Education & Classes in Madison

At more than 900 learning centers across the world, Sylvan offers kids a leg up through personalized, one-on-one programs prescribed by an in-depth skills assessment. Students build on past lessons to learn progressively, and sessions may hone in on different disciplines, granting kids the confidence to interpret literature and the rhetorical skills needed to negotiate a later bedtime. The positive mindset of personable, invested instructors helps to inspire kids to greater academic feats, as does a prize program that rewards hard work with CDs and gift cards.

Since the instructors at Southeastern Divers's five-star PADI--certified training facility first set up shop in 1980, more than 5,000 of their aquatic pupils have obtained diving certifications. The certified scuba pros, each of whom has obtained a master diver trainer rating, or at least interned as a mermaid, continue to add to this number using their structured course flow. They help novice divers to take their first plunge during Discover Scuba programs and guide them toward the master-diver level. Along the way, instructors and pupils branch off from the course flow to try their rubber flippers in specialty programs such as wreck diving. Throughout all coursework, Southeastern Divers's staff can rent equipment or sell gear from brands such as Aqua Lung.:m]]

At the age of 16, while most girls hang out at the mall and try to harness cold fusion, Lu, the owner of Luna Bella, capitalized on her passion for crafting by starting a full-fledged business that she ran out of her home. Now an adult with children of her own, Lu beckons others to unearth their artistic inclinations through hands-on classes that reveal the steps to creating everything from chainmaille bracelets to paintings of owls. With an array of materials such as beads, yarn, and felt, she also keeps her passion alive by hand-making her own creations. Her woven headbands decorate headscapes and Victorian bib necklaces grace collars and infant tutu dresses prepare newborns for their production of “The Nutcracker on Ice.”

Inspired by the artistic prowess of her mother, Debbie Russler made her first brushstroke two decades ago and has gone on to create vivid pieces of art in a variety of mediums. Intent on unlocking the same joy in others, Debbie now guides students through the finer points of paintsmanship in three-hour classes. Armed with a canvas and all required supplies, students follow her expert instruction to capture landscapes, still-lifes, or portraits of portraits of Abraham Lincoln.