Education & Classes in Norfolk County

Jackie Harris, mother of two, uses the knowledge she gleaned while studying art at Kenton College to kindle a passion for art in every child she teaches. She believes art can not only unleash a child's imagination, but also improve their self-esteem. In her family-oriented Kids Creation Art Studio, Harris and her experienced team engage pint-sized artists with paint-your-own pottery, daylong or week-long summer camps, 12-week art classes, and blank canvasses coated in sugar. Troupes of youngsters can also visit the studio for art-filled birthday parties that include two hours of studio time, facepainting, and sweet treats.

Instinct Windsports gives humans the means to defy gravity and evolution. Everyone from beginners to experienced hang gliders can learn the ways of flight, with instructors making safety their top priority. Ground schools explore the gliders and their underlying principles before a scooter-mounted towing winch and a computerized simulator let beginners ease into flight. Although not included with this Groupon, more experienced students can work through certification courses that give them the techniques necessary to soar on their own.

For a safe, immersive introduction to the world of hang gliding, the center’s certified pilots also offer tandem flights. A high-powered winch or an ultra-light airplane tows the duo to as high as 1,500 feet before releasing the glider to the instructor’s control. During the next 10–30 minutes, adventurers gain a birds-eye view of the surrounding area and the possibility of controlling the glider so they can brag to their land-bound pets after landing.

Founded with the goal of introducing pupils of all ages to the visual arts, Bronte Art Academy coaxes forth the inner Renoirs within all those who enter the studio during a host of hands-on lessons and camps. Under the capable direction of Paul Ross Sandilands, a local portrait artist who has taught at the Ontario College of Art & Design and served as a painting companion to Canadian artist Harold Town, budding masters explore their potential with a variety of artistic media, from watercolour to graphite. Paul also shares his knowledge, techniques, and passion for creative expression during in-studio sessions, where students can create their own take-home masterpieces portraying family, the ocean at sunset, or Roger Clemens as a 19th-century robber baron.

Ontario College of Health & Technology educates its students to herald a healthier and safer tomorrow. Through programs that focus on disciplines as diverse as massage therapy and private investigation, the private career college readies pupils for long-term success in their chosen field. Yet the school expands its scope beyond career tracks, offering the casual learner an arsenal of new skills. The culinary department, for example, takes two forms: by day, Red Seal–certified cooking instructors train full-time students to become chefs in restaurants and hotels, but by night, they oversee proteges' first steps into the kitchen or second steps back into the kitchen after realizing they left their headlights on. In comprehensive workshops, students learn to properly sauté, simmer, and bake dishes so that they can treat their family to a nice meal or throw a fitting party for a foodie friend.

Helmed by Chef Suki Kaur-Cosier, Cooking Matters invites chefs of all experience levels to nourish their love of the culinary arts in fun, hands-on classes. Every month, she designs a lesson plan that literally expands the horizons of her pupils—many classes highlight cuisines from countries as diverse as Morocco, Italy, Thailand, and Never-Never Land. Other classes help locals adapt to dietary restrictions such as gluten intolerance or calorie restrictions with bold, delicious recipes. The class structure is simple and practical: students step up to the stove and actually prepare a four-course meal on their own. As they work, the chef patrols the room, offering suggestions and scolding watched pots that refuse to boil.

Owned by veteran performer and choreographer Perri McCall—whose former students include Dancing With the Stars professionals Mark Ballas and Derek Hough—Performers Dance Studio's faculty teaches all ages the art of body movement in more than 10 disciplines. Within the 3,000-square-foot facility, classes of 15–20 students glide across two studios that sport flooring specifically engineered to support dance. Perri's accomplished faculty represents a diversity of performance backgrounds and specializes in instilling creativity in younger pupils while emphasizing the technical foundations necessary for all ages to be proficient in dance styles such as jazz, musical theatre, hip hop, tap, and Morse code tap.