Education & Classes in Scotch Plains

Corks pop and spirits flow at Eastcoast School of Bartending, where students learn the tricks of the trade in a realistic environment. When not busy in the classroom, students man an actual a 35-foot U-shaped bar stocked with more than 250 bottles, bar utensils, and more than 200 glasses of varying types ready to aid on the journey to bartending mastery. Eastcoast’s instructors cover all areas of the craft, including drink recipes, customer service, alcohol awareness, and how to memorize every regular’s favorite cartoon character. After completing the course, students receive a graduation license approved by the New Jersey Department of Education and recognized in all 50 states. Eastcoast also offers graduates free job-placement services and refresher training for life.

In hands-on workshops and classes, skilled seamstresses teach students both the fundamentals of sewing and the art of turning yarn and fabric into fashion. Kid-friendly classes include six-week workshops, during which pint-size clothiers roll up their sleeves and learn to handle sewing machines, read patterns, and troubleshoot wardrobe malfunctions. During the Beginner Sewing/Pattern-Making class, teachers assign increasingly difficult projects, from stitching pajama bottoms to tailoring a snow hat, which students take home to augment their wardrobes. In the Fashion Illustration class, style-minded teachers unpack a thorough introduction to the industry, from a history of fashion to tips on building a portfolio to learning how to construct final designs while walking in platform stilettos. Recently added adult classes tailor lessons to novices in a six-week semester of evening sessions.

Supplying all materials, Art By The Glazz's artist-led painting sessions kindle brush-wielding talents during three-hour classes held on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. New artists capture shapes and shadows inspired by a number of pastoral- or wine-themed templates, with step-by-step instruction from pigment professionals. One complimentary glass of wine emboldens the pigment-shy, and those with a thirst for more can visit an onsite cash bar. Aprons protect against stray paint, wine drops, and the tears of fruit trapped in a beautiful but airless eternal present, although Art By The Glazz recommends wearing old clothes. Finished masterpieces chaperone each artist home, ready to be mounted on a wall or hung from the dining-room chandelier.

During Cookies and Milk sessions, kids or teens settle down with a complimentary dessert amid canvases ripe for realizing 2-D tableaux. During each session, one featured painting of a subject, such as the beach, Green Eggs and Ham, or Mickey Mouse, is perched mid-studio to kindle students’ imaginary fires. The company also hosts corporate team-building events, small groups, and birthday parties, giving guests an enjoyable ice-breaking activity.

Students arrive at Ballroom Dance of NJ seeking to learn the elegant art of social dancing, a tradition carried on by Russia natives Sergei and Olga Bezrodnov. The husband-and-wife team has taken home numerous Russian and U.S. championship titles, and the two are committed to sharing their passion for dance with the community.

Having experienced how ballroom dancing can promote both physical and mental well-being, the Bezrodnovs teach adults, children, and entire families how to gracefully navigate the dance floor. They coordinate events where couples can demonstrate their skills in styles such as the foxtrot, waltz, tango, cha-cha, and swing, preparing soon-to-be-wedded couples for their big day and singles to pass the time in malfunctioning elevators.

Enrico Aquino III began tinkling the ivories at the age of three, eventually playing his way to the hallowed performance spaces at Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center. The talented pianist was born into a musical family: his father opened a music school and piano store in New Jersey, and Aquino has kept the family tradition alive by embracing his father’s belief in friendly, encouraging instruction. The retailer pairs players with new and pre-owned pianos made by brands such as Seiler, J. Strauss & Son, and Baldwin Pianos or digital pianos from makers such as Viscount and Korg. The music academy, meanwhile, has guided fingers of all ages in waltzing across keys for more than 60 years. The academy’s skilled instructors delve into classical, jazz, and popular music during private lessons for pupils who have never read music to those who swallowed a metronome as a child and have been reaping the benefits ever since.

The staffers at Brainiac's Childcare don’t just care for youngsters—they give them an academic leg up. Between the hours of 7 a.m. and 7 p.m., they lead children aged 6 weeks to 5 years through fun, supervised activities that impart age-appropriate skills, such as phonics and language comprehension, and also provide important social interaction. Programs include full-day kindergarten and before- and afterschool care, as well as fitness-focused classes in dance and soccer. Supervised evening childcare allows parents to enjoy adults-only activities, such as riding roller coasters with height requirements.