Do you love being outside, enjoy winter adventures, or want to learn to ski or snowboard? Snow Sports is a winter term class that gets you out on the slopes of Crystal Mountain every afternoon after lunch, making the most of Northern Michigan’s winter season. Whether you’re an experienced skier or rider or a beginner ready to try something new, you’ll build your skills, improve your technique, and enjoy time on the mountain. You’ll also explore the ski industry and learn about strength, conditioning, and the physical skills that support skiing and snowboarding.

In this immersive 5-week cooking course, students will explore the rich culinary traditions of Spanish-speaking countries, gaining hands-on experience in preparing traditional dishes while learning about the history and culture behind them. Each week will focus on a different country or region – including Mexico, the Caribbean, South America, and Spain – blending cooking techniques with historical context to offer a comprehensive understanding of how food is tied to identity, heritage, and community.

This class is for anyone who wants to awaken their inner musician. This *no experience required* class will not only focus on songwriting as a vessel for personal expression, but will also on recording that music into a digital audio workspace (DAW). We can use our DAW not only as a tool to record what we’ve written and performed in the real world but also as an instrument for creativity. We will specifically be using Garageband and learning its features to assist in our creative vision.

We will watch a collection of Sir David Attenborough documentaries (on the big screen in the AUD) in honor of his 100th Birthday. We will travel the length of the planet as well as the length of the plant and animal kingdoms. Films will be followed by discussion and further research on the topics presented. At the end of the semester we will attempt to create a “Natural History of Leelanau” documentary in Sir David’s style.

This hands-on class offers students the opportunity to learn the fundamentals of blacksmithing while helping shape the future of our forge program. Together, we’ll design the layout of our forge space and establish an efficient workflow — creating not just art, but the foundation of the program itself. And yes, we’ll be forging through winter — literally! Students will gain firsthand experience working with fire and steel in the heart of the cold season, learning to adapt and thrive in a dynamic environment. By the end of the course, each student will walk away with completed blacksmithing projects and the skills, confidence, and knowledge to continue exploring this timeless craft.

What better time than winter to explore fiber arts and their rich history in culture and art? In this hands-on course, students will explore fiber art techniques such as crochet, knitting, sewing, embroidery, quilting, and felting. After experimenting with different mediums, students will select a technique of their choice to create an independent final project. Alongside individual studio work, the class will study how fiber arts have historically reflected and supported social movements. Together, students will collaborate on a group project, choosing a current social issue to explore and representing it through fiber art. We’ll also visit local artists and independently owned yarn shops to learn more about the industry itself.

This class will cover the history of LGBTQ representation in film and television. The class focuses on American media, but we will compare examples from international cinema as well. We’ll watch excerpts, full tv episodes, and movies from the very first depictions of queer and transgender people in media to the more fully developed, but sometimes still problematic portrayals of today. This course also provides an introduction to concepts from both Film Theory and Queer Theory. We’ll learn about such phenomena as the gaze, gay and transgender media tropes, virtue signaling, camp, coding, disidentification, and queerbaiting. We’ll discuss the importance of representation and how the lack or prevalence of representation can affect a community’s identity and self-perception. Using media examples, we’ll also learn about the fluctuating attitudes of broader society toward LGBTQ people from the 1920s to today.

Are ghosts real, or is there a scientific explanation for the things that go bump in the night? In this course, students explore the mysteries, ghost stories, and haunted places of Northwest Michigan, combining science, psychology, history, math, and storytelling to investigate the unexplained. Students will uncover local legends, explore historic sites, experiment with paranormal investigation tools, and learn how our brains, senses, and technology can trick us into believing something supernatural is happening. Through hands-on field investigations, historical research, and real data collection, students will test theories, separate fact from fiction, and decide what the evidence actually reveals. The course culminates in an investigation of a local haunting, where students present their findings and make their case: unexplained phenomenon, misunderstood science, or something more? 

What better time of year than winter to curl up with a cup of tea and a good mystery?  In this class we’ll be diving into the world of detective stories and the cultures surrounding them. We’ll watch episodes of famous mystery shows, read Sherlock Holmes and Agatha Christie, and make delicious teatime snacks, cakes, pastries, and drinks.  We’ll also look at the cozy mystery as a cultural and psychological phenomenon, examining questions like, why do stories about murder relieve stress and make us feel relaxed and secure? By the end of the class, you will feel ready to solve a mystery, make the perfect tea sandwich, and have an English credit on your transcript.

Immerse yourself in both pottery wheel throwing and handbuilding in this clay-infused sculpting and spinning Winterim course. Through a skills-based, practice-driven approach, you will develop confidence on the wheel while improving your spatial awareness, balance, and problem-solving skills. Alternating between the wheel and handbuilding, you will work on individual projects as well as a collaborative piece. Collaborating with your classmates, you will co-design concepts, goals, and a final installation site alongside your instructors. In addition to studio work, you will have the opportunity to study ceramic traditions from around the world and visit local artists in their studios, all while bringing your vision into reality.

This class will be an introduction into the SAFE use of power tools and woodworking.  We will explore wood carving and painting using wildlife subjects.  We will also learn the basics of cutting, routing, and joinery with different types of wood and finishes. We will spend 4 days in the woodshop and one day on field trips each week. 

Participants will study up to four prolific genres of film (examples: noir, kung-fu, science fiction, horror). Using the elements of each particular genre students will storyboard, script, direct, create props & costumes, design makeup, develop sound & visual effects, and create appropriate graphics, marketing and screen credits for each film. Class will then edit four short films for a red carpet debut at semester end.