Education & Classes in Niles

Eagle Aircraft's fleet includes planes such as the Cessna 162 Skycatcher and the Piper Arrow. Aboard these planes, pilots take passengers on scenic tours and train new aeronauts for private licenses, instrument ratings, and commercial flight. The company has been helping pilots earn their wings for more than 25 years.

Richard J. Sass first felt the weight of a scuba tank about his shoulders at 15, when a friend's father strapped him into a suit and threw him into the world's deep end, as it were. Rick fell in love with diving before ever surfacing on that first adventure, and he started Sub-Aquatic Sports & Service – or SASS for short – to share his passion with others. He and his staff teach a full range of scuba classes, from beginner certifications to becoming a dive instructor. They lead trips into waters across the world, from Australia to Micronesia, from the Great Lakes to the Galapagos Islands.

Growing up in his mother's kitchen in Western France, Laurent Robic developed a natural enthusiasm for fresh food made tenderly from scratch. After attending culinary school, Robic minced and sautéed his way across Europe, picking up knowledge of different cuisines and broadening his foreign whisk collection. Eventually, Chef Laurent traveled to the states with his wife. Today, he's amassed over 20 years of professional experience, which he passes on to students of all ages and experience levels during an ever-rotating lineup of demonstrative and hands-on cooking classes. Whether he’s passing on the secrets of winter soups and stews, demonstrating the versatility of chicken’s many kitchen uses, or unlocking global tastes with country-themed courses, Chef Laurent honors his art with patient, friendly instruction. A noted chocolatier, he also lovingly crafts French-style truffles out of Ecuadorian chocolate certified by the Rainforest Alliance.

A lifelong sewer, Jackie has been perfecting her teaching method for 24 years, hoping to pass on her passion for stitching to new craftsmen. Inside her boutique in Granger, she teaches classes to students aged 6 and up, careful to tailor lessons to each student's pace. Over the course of her eight-class series, she guides pupils' hands as they stitch together several finished projects, such as pillowcases, aprons, and eyeball warmers. Jackie's boutique also houses a plethora of fabrics and sewing necessities for students or learned sewers.

At West Michigan Glass Art Center, a non-profit art center in downtown Kalamazoo, students learn to create beads, stained glass, and ornamental baubles flecked with kaleidoscopic colors. Seasoned instructors lead demonstrations and work with students one-on-one, guiding them through techniques such as flameworking, glassblowing, and glass fusing.

With more than 10 years of professional dance competitions and teaching experience under her belt, Dance Passion's owner, Gloria Jones, puts her affinity toward dance and instruction to use in her own studio. Gloria teaches budding boogiers the basics of ballroom, and salsa dancing during private and group lessons. In addition to her regular sessions, she also hosts wedding-themed lessons, where she prepares couples for their first waltz, tango, or chicken dance as husband and wife.