Spy School is an action-packed after-school class where kids become young agents, exploring spy skills like code-breaking, disguise, and secret communication. Through hands-on experiments, gadget-building, and mystery-solving, students boost STEM knowledge, creativity, and confidence while having fun with fellow detectives.

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!

Young chefs will discover how different foods provide our bodies with the energy we need to learn, play, and grow. We'll explore the essential nutrients and learn to identify balanced meals that are both tasty and energizing. Through hands-on cooking activities, we'll create simple and delicious recipes packed with the right kinds of fuel to keep us going strong all day long, understanding how our food choices directly impact our energy levels and overall health.

Gotta Catch Em All! Have a great time with Bricks 4 Kidz building some of your favorite Pokemon out of LEGO^® robotics. You can even create a Pokeball that opens and shuts! We hope to see all of you young Pokemon trainers there!

This class uses Teaching with Comprehensible Input (TCI), a methodology that is proven to be effective, based on Second Language Acquisition research from the last four decades. The students will ACQUIRE the Spanish Language rather than learning about it.
"We acquire language when we understand messages; when we understand what people tell us and when we understand what we read.” - Dr. Stephen Krashen
YOUR CHILD WILL: Read in Spanish ● Listen in Spanish ● Respond as able using signals at first, then words in Spanish, then phrases ● communicate through mininful interactions.
YOUR CHILD WILL NOT: Memorize vocabulary lists ● Practice verb conjugations ● Learn about Spanish in English

Proficiency is the Goal: Proficient learners can communicate about something appropriately and accurately for a purpose.
We listen, read, write, and speak in Spanish. We use the language to explore our cultures, Spanish speaking cultures, world cultures, and ancient cultures. We use useful language in the class so that we are prepared to communicate in the real world. We center our interactions on what each student needs, knows and can do now and what each student needs in order to move forward.