Many of you come to me with questions about hobbies or ideas you have that you want to explore. Some of them can be turned into Independent Study and some can be done through Volunteering. But some are a little more like a dip your toe in and see.
For you I have created this page, So there's this thing... which is dedicated to the emails I get from you about these "things" you are into. I'm organizing it around topics and interests I get from you so the more interests you have the more I can put in here.
I want to be clear that I am not endorsing one business over another. I am instead listing all the businesses that offer opportunities that are either run by people who are educators, nonprofits, or that offer opportunities under $150.
For you I have created this page, So there's this thing... which is dedicated to the emails I get from you about these "things" you are into. I'm organizing it around topics and interests I get from you so the more interests you have the more I can put in here.
I want to be clear that I am not endorsing one business over another. I am instead listing all the businesses that offer opportunities that are either run by people who are educators, nonprofits, or that offer opportunities under $150.
Culinary/Baking
Run by chef Antwan Brinson, Culinary Concepts' classes are reasonably priced and cover all kinds of innovative cuisines
PVCC has a culinary arts program and you can take individual classes there. This is an interesting thing to do with your summer or to consider for after school as well! The Happy Cook has cooking classes locally. Please note these are expensive, but they come with the groceries you need for the meal. CATEC offers a culinary arts degree for free (my favorite price!). Earn a certification while in high school just by going. UVA's International Center hosts cooking classes of all kinds from around the world. And they post their recipes as well so you can choose one any time you like. Mahabuba Akhter has long hosted Bengali cooking classes as a fund raiser for The Haven. These have been suspended for now, but you can still find her classes online. |
Beekeeping
Central Virginia Beekeepers' Association offers classes and resources for folks starting out. Plus they support your entries in the county fair!
Take a class on Beekeeping from Virginia Workforce Services. Elysium Honey Company is interested in promoting monoculture honey and in sustainability. They want to help you help Virginia. Scottsville Supply Company has everything you need from classes to kits and everything in between to get you going as a Beekeeper! |
Learning Languages
There are plenty of ways to do this online, but if you want to do it locally, here are some options from formal to informal, online and in person.
Speak! is a language center founded by Christina Ball who herself is an Italian speaker and educator. She is a former lecturer in Italian at UVA. They offer almost 30 languages!
The Alliance Française offers classes, book clubs, and a love of all things French in town. Join them for cultural events and more! Charlottesville has a language exchange. Lots of folks will happily teach you their language (Nepali? Russian? Korean? Chinese) in exchange for your help with English! There is a (Zoom for now) Tertulia group that meets for those who want to practice their Spanish and keep it fresh. Check them out. |
Art Classes
McGuffey Art Center offers all kinds of art classes in person and virtually right now.
City Clay can help you continue your love for ceramics all year, or help you explore an area you've never tried. Rent a wheel, buy supplies, or try a class. Want to try glass art? The Glass Palette has you covered. Classes require registration in advance but you can register to "walk in" as well. Book art is an interesting area for those who love both art and literature. The Virginia Center for the Book is here in Charlottesville and offers classes. Morehouse Studio offers ceramics classes and monthly memberships for folks who want to continue to work on ceramics over the summer. Mountainside Arts offers camps, workshops, and even pet portraiture! The Hive is like a restaurant but for crafting. This isn't so much art as fun DIY that can inspire you to make your own things later. And they can teach you to sew... Crozet Arts also offers art classes including a Sewing 101 class, beading, sketch work, and watercolors. |
Music/Vocal
Explore all kinds of music at the Front Porch, Charlottesville's home for Roots Music.
Charlottesville Music Teachers Association is a great way to find your child a music teacher outside of school. You can also find accompanists this way as well for your vocalists. The student page has lots of info for Gov School too! Beleza (Madeline Holly-Sales and her husband Berto Sales) offer classes in both latin guitar and vocal music. Both are trained music educators and performers. I have spent time with both of them and have even learned some percussion with Berto (a miracle!). The Center for Vocal Study is a place recommended by former students of mine who have studied there for multiple years. UVA faculty at the McIntire Department of Music give private lessons. This site specifies who does and what they teach Music & Arts offers instrument rentals and music lessons. My daughter took guitar lessons here. Prices are reasonable. Join the Virginia Youth Consort, Treble Chorus, or the Youth Chorale. The Charlottesville Jazz Society can connect you with teachers |
Chess
The Charlottesville Chess Club holds weekly meetings at St. Mark's Lutheran Church
Chess Mates is a program for people ages 6+ run out of the Discovery Museum on the Downtown Mall. They offer classes and tournaments online. |
Gardening/Horticulture
Piedmont Master Gardeners can teach you all about gardening, plants, soil, and pretty much everything you need to know to become a, well, master gardener.
The Fifth Season offers very affordable classes in gardening as well as gardening supplies. You can also learn about hydroponics, pickling, and preserving there. The Botanical Gardens of the Piedmont is not yet open, but will be this next year. Once it is open it should be a great place to volunteer and learn from experts. The Albemarle/Charlottesville Chapter of the Virginia Cooperative Extension is happy to help you learn about horticulture, agriculture, landscaping, and much more. The Charlottesville Area Tree Stewards will teach you to identify trees, know which trees to plant where, and how to tend and care for your trees and ours. Edible Landscaping offers classes, events, and more. Monticello, home of Thomas Jefferson provides garden classes, seed exchange, and plant sales especially of heirloom plants. Get involved with the Charlottesville Garden Club. They have a variety of projects here in our area and are always looking for folks to lend a hand. Blue Ridge Permaculture provides opportunities to learn about permaculture, volunteer, and attend classes and events locally. Cultivate Charlottesville is mostly a social justice advocacy group but it's done through food justice, gardening, and community action. Consider volunteering with them to learn along with them. |
Writing
WriterHouse offers classes, writing groups, peer critiques, and when there is not a pandemic, a place for writers to work. All types of writing from crime to romance, poetry to prose is supported.
The Virginia Writers Club supports Open Mic nights, workshops, and more. Teen memberships are free! Jefferson Madison Regional Library supports young writers all year round with writers' groups, poetry, open mic nights, NaNoWriMo, and much more |
Medicine
UVA offers a Mini Medical School in normal years. This is a chance to experience what med school will really be like. It's been online in Covid times, but who knows what will happen next year. High school students have been accepted. Apply in the fall.
Join the Western Albemarle Rescue Squad. You must be 16, but you can become an EMT through them. Serve your community! CATEC offers several medical paths during high school. Become a Certified Nurse's Assistant, an EMT, or a Veterinary Tech all for free while you finish high school by attending CATEC. In regular years you can volunteer at our hospitals, Martha Jefferson, UVA, and Augusta Medical Center. With Covid, this is not possible right now, but in future years, hopefully this will become an option again |
Knitting
Learning to knit isn't that hard and it's a great way to keep your hands busy. Laughing Sheep Yarns offers workshops and groups as well as supplies.
Magpie Knits on the Downtown Mall has classes, groups, supplies, and more. The Central Virginia Fiber Arts Guild offers support, classifieds, instructional videos, and more than anyone could ever want. Have enough scarves, hats, and blankies already? Then you're looking for Knitting Together, a nonprofit who donates their knitting to hospitals and hospice. |
Astronomy
Bot the McCormick Observatory and the Fan Mountain Observatory have open public nights (although we are currently under Covid restrictions, of course).
Charlottesville has an astronomical society for those who want to see the stars and planets. It is open to all. The National Radio Astronomy Observatory is here in our area. They have multiple ways to learn and explore. |