Learn how to construct and even deconstruct coded messages including classic codes to those you can use on the Internet or in text messages. Become familiar with spoken codes you can use with your friends, or written codes that are unbreakable. Use a simple word processing program to solve complex codes and determine how Braille works. OH, by the way, KH AQW ECP TGCB VJKU, QKIP WR VQ NGCTB CP WPDTGCEMCDNG EQFG! 1 week $150 (includes $15 materials fee*)

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GeoCaching
Ages 11-14. Do you like finding things, solving puzzles, navigating coordinates? Have you ever wanted to be a real treasure hunter? Come join us for a new kind of adventure right here in the HCC neighborhood. GeoCaching combines orienteering skills, cartography, and GPS systems with treasure hunting. You'll never know what's out there until you go looking. 1 week $145 (includes $10 materials fee*)

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GIFT: Girls in Fitness Training *NEW!*
Ages 11-14. Tap into girl power! Become a role model for healthful living. Through fitness and nutrition training, build self-confidence, self-awareness, and a healthy body. Learn the benefits for the whole body by being physically active, snacking smart, and feeling fabulous from the inside out. You will be inspired to be healthy, fit, and strong. 1 week $150 (includes $15 materials fee*)

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Intermediate Engineering and Robotics
Ages 11-14. Engineering technology is a great way to introduce a budding young scientific mind to the future opportunities of a high-technology world! In this class, teams will work together and become the technology experts. Instructors will reinforce applied physics and math concepts like friction, measurement of distance, time, angles, and much more while students will be challenged to design their own original robotic solutions. Come learn how to do some amazing things with technology! This class is offered in cooperation with TechStars, a division of Computer Explorers(TM). 1 week $185 (includes $20 materials fee*)

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Is It Who Or Whom?
Ages 11-14. This specialized writing class concentrates on the building block of writing-the sentence. Learn to identify the parts of speech, study the correct use of verbs, determine subject/predicate, examine phrases and clauses, and construct sentences using proper grammar and punctuation. By means of group editing, you will explore the fundamentals of good sentence structure, bringing clarity to your writing. This course will help prepare for various standardized writing tests. 1 week $140 (includes $5 materials fee*)

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Journalism for Students
Ages 11-14. Stop the presses! This is your chance to write, produce and publish a newspaper. Practice reporting, interviewing, editing, and layout. Sharpen your Word and Publisher skills. Challenge yourself by becoming a part of a hard working team. You'll create class, individual, and web newsletters. 2 weeks $260 (includes $10 materials fee*)

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Junior Medic
Ages 12-14. Potential doctors and nurses will be intrigued by investigating organic specimens such as the heart, brain, eyes, and kidneys in this course. Examine the basics of biology and health issues with an emphasis on anatomy. The marvels of the human body and the power of medical knowledge are the right "prescription" for summer learning. You will also receive CPR training as a part of this course. This is a hands-on science applications class meant to be an enrichment opportunity for the inquisitive and focused learner. Due to many dissection activities, you must have a good attitude and strictly observe instructor's guidelines. Great for home schooling students to experience a lab setting. 2 weeks $295 (includes $45 materials fee*)

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Latin Language and Roman Culture *NEW!*
Ages 11-14 Why wait until high school to begin the now revived pursuit of this once "dead language"? Move steps ahead of your peers as you sharpen your mind, increase your understanding of Latin and English, and possibly improve SAT scores. You will study the culture in which the language was spoken. Tempus Fugit! 2 weeks. $255 (includes $15 materials fee*)

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Laws of the Universe
Ages 11-14. Collaborate with NASA not only to look up at the night sky but also to consider light, motion, and gravity here on earth. See the universe in cosmic colors, play an infrared matching game, observe a momentum machine, and discuss questions like, where is the center of the universe, and is time travel possible? 1 week $152 (includes $15 materials fee*)

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Leadership Skills
Ages 13 and above. Learn how to become a leader in high school and beyond! Discover if you are already a leader, learn about leadership skills, create ways to model leadership in school, and brainstorm ways you can serve your community. Enhance intra and inter personal skills; gain self-confidence and self-actualization; learn to think, write, read, present, and research critically. 1 week $140 (includes $5 materials fee*)

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Legal Eagles: Trial by Jury
Ages 11-14. Innocent or guilty? Take turns playing prosecutor, judge, and jury in this intriguing introduction to law and the court system. You get to hear cases, present testimony, and decide the verdict in a mock trial. Monday-Thursday section $119; Monday-Friday section $140 (includes $5 materials fee*)

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Mandarin Chinese for Middle School Students
Ages 11-14. Ni hao. Chinese is the top up and coming world language. This course introduces you to the basics of speaking Chinese. Focus on practical spoken everyday Mandarin through pronunciation and recognizing Chinese characters. Explore history, holidays, calligraphy, crafts, foods, and many other aspects of Chinese culture. 2 weeks $260 (includes $20 materials fee*)

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Manga for Students
Ages 11-14. Join in the newest trend in cartooning and animation. Manga, or Japanese comic book art, has a certain characteristic look, whether hand drawn or computer generated, and it also incorporates a writing component. Create manga characters, develop a storyline, and lay out comic pages in this contemporary class. Practice penciling, inking, and lettering techniques. This course is meant for the student who has some familiarity with these unique comic book collections. Work with an award-winning local artist with specialized experience in the field. 1 week $150 (includes $15 materials fee*)

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Math Puzzles for Middle Schoolers
Ages 11-14. Keep your mental abilities stimulated through the summer slump with this creative course. There will be problems to solve and projects to complete, working alone and in groups. This is a great way to sharpen math skills and learn new concepts. 1 week $140 (includes $5 materials fee*)

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Middle School Math Review
Ages 11-14. Start improving your math skills by taking this valuable review course. In this relaxed environment, practice mixed numbers, repeating and terminating decimals, percents, and other "hang ups," and increase your mathematical ability. You should be at grade level in math. Bring a calculator to class. Monday-Thursday section $119; Monday-Friday section  $140 (includes $5 materials fee*)

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Middle School Pets and Vets
Ages 11-14. Advance your learning about pet ownership and the many roles veterinarians play. Develop skills in training pets and promoting their good health. Hands-on activities will be provided as you continue to study facts about animal behavior, tricks and tips. 1 week $150 (includes $15 materials fee*)

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Mixed Media Collage
Ages 11-14. Explore the latest trend in the art world: Altered Books. Beginning with a discarded hard-back book you will utilize a wide variety of art techniques to create your own Fine Art Book. You will cut, paint, make your own paper, draw, print, and collage to express your theme. This mixed media experience will challenge your creativity and artistic skills. Monday-Thursday section $134; Monday-Friday section $155 (includes $20 materials fee*)

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Money Matters
Ages 11-14. How do you spend your money? Wisely, if you take this course. Explore the power of personal choices and learn to develop winning moves with money. Learn about checking and savings accounts, credit vs. debit usage, ATM cards, budgeting, taxes, insurance, credit history, and investing, just to mention a few tools of the trade. Develop real-life skills and responsibilities by setting financial goals and evaluating financial scenarios that build wealth while being a wise consumer. A basic calculator is needed. 2 weeks. $260 (includes $20 materials fee*)

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Monsters in the Movies
Ages 11-14. Dracula, Frankenstein, the Mummy, and the Phantom all come to life in this class. Where did they begin, and why are they still so popular? Watch the movies (some may be scary to younger kids), read about their origins, and separate fact from fiction. 1 week $140 (includes $5 materials fee*)

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Mysteries in History
Ages 11-14. Who built Stonehenge and why? Where are the Seven Wonders of the World, and who decided they were wonderful? What happened to the people of Easter Island? How did the Egyptians build the pyramids without using pulleys? These and other mysterious events in history make learning an exciting process and introduce you to intriguing events from the past. This class is a historic version of "Unsolved Mysteries" and promises to be just as entertaining. 1 week $119 (includes $5 materials fee*)

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Myth, Magic and Mayhem *NEW!*
Ages 11-14. Explore the magical world of mythology and see how ancient people used these fantastic tales to make sense of the world around them. We'll map the world, the skies, and the family trees of these ancient stories and discover how the great gods of old still live in our world today. 1 week $145 (includes $10 materials fee*)

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Note Taking and Memory Strategies
Ages 11-14. Outlining using three-column notes, and mapping are some of the skills demonstrated in this course to enhance organizational skills in various learning situations. Visualization, linking, and association help you figuratively tie strings on your memory capabilities. 1 week $140 (includes $5 materials fee*)

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Philosophy for Students
Ages 11-14. Do you know the difference between Plato and playdough? What can you learn from Confucius? How can Lao-Tse's rules on warfare help you survive adolescence? Discover these and other famous philosophers and grapple with questions about right versus wrong, instinct versus knowledge, science versus myth. This is an exciting opportunity for middle schoolers to explore a subject not part of the normal curriculum, sharpen reasoning skills, and define personal values. 1 week $119 (includes $5 materials fee*)

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Photoshop Phun
Ages 11-14. You can do amazing things with Photoshop: you can put your head on someone else's body, transfer your picture into a picture of Mt. Everest, or put yourself on a surfboard in Hawaii. Using up-to-date software, learn important features for digital image enhancement, photo retouching (such as taking the red eye out of photos or lightening and darkening a picture), and image compositioning. Bring your digital camera and cables if you have them, but they are not required. Parental permission for the student to access the Internet is required. Attendance is mandatory on the first day of class. Monday-Thursday section $119; Monday-Friday section $140 (includes $5 materials fee*)

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Preparation for High School
Ages 11-14. Make a successful transition from middle school to high school by learning critical thinking, researching, outlining, and note taking skills. This course provides you with a necessary edge in personal organization and with preparation necessary to succeed in high school classes. Monday-Thursday section $233; Monday-Friday section $255 (includes $5 materials fee*)

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Psychology of Behavior
Ages 11-14. There's an old adage that says you can't judge others until you know yourself. Study basic human development and some reasons we behave as we do. Learn from a personality test how you operate alone and in groups, your preferred mode of learning, how you make decisions, and generally how you look at life and live it. Explore how knowing these things about yourself can influence your behavior and decisions. 1 week $124 (includes $10 materials fee*)

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Robotics With NXT *NEW!*
Ages 11-14. Do you know what a robot is capable of doing? Get ready to take control! You will build robots, program them to accomplish tasks, respond to external stimuli, and overcome challenges. Using the NXT brick from Lego(TM), you will control the robot using NXT programming language and software programming techniques. Experience the challenges of navigation, avoiding and climbing over obstacles and moving objects. This class is offered in cooperation with TechStars, a division of Computer Explorers(TM). 1 week $185 (includes $20 materials fee*)

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Science Experiments for Middle Schoolers
Ages 11-14. Take science out of the abstract and into reality. Explore the mysteries of physical science as you experience the thrill of experimentation, scientific inquiry, and hypothesis testing. Learn by doing. This week of discovery is fun, yet teaches fundamental skills that can be used in any classroom. 1 week $155 (includes $20 materials fee*)

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Speaking French for Students
Ages 11-14. You don't have to be in Paris to speak French. Join other students in exploring the French language and culture. Build basic pronunciation and grammar skills, practice simple phrases and vocabulary, and enjoy learning about the French through their celebrations, history, regional attractions, and modern lifestyles. 2 weeks $260 (includes $10 materials fee*)

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Speaking Japanese for Students
Ages 11-14. Discover an exotic and unique alphabet that currently is "hot" among fans of Anime, Pokemon, and Yu-gi-oh. Identify certain Japanese characters, learn simple sentences, practice pronunciation, describe common objects using basic vocabulary, and enjoy getting an introduction to Japanese culture. 2 weeks $229 (includes $10 materials fee*)

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Speaking Spanish for Students
Ages 11-14. Don't take a siesta this summer, amigo! Join the fiesta of learning that takes place in this fun language class. Simple sentences, grammar usage, and vocabulary words are introduced, and conversation is emphasized. Expand your horizons and learn more about Hispanic culture, foods, and music. 2 weeks $260 (includes $10 materials fee*)

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Structural Engineering Using Bridges
Ages 11-14. Explore and build 7 key bridge types: beam, truss arch, cantilever, suspension, cable, stayed, and movable/bascule. Learn about the structural qualities of these bridges and the financial stakes involved. As a final project, teams will compete to build their own cost-effective and structurally sound bridge. This class is offered in cooperation with Computer Explorers(TM). 1 week $185 (includes $30 materials fee*)

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Super Sports Fan
Ages 11-14. Are you a sports enthusiast? Learn about the players, coaches, and heroes of the American sports you play and watch. Take part in a mock NBA draft, play fantasy football, design a team pennant, learn sports trivia, and watch sports bloopers. Get the latest in sports news here as you become a knowledgeable spectator in this interactive and lively class. 1 week $140 (includes $5 materials fee*)

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Three Dimensional Art
Ages 11-14. Explore color, composition, and texture as you create mobiles, stabiles, and assemblages. All materials are provided. 1 week $150 (includes $15 materials fee*)

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Time Management and Test Taking Skills
Ages 11-14. Learn how to eliminate wasted time for homework and chores and to create an ideal study schedule chart that you can follow. Discover clues to taking various kinds of tests that are immediately useful. Scan for chapter headings, key words, and ideas that often appear on class quizzes and exams. 1 week $140 (includes $5 materials fee*)

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Young Inventors At Work
Ages 11-14. Get a head start as an inventor or business owner. You will be involved in activities that can improve everyday life by applying practical uses of an invention. Learn the development process of being an inventor, from finding an idea and creating a working model to patenting, manufacturing, and researching markets for the invention. If you like to solve problems, brainstorm ideas, and make things work better, take this course! 1 week $155 (includes $20 materials fee*)

Transitional Students

3D Animation
Ages 10-16. Learn how to develop 2D and 3D animation for use in presentations and multimedia applications. Generate 3D models using vertices, edges, and polygons which are manipulated to shape your objects. Imagine the process as working with hi-tech Play-Doh. Use Animation software, create storyboards to produce animations, and construct interfaces between the various graphic and animation programs. Monday-Thursday section $238; Monday-Friday section $260 (includes $10 materials fee*)

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Computer Keyboarding for Middle School
Grades 6-12. The better you can type, the easier it is to write those school papers and work on your computer. If you are a beginner and want to learn finger placement and computer parts, and develop typing speed and accuracy, sign up for this class now. Monday-Thursday section $238; Monday-Friday section $255 (includes $5 materials fee*)

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Creating Games With GameMaker™
Ages 12-16. Get introduced to the game design process and the software available that can be used to create your own computer games. Study examples of various game genres including platform, adventure, and maze games, and look at a range of games created with the GameMaker™software. Design and develop your own computer games. Merge a variety of media to create a complete game that can be played by friends and posted on the Internet. Although you will play a sampling of GameMaker™ games, you should come to this class prepared to focus on game design and development. Monday-Thursday section $119; Monday-Friday section $140 (includes $5 materials fee*)

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Dissecting Computer Technology *NEW!*
Ages 10-16. Sure, you know how to use your computer, but do you know how it works? What is an I/O port? What is a motherboard? How does the memory work with the hard drive? We'll take a working computer apart, examine the pieces, and put it back together! Will it still work? That's up to you! Find out why those disks are called "floppies" when they are hard. We'll also explore the evolution of personal computing and what tomorrow may hold for technology. This class is offered in cooperation with TechStars, a division of Computer Explorers(TM). 1 week $185 (includes $20 materials fee*)

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Expedition: Egypt
Ages 10-15. 5000 years of culture are covered in your first visit to Egypt. Swoop over the Nile River and oar by the Great Pyramids of Giza from your classroom perch and learn the language, customs, history, music, crafts, and food of this extraordinary civilization. Discover Egypt from the Golden Age of the Pharaohs to the present. 1 week $155 (includes $20 materials fee*)

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HTML for Students
Ages 11-16 Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) is the language of the World Wide Web. Learn how to use inline images, image maps, hyperlinks, and other graphics to produce a personal web page that is attractive, readable, and easy to navigate. Internet beginners are welcome. Monday-Thursday section $119; Monday-Friday section $140 (includes $5 materials fee*)

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HTML-Part II for Students
Ages 11-16. If you have completed HTML or have a good grasp of the basics for Hypertext Markup Language, this course is for you. Create more complex documents using HTML. Expand basic techniques, write software for troubleshooting, maintain Webpages, and much more. At the end of the course you will create your own project. 1 week $140 (includes $5 materials fee*)

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Introduction to Visual Basic
Ages 11-16. Empower yourself with the technological skills you need to advance in the fast-paced computer world. Learn project design, the Visual Basic toolbox, and many elements of the BASIC language. Enjoy detailed computer projects that you can build and run, including a number-guessing game, a card game, an allowance calculator, a drawing program, and a simple video game. No prior programming experience is necessary; however, you should be comfortable working in the Windows environment, know how to find files, move and restore windows, know what file extensions are and how to identify them. 1 week $140 (includes $5 materials fee*)

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Investigation: Italy *NEW!*
Ages 10-16. In the past it was said that all roads lead to Rome, but there's so much more to explore in Italy. Travel to this country of history, heritage, and enchantment from your seat in our classroom. Learn to speak some Italian, discover history, geographic regions, art, and music. Savor foods, make a mask for Carnivale, sculpt like the masters with paper mache, and develop your own Italian experience. 1 week $155 (includes $20 materials fee*)

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Painting Like Van Gogh and Monet *NEW!*
Ages 10-16. Through your artist's eye, examine Vincent van Gogh's Holland and see his colorful sunflower and landscape paintings. Study Claude Monet's property in Giverny, France and delight in his atmospheric water lily series. Learn how to paint like these masters by using color theory, mixing colors, composition, and basic painting techniques. Create your own masterpieces to take home and enjoy. 1 week $155 (includes $20 materials fee*)

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Recycled Art for Students
Ages 11-16. Students will use found organic objects and recycled materials to construct temporary and permanent works of art. Artwork may include a Zen sand garden, organic action figures, impossible newspaper structures, and recycled assemblages. Learn to redesign, reinvent, and reinterpret preexisting items. Decorate, cut and retool objects to make entirely new pieces. 1 week $150 (includes $15 materials fee*)

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Simcity™: Urban Planner
Ages 10-16. SimCity™ is a city management and planning game that simulates all of the problems, infrastructure, needs, and demands of the "people" who live in your Sim City. You are the mayor of a new city and, starting with a small amount of money and piece of land, you control everything from healthcare to roads and buildings. If you attract employers and zone residential areas, people will move to your city. Once your city is up and running, you can drop a disaster such as a fire or a twister anywhere in your city. There is no winning in this game--only fun! You just keep building, improving your city and solving problems. Requirements include an active imagination and attention to detail. 1 week $150 (includes $15 materials fee*)

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Suited for Space Walking
Ages 12-16. This course is offered in collaboration with NASA and takes you into space without leaving Howard County. Spacewalking has captured the imagination of generations of children and adults since authors first placed their characters on the moon. Discover the history of spacewalking from the mid- 1960s to the present, NASA's current spacesuit, and the work that astronauts do during spacewalks. In order to design a spacesuit prototype for an extraterrestrial environment, you will investigate the properties of that environment and determine what protective measures must be taken to permit a future explorer to work there safely. 1 week $152 (includes $10 materials fee*)

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Windows Software Applications
Ages 11-16. This overview class introduces you to personal computer terminology and applications such as word processing, spreadsheet, database, and presentation graphics using the Windows XP environment. You use Microsoft Office Word 2007, Excel, Access, and PowerPoint in this hands-on course. 1 week $140 (includes $5 materials fee*)

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Wonder of Programming With Alice *NEW!*
Ages 10-16. Alice is an innovative 3D programming environment developed by the late Dr. Randy Pausch, author of the Last Lecture from Carnegie Mellon University. This program uses an object-oriented software design process and is the newest computer science option in school systems around the nation. It allows you to learn fundamental programming concepts without using traditional programming codes and makes it easy to create an animation for telling a story, playing an interactive game, or making a video to share on the web. Alice allows you to see immediately how programs run by manipulating objects in their virtual world using techniques of drag and drop of graphic tiles. 1 week $145 (includes $10 materials fee*)

High School Students

Blast From the Past *NEW!*
Ages 14 and above. Part sociology, part history, part popular culture, this high-energy, decade-spanning course will cover jukeboxes to Beanie Babies, hula hoops to Y2K. Discover the sights, sounds, and words found in TV, movies, music, ads, foods, toys, literature, and get to know celebrity icons that shaped life in the last four decades. Compare generational differences and recycled trends. Predict what's on the horizon for those in Generation Y and patterns in society that seldom change. 1 week $145 (includes $10 materials fee*)

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Car Maintenance for Teens
Ages 15-17. You are finally ready to drive a car, but do you know how to take care of it? Car safety and routine maintenance are key to a successful driving experience. In this class, you will discuss and observe how to keep a car in top running order, including changing tires, oil, filters, belts, and plugs. You will become familiar with the car battery, brakes, alignment and electrical, cooling and exhaust systems. You will learn about the care of the interior and exterior of your vehicle, tips on selecting an auto mechanic, the value of keeping good maintenance/repair records on your vehicle, and purchasing considerations for new and used cars. This class gives you tips you can really use! Driving experience required. Textbook provided. 1 week $160 (includes $25 materials fee*)

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College Prep and Advanced Writing Skills
Ages 14 and above. Learn how to write like a college student! Compose a variety of essays as well as a high school level research paper. Write papers based on self-selected topics. In addition, you will learn the ability to evaluate reliable research sources, organize information, control language, and assess the effectiveness of your writing. 2 weeks $255 (includes $5 materials fee*)

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Creative Writing for High School
Ages 14 and above. Explore the world of your imagination and create free verse, blank verse, lyric poetry, character sketches, personal narratives, and dramatic monologues. Learn techniques of journal writing. You will publish a literary magazine using a PC. 2 weeks $255 (includes $5 materials fee*)

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Dealing With Dollars
Ages 14 and above. Are you a savvy shopper? Do you know how to manage your money? Test your money management skills so that you become an educated consumer and make smart financial decisions. Learn helpful tricks about budgeting, investing money, using a credit card or ATM, saving for college, and calculating expenses of buying and owning a car. Make your money work for you. 1 week $140 (includes $5 materials fee*)

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Debating Strategies *NEW!*
Ages 13-16. Do you have strong opinions? Are you trying to understand today's world? Learn about controversial issues in society and how to defend and debate your position. Strengthen your critical thinking skills and learn how to construct logical arguments. 1 week $140 (includes $5 materials fee*)

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Extended Algebra I Review
Ages 14 and above. If you are a rising Algebra II, Geometry, or second-year Algebra 1 student, this is your chance to cover fundamental concepts in more depth to get ready for more difficult applications. Topics include operations with positive and negative numbers, families of functions from linear to quadratic to rational and exponential, equations, polynomials, and systems of equations, inequalities, graphing, solving word problems, and radicals. Bring a notebook and calculator to class. You should have completed an Algebra 1 course. 2 weeks. $250 (includes $10 materials fee*)

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Javascript for Students
Ages 14 and above. JavaScript adds interactivity, animation, and other tricks to your Web pages. Learn the range of functions and web features supported by the JavaScript programming language, and program a series of JavaScripts that implement the range of functions, including dynamic date and time display, rollovers, browser redirection, forms, and clocks. Prereq: HTML I and II. 1 week $140 (includes $5 materials fee*)

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Practical Preparation for PSAT/NMSQT
Ages 14 and above. Review basic math through geometry including quantitative comparison and calculation practice. Verbal review covers sentence completion, critical reading, and writing skills that identify sentence errors. Take both math and verbal in a one-week morning and afternoon time frame. This course is recommended for students who have taken algebra and geometry. You must bring a calculator for the math section and a comprehensive dictionary for the verbal section. Textbook is provided. 1 week/full day $275 (includes $20 materials fee*)

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Research and Study Skills for Students
Ages 14 and above. Learn organizational research and study skills to graduate from high school and go on to college-level work. Improve your time management, memory retention, note taking, and test taking skills. Review procedures for selecting a topic, developing a thesis statement, and creating an outline. Learn all the necessary steps that lead to writing a great term paper. 2 weeks $255 (includes $5 materials fee*)

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Teen Cuisine *NEW!*
Ages 14 and above. Learn culinary arts by discovering the chemistry, methodology, and cooking styles that create great food. In one week you will plan and prepare meals, practice safety and safe food handling, determine a food budget, compare nutritional elements in recipes, and serve a complete made-from-scratch meal. You will work in teams and be instructed by a certified executive chef from the HCC Culinary Arts program. Final class will include a culinary competition. Limited to 12 students. 1 week $185 (includes $50 materials fee*)

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Trouble-Free Vocabulary *NEW!*
Ages 14 and above. The English language has lots of words, but do you know which words you most need to know? Build your word power by challenging yourself with Brain Ticklers, using a thesaurus and grouping words by their derivation. Add over a hundred useful words to your vocabulary by practicing skills and strategies in a relatively painless way. Don't wait for the SAT test to roll around to improve your word familiarity and usage. 1 week $145 (includes $10 materials fee*)

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Turning Books Into Film
Ages 14 and above. Focus on the techniques used by camera operators and directors in emphasizing thematic goals and character portrayal found in literary versions. Learn about camera angles, lighting, editing, camera shots as well as movement and positioning of cameras and actors. Films shown include Citizen Kane, Waking Ned Devine, The Natural, Mosquito Coast, and other PG-13 selections. 1 week $145 (includes $10 materials fee*)

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Writing Dynamic College Essays
Ages 14 and above. Have you narrowed down your college choices and received applications? A good essay can enhance your chances of getting into the college of your choice. Spend this week hammering it out. Learn crucial techniques. Have rough drafts analyzed, proofread, and edited as many times as needed. Many college applications are on-line and will be accessible in this computer lab class. Get a jump-start on fall obligations and feel confident that your essay represents you at your best. 1 week $140 (includes $5 materials fee*)

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Preparation for the SAT
Students will review basic math through Algebra II to prepare for the problem reasoning on the new SAT test. Verbal preparation includes examination of essays, improving paragraphs, reading comprehension, and sentence completion. Test-taking tips will be included in each session. This course is recommended for students taking the SAT this academic year and who are currently taking or have taken geometry. Call 410-772-4919 or 410-772-4982 regarding procedures for students under 16 years of age. Students must bring a calculator. $285 (includes $30 materials fee*)
*NOTE: In late spring the "English/Language/Business" building will undergo a name change to "Duncan Hall" ("DH).

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Preparation for the SAT Math Test
If you are taking the SAT this academic year and only need preparation in the Math section, then you should take this 15-hour course. Review basic math through Algebra II to prepare for the problem reasoning test. Call 410-772-4709 or 410-772-4982 regarding procedures for students under 16 years of age. You must bring a calculator. $130 (includes $30 materials fee*)

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Preparation for the SAT Verbal Test
If you are taking the SAT this academic year and only need preparation in the Verbal section, then you should take this 21-hour course. Please call 410-772-4919 or 410-772-4982 regarding procedures for students under 16 years of age. $170 (includes $30 materials fee*)

Start-Up, Wind-Down, Combo, and Lunch

Start Up Time
Begin the day with a light breakfast, board games, and a movie. All sessions run 7:30am-8:30am. You are encouraged to bring your favorite G or PG-rated movies to share with the group, VHS and DVD accepted. Students arriving after 8:20am should proceed directly to their classroom or field. Call 443-797-9388 to contact staff. Location: HVPA 140. View campus map. 1 week $45**

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Wind-Down Time
End the day with movies and a light snack. All sessions run 4:30pm -6:30pm. You are encouraged to bring your favorite G or PG-rated movies to share with the group, VHS and DVD accepted. Parents/Guardians who expect to pick up their student(s) after 6:30pm are asked to call 443-797-9388 to inform our after care providers. A late fine of $5 per fifteen minutes will be charged for students picked up after 6:30pm. Location: HVPA 140. View campus map. 1 week $65**

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Combo Time
Do you have a long commute? Sign up for both Start-Up and Wind-Down time at a reduced rate. All sessions are held at HVPA 140. Staff can be reached by calling 443-797-9388. A late fine of $5 per fifteen minutes will be charged to those picked up after 6:30pm. View campus map. 1 week $100**

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Lunch Schedule
All students staying on campus for both morning and afternoon courses must register for the supervised lunch hour from 12 noon to 1 pm. Students must register for the appropriate date section. Students ages 7-10 will go to Room HR-108, and students 11 and older will go to Room HR-154 at the Hickory Ridge Building. General audience movies will be shown. Fee covers supervision, facilities and movies. NON-PERISHABLE LUNCHES ARE REQUIRED. NO REFRIGERATION IS AVAILABLE. Monday-Thursday section $12; Monday-Friday section  $15**

*Fees not eligible for waiver.