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Contact us at education@l-pad.com for more detail.



May-June Skill-shares
Free exchanges of skills in space donated by LaunchPad.

Tuvan Throat-Singing Skill-share
Thursday, May 11 & Wednesday, June 7
For practitioners, wanabees and accompanisists of Khoomei, Kargyraa, Sygyt and other forms of the unique characteristic multi-tone harmonic singing native to Tuva and adjoining parts of neighboring Mongolia.

Harm Reduction Support Group Meeting
Thursdays, beginning May 18,  8pm
This support group meeting shares the goal of freedom from addiction to hard drugs with NA, but an alternative to NA/AA, for those in recovery.

Interested in Teaching?

We are currently Seeking instructors for August-Sept term. Four different spaces are available, and several different ways of structuring classes are possible. Please contact us at education@l-pad.com for more information.

In addition, although current May-June term is under way, there is still space and classes or workshops can still be added for the second mail-out. But contact us right away!

1.5 years of Community Education

LaunchPad has offered classes, skill-shares & hands-on workshops in various fields since January of 2005, teaching natural building tecniques, performing arts, computer literacy, gardening, bicycle-related workshops and much more.

LaunchPad Community Education

The Mission of LaunchPad's Education Semi-Autonomous Working Group is to serve the arts comunity, the social/political activist community, and our local neighborhood by providing free skill-shares and low-cost classes & workshops  in the areas of skills & job-seeking, arts, community-building and health & permaculture.

Class Schedule  May-June 2006

Basic Bicycle Maintenance    workshop,  Saturday, May 27, 1-4pm, 25$
Learn how to fix flats, adjust brakes, deal with gears and chain, alignment, etc.

Build Your Own Bicycle Cart    workshop,  Saturday, June 24, 12-3pm, 20$
Get hands-on experience making a bicycle cart from old parts (bike & shopping cart), guided by knowing hands.

Basic Computer Literacy 1:  World Wide Web  workshop, Thursdays, May 4, May 11, May 18,  1-3pm , 10$
Introduction to email, online networking, info searches, jobs & housing searches, other online resources.

Basic Computer Literacy 2:  Office Skills  3-week class, Thursdays, May 25, June 1, and  June 8  1-3pm , 50$ pre-registered or 20$ per class.
Learn how to find your way around and use Windows functions and shortcuts, and how to use the two basic programs used in all modern offices: Word Processing -Formatting, File Layout, Tables, etc - and Excel: Page setup, Columns and Layouts, creating Data Tables and Spreadsheets.

Hand Drumming    drop-in,  Monday, May 29, Monday June 19, 7:30 - 9:30 pm, 20$
hand drumming workshop - all types of hand drums welcome (student must provide own drum). Learn good basic playing tecnique and how to work out your own parts. Instructor Tim Bolling has three decades of experience playing and gigging with leading middleeastern artists, toured with Rebbesoul, and has been teaching drummers for more than 20 years. Advanced instruction also available, by arrangement.
Drum class will be followed by free open drum jam, starting at 9:30.

Creative Movement    workshop Sunday, June 4  1-5 pm, 40$
Everyone has innate physical creativity - but most of us become locked in the same patterns of movement that we've used every day, often since childhood. Creative Movement is a guided meditation on physical
freedom and experimentation - there are no steps, no correct posture, no alignment, no mirrors; just you, the rhythm, and the floor.
All you need is a body and curiosity - No dance experience necessary!
Wear comfortable movement clothes (layers recommended), and bring a
notebook, pen, water, and a snack.

'Zine Making   5-week class  June 4, 11, 18 and July 2 & 9, 11am-12:30pm, 40$ pre-registered, or 10$ per class
All sorts of communications are Zine-worthy. In making zines, people share the stories of their lives, speak their truth, and define their personal ideas.
In this class we will come together to develop zines. We will strategize, create, workshop, give feedback, and support. We will also cover distribution resources, binding/copying options, bookmaking
ideas, and webzines. By the end of the five classes, you'll have the finished product of your new zine in your hands!  Participants supply their own art materials and their own copying costs.

Fire-dancing workshop   workshop Sunday, June 25 (must pre-register by June 15)
Fire-tool-making  12:30 -2:30pm, 25$ + materials  Basic Moves and Patterns  3:30 - 7pm, 50$
Contact us for materials list if you wish to participate in tools workshop. Materials group-buy available if you register and pay for materials by June 10.
Instructor John Voldal has been active and widely studying the fire arts since 1997, has studied in New Zealand (birthplace of some forms of firedancing) and managed globetrotting fire troupe Fyrestorm (www/torchery.org) and has been teaching for seven years. Continuing fire instruction available individually.   Fire class will be followed by free open fire-drum circle, starting at 8pm.

Basic Wood working   workshop Wednesday, May 17, Wednesday, June 14, 1 -4pm, 25$
Familiarizing with hand-tools by making a small wood project.

Basic Auto Maintenance & Car Clinic    workshop Sat, June 17th, 12-3pm, $30 (must pre-register by June 7)
Get the theory and then the hands-on experience to keep your car moving. Let us know your car's needs when register, and your car may qualify to be used as an example (bearing in mind, we won't be doing full engine or transmission overhauls in a 3-hr class - basic maintenance and troubleshooting only).
(biodeisel clinic coming in July!)

Sustainable Energy Series, Part 1:  Solar   workshop, Sunday,  June 29  (must pre-register by June 15)
Explore green energy concepts  (incl. an overview of energy sources -  fossil, nuclear, solar, wind), energy efficiency, AC/DC power conversion, and then get hands-on experience in a step-by-step walk through of solar and wind power generation, including an essential intro to electronics, basics of photovoltaic cells and wind turbine mechanics.
In Part 1, after the basic theory students will use off-the-shelf components to build mobile solar power generators for under $300. Please contact us for more detail about materials.