Class Information - Free Enrichment Classes

Konnekt Global Reading Program

Mondays | 5:00-6:00 p.m. | Grades 1st-3rd | March 3rd, 10th, 17th & 24th | In Person

Thursdays | 5:00-6:00 p.m. | Grades 4th-6th | March 6th, 13th, 20th & 27th | In Person

Our high school volunteers will engage with younger students at Succeed2gether by reading to a small group of children. The book used during the sessions will be Hailey Haddies Minute Mysteries. In addition to reading, volunteers will guide the children through a craft or activity related to the story. The older students will read The Cardboard Kingdom, #1. Discussion, vocabulary and writing prompts will follow the reading.

This is a great way for high schoolers to earn volunteer hours while helping younger students improve their reading skills in a fun and creative environment.

Introduction to Game Development-Python

Thursdays | 4:30-5:30 p.m. | Grades 6th-8th | March 6th, 13th, 20th + April 3rd | In Person

In this beginner-friendly course, new and returning students will use a popular game development framework called Pygame to create their very own games in the widely-used coding language, Python. Students will have the option of doing a private or group-based project depending on their preferences. Although students will have this option, this course will promote collaborative learning through group discussion and idea development. No experience is required to take part in this program, but returning students will still benefit from additional in-depth content.

Week 1: Python Introduction/Review - Students will review the basics of the Python coding language. This will include displaying text on the screen, variables, and if-statement logic. Students who took an Introduction to Python Programming course may be familiar enough with Python to already understand the content in this review. Nevertheless, any student — returning or new — will find this section useful.
Week 2: Graphics - Students will learn how to draw with color to the screen using code. Additionally, they will learn how to import images to use in their game graphics. Examples include drawing shapes with code, making a drawing game, and importing an image and then using it as a game background.
Week 3: Game Logic - Students will learn how to implement if-statements (reviewed in the first week) in their games, allowing students to add variability and conditional logic to their games. Examples include making button-presses trigger events such as movement, yes/no choices in a story game, and game settings.
Week 4: Final Project - Students will use the skills they learned in previous classes to create a final project of their choosing. Students may work individually or together in groups. We will discuss and build these ideas over the weeks of the program.

Note: this schedule may change depending on the students' collective learning pace and their potential previous experience with Python.

About the Instructor:

Hi, I’m Tim and I will be teaching Introduction to Game Development in Python. I am in the 12th grade and have been working on a variety of programming projects and courses (mainly in Python) consistently for around 5 years now. My goal is to teach curious new students how to get started in the computer science and the coding field by introducing them to the various aspects of Python, a programming language that is used in modern-day applications such as artificial intelligence, data analysis, automation, and many more.

Dance

Thursdays | 4:00-5:00 p.m. | Grades 1st-5th | March 6th, 13th, April 3rd + April 10th | In person

Dance teacher Mia Freeman

This hip-hop style dance class is a fun way to improve your dance skills. Anyone can participate in this class whether you are a beginner, intermediate, or more advanced. Class will start with a short warm-up before we begin to teach a short combination so that the kids can learn a real dance. Students don’t need any prior dance experience. All that is needed is an open mind and for everyone to be ready to have fun!

Improv Acting

Thursdays | 5:00-6:00 p.m. | Grades 7th-12th | March 6th, 13th, 20th, 27th + April 3rd | In person

Taught by Ms. Stephens who believes this gives teenagers the opportunity to not only learn the skill, but to help them navigate teenage life with self expression that helps with problem solving challenges. It is a fun activity she's practiced in my own drama classrooms, and the children will get to create their own scenes based on their individual creativity. It is a no judgment zone and she believes everyone is an artist. Her experience and inspiration came from when she was in acting class at Montclair High School where she participated as a background actor in after school TV specials. She has also participated in the Malcom X film, Law and Order and currently Demeter NY with Jennifer Aniston.

Girls LAB

Thursdays | 5:30-6:30 p.m. | Grades 4th-6th | March 3rd, 24th + April 7th | In person

Taught by Nahlia Udofia, 10th-grade student at Montclair Kimberly Academy

GirlsLab will be a weekly workshop that provides free, high-quality, and fun STEM activities for children in the Montclair area. Girls will get to explore the world of STEM in a safe, exciting, and hands-on atmosphere. They will have the ability to work on their own engineering projects, learning key skills such as leadership and communication along the way. By offering these workshops, Nahlia hopes to broaden the participation of women in STEM while simultaneously maximizing educational recourse to those who do not regularly have access.

Chess

Mondays | 5:15-6:15 p.m. | Grades 3rd-12th | March 3rd, 10th, 17th, 24th + April 7th | In person

Chess coach Steve Moctezuma has taught enrichment chess classes and summer chess camps at S2G and other schools for many years.

Win, lose, or draw, chess promotes good sportsmanship, resilience, and creative problem solving skills. Students will be given mini-chess lessons and opportunities to hone their chess skills via exercises and practice games.