Franklin Regional Adult School offer enrichment opportunities
Local school children have already begun toting their homework assignments. The grown-ups will have their chance later this month.
The Franklin Regional Adult School, a nonprofit community education program, will start its fall classes Sept. 19. Open to residents of the Franklin Regional School District who are 17 and older, the program offers more than 90 craft, culinary, computer and fitness courses for a fee.
The courses are noncredit but offer enrichment, said Jill Cooper, a member of the adult school committee. Attendees have the opportunity to learn new skills or get in shape.
"I find that you're a more interesting person if you've experienced more things," said Cooper of Murrysville. "Not only do you gain the value of lifelong learning, but you can also share what you've learned with other people."
Each year, about 400 adults sign up for classes at the school, said Sue Brooks, president of the school's committee.
The school started more than 50 years ago as a means to help Franklin Regional teachers earn extra money, Brooks said.
A common misconception in the community is that the adult school is affiliated with the Franklin Regional School District. It's not. Though classes often are held at Franklin Regional buildings and occasionally taught by district teachers, the adult school is its own nonprofit organization.
While there are fees charged for each class, most of that money pays for instructor and room-rental fees. The remaining profit goes back into the community. This summer, the school donated $3,000 to community organizations, including $1,000 to the Murrysville Community Library and $500 each to Murrysville Medic One and Meals on Wheels.
The school also donated $1,000 to the Franklin Regional School District. The district used that money to buy six Kindle e-readers for the middle school library.
"The Franklin Regional Adult School does not want to make money," Brooks said. "When we find that our organization can afford to donate to the community, we are thrilled."
Students are charged a fee ranging from $20 to $80, depending on the length of the course. Among the most popular courses are the photography classes and a "how-to" class for new Facebook users.
"A lot of folks who are middle age are getting on (Facebook) to reconnect with friends," Cooper said. "They're familiar with how it works because their kids are on it, but they want to know how all the features work."
Organizers always are looking for new classes. This year, 28 new courses -- ranging from kickboxing to how to make chicken parmigiana -- are being offered,. Most new classes are created because someone in the community has a skill or an interest they want to share, Cooper said.
"We have a lot of talent here in the community," Cooper said. "We mostly rely on word of mouth to find somebody to teach (a class) for us."
Other than fitness classes, most courses meet a handful of times. Often, craft or cooking courses give students an opportunity to make a meal or craft to take home in just one or two sessions.
Those classes make for a great girls night out, Cooper said.
"There's a lot of great one-on-one courses where people can grab a few friends and go have fun," Cooper said.
"You get a chance to try something new and have fun with it. It's right here in the community and doesn't require a huge commitment. More people should try it."
28 new courses to be offered this fall
This fall, the Franklin Regional Adult School will offer 28 new courses as part of its 90-plus course offering.
Courses include water aerobics, law classes, butterfly gardening, dog obedience, guitar and voice classes, yoga, ballroom dancing, Bollywood dancing, crock pot cooking, soup cooking, various Indian cooking classes, knitting, jewelry making, Powerpoint instruction and holiday crafts and cooking.
Registration for fall courses ran through Sept. 6. Registration will still be accepted after that date, but with a $6 late fee.
Courses are intended for Franklin Regional School District residents; however, residents of other communities may enroll for a $4 per class fee. For a full list of classes or more information, see www.franklinregionaladultschool.org or call Sue Brooks at 724-325-4490.
