Earhart Classes

After School Hoops® is a weekday afternoon basketball program for aspiring young players. The one hour instructional sessions combine fundamental skills instruction with organized team competition with the goal of providing an enjoyable and educational after school athletic event. Developing players benefit by improving their individual skills such as passing, dribbling, shooting, rebounding, and defending while, at the same time, learning how to work within the framework of a team. Boys and girls of all skill levels are encouraged to join. One of the many merits of After School Hoops® is that it provides school children with an organized after school event at which they can learn, socialize, and most of all, have fun. Parents and teachers often express concern that idle and unsupervised after school hours provide too many negative temptations for their children. Using athletics as the vehicle, After School Hoops® provides children with an opportunity to improve their overall physical fitness, develop sportsmanship and athletic integrity, and gain an understanding of the game of basketball.

This post-beginner/intermediate level class is for those with a solid grasp of chess fundamentals. Potential students are expected to already know: chessboard terminology and square identification; how the various pieces move and capture, plus their relative values; pawn promotion; the crucial concepts of check, checkmate, and stalemate; the special move of castling; opening goals and principles; basic tactics; endgame checkmates using major pieces; and last, but not least, good chess etiquette. Potential students unfamiliar with more than a couple of these basic topics, or unable to achieve checkmate in games they are clearly winning, would probably be better served enrolling in the AEF/ACC novice/beginner level class, "First Year Chess".

AEF/ACC afterschool chess classes are split time-wise between instruction and supervised play. Instruction will focus on learning tactics and strategy through the explanation of games and positions from historical players and events, and/or current top-level competitions. The instructor will organize and run an unofficial tournament during the last 3-5 weeks of this level course, with labeled medals as awards for all participants upon completion.

All enrolled students earn and accumulate points towards ACC's Royalty Loyalty Program (RLP) rewards by participating in the instruction half of class and playing with good chess etiquette afterwards. RLP rewards consist of chess-related items, including chess puzzle books and equipment.

With its nearly 1,500 years of history, chess is arguably the greatest and most popular board game of all time. Numerous studies have suggested that learning and playing chess at an early age can yield various benefits regarding cognitive skills. Confidence, decision-making, and sportsmanship are other areas of potential improvement. The benefits and enjoyment of chess can last a lifetime!

This novice/beginner level class teaches and reinforces (through sample/model games & positions) the fundamentals of chess. Topics to be covered include: chessboard terminology and square identification; how the various pieces move and capture, plus their relative values; pawn promotion; the crucial concepts of check, checkmate, and stalemate; the special move of castling; opening goals and principles; basic tactics; endgame checkmates using major pieces; and last, but not least, good chess etiquette.

Students are only ready for the AEF/ACC post-beginner/intermediate level chess class, "Chess Beyond the Basics", when they have a solid foundation based on the fundamentals, and can achieve checkmate in games they are clearly winning. For most younger students (1st-3rd graders), at least two semesters of chess instruction are generally needed to reach this level of proficiency (older students may only require one). The ACC instructor can advise parents, guardians, and/or students themselves when they are ready for the next level class.

AEF/ACC afterschool chess classes are split time-wise between instruction and supervised play. All enrolled students earn and accumulate points towards ACC's Royalty Loyalty Program (RLP) rewards by participating in the instruction half of class and playing with good chess etiquette afterwards. RLP rewards consist of chess-related items, including chess puzzle books and equipment.

With its nearly 1,500 years of history, chess is arguably the greatest and most popular board game of all time. Numerous studies have suggested that learning and playing chess at an early age can yield various benefits regarding cognitive skills. Confidence, decision-making, and sportsmanship are other areas of potential improvement. The benefits and enjoyment of chess can last a lifetime!

Have fun and let creativity flow with this adventure in color class! Art can truly provide an outlet for self expression and discovery. In fact, it is well known that an artistic activity like painting can inspire creativity, problem solving and focus into other spheres of life. Early exposure to arts can develop into a lifelong pursuit of joy and well-being. In this series of classes, Mandar, an award winning artist based in Alameda, will provide an immersion in the key fundamentals of acrylic painting. He will do demos and work with each student on their technique as they paint along, encouraging individuality and creativity. The class will paint many exciting subjects that will focus on capturing the impression. The students will walk out with a finished canvas after every class. See Mandar’s art and testimonials at www.mandarfineart.com

Our exciting and imaginative program provides a fun and engaging way for students to develop their social, problem-solving, and teamwork skills while exploring the thrilling world of D&D. Students are grouped into teams and assigned a dungeon master, who will guide them through a fantastical world filled with monsters, treasure, and challenges. Students will work together to overcome obstacles and complete quests, fostering a sense of camaraderie and teamwork that will serve them well in all areas of life. D&D is fun, engaging, and promotes creativity, imagination, and critical thinking skills. Through role-playing and storytelling, students will develop their communication and social skills, while also building their confidence and self-esteem.

Example Lesson: Students will be introduced to the core principles of Dungeons & Dragons.They will learn about the collaborative nature of the game, where players work together to achieve common goals while navigating through a fantasy world. The instructor will explain the role of the dungeon master (DM) and the players, emphasizing teamwork and communication throughout the game.
The instructor will assign people character roles, and then DM a short campaign. This will serve as inspiration for future classes, where children will create characters that participate in campaigns that they DM themselves.

This post-beginner/intermediate level class is for those with a solid grasp of chess fundamentals. Potential students are expected to already know: chessboard terminology and square identification; how the various pieces move and capture, plus their relative values; pawn promotion; the crucial concepts of check, checkmate, and stalemate; the special move of castling; opening goals and principles; basic tactics; endgame checkmates using major pieces; and last, but not least, good chess etiquette. Potential students unfamiliar with more than a couple of these basic topics, or unable to achieve checkmate in games they are clearly winning, would probably be better served enrolling in the AEF/ACC novice/beginner level class, "First Year Chess".

AEF/ACC afterschool chess classes are split time-wise between instruction and supervised play. Instruction will focus on learning tactics and strategy through the explanation of games and positions from historical players and events, and/or current top-level competitions. The instructor will organize and run an unofficial tournament during the last 3-5 weeks of this level course, with labeled medals as awards for all participants upon completion.

All enrolled students earn and accumulate points towards ACC's Royalty Loyalty Program (RLP) rewards by participating in the instruction half of class and playing with good chess etiquette afterwards. RLP rewards consist of chess-related items, including chess puzzle books and equipment.

With its nearly 1,500 years of history, chess is arguably the greatest and most popular board game of all time. Numerous studies have suggested that learning and playing chess at an early age can yield various benefits regarding cognitive skills. Confidence, decision-making, and sportsmanship are other areas of potential improvement. The benefits and enjoyment of chess can last a lifetime!

This novice/beginner level class teaches and reinforces (through sample/model games & positions) the fundamentals of chess. Topics to be covered include: chessboard terminology and square identification; how the various pieces move and capture, plus their relative values; pawn promotion; the crucial concepts of check, checkmate, and stalemate; the special move of castling; opening goals and principles; basic tactics; endgame checkmates using major pieces; and last, but not least, good chess etiquette.

Students are only ready for the AEF/ACC post-beginner/intermediate level chess class, "Chess Beyond the Basics", when they have a solid foundation based on the fundamentals, and can achieve checkmate in games they are clearly winning. For most younger students (1st-3rd graders), at least two semesters of chess instruction are generally needed to reach this level of proficiency (older students may only require one). The ACC instructor can advise parents, guardians, and/or students themselves when they are ready for the next level class.

AEF/ACC afterschool chess classes are split time-wise between instruction and supervised play. All enrolled students earn and accumulate points towards ACC's Royalty Loyalty Program (RLP) rewards by participating in the instruction half of class and playing with good chess etiquette afterwards. RLP rewards consist of chess-related items, including chess puzzle books and equipment.

With its nearly 1,500 years of history, chess is arguably the greatest and most popular board game of all time. Numerous studies have suggested that learning and playing chess at an early age can yield various benefits regarding cognitive skills. Confidence, decision-making, and sportsmanship are other areas of potential improvement. The benefits and enjoyment of chess can last a lifetime!