Explore the power of color, shape, and texture to create striking abstract art. Experiment with brush techniques, layered textures, and unexpected color combinations to express ideas, emotions, and personal style without relying on realism. Push your creativity, refine your artistic voice, and develop original pieces that reflect your vision.

Please note: For AHS students only. All four days are in person. This four-day course is designed for rising seniors who want help managing the many requirements of the college application process, and fine-tuning their essay. Work with AHS school counselors Danielle Rakowsky and Kathy Hirsch, along with English teacher Erin McLean, to explore topics including: an overview of the college application process, completing the Common Application, timelines/time management for applying to college, resume building, essay and supplement writing, interview preparation, and financial aid awareness. For AHS students only.

Build your kitchen confidence and get ready to cook on your own. Get comfortable using essential kitchen tools, pick up hands-on cooking tricks, and plan meals like a pro. Learn how to make approachable, well-loved dishes, like chicken tikka masala, bolognese, and fried rice, made with everyday ingredients from local grocery stores and smart shortcuts. Leave with a recipe booklet and the confidence to cook simple, satisfying meals while enjoying your time in the kitchen.

Give your wardrobe a fresh twist by transforming clothes you already own into unique, personalized pieces. Explore refashioning techniques like visible mending and creative alterations, drawing inspiration from art, photography, film, or social media. Experiment with fabrics, textures, and styles, and maybe even hunt for hidden gems at a local thrift store. Bring your vision to life and create fashion that’s truly one-of-a-kind. You must have experience using a sewing machine.

Make classic Italian dishes from scratch, from minestrone and wedding soup to chicken parm, meatballs, pizza dough, focaccia, panini, and four-cheese ravioli. Roll fresh pasta, mix flavorful sauces, and bake sweet treats like ricotta cookies, biscotti, and cannoli while learning how ingredients come together to make Italian food so delicious. By the end of the week, you’ll have the skills to create your own Italian feast.

Explore traditional and contemporary painting techniques as well as color theory and composition. We will work on developing conceptual skills from observation to imagination. Improve your technical skills by analyzing historical and contemporary works, and collaborate through group critiques and discussions. This class is open to all skill levels.

Explore the art of Japanese sumi ink and watercolor on rice paper, creating expressive paintings of animals, flowers, landscapes, and anime characters. Learn to grind your own ink, master brush techniques, and experiment with color to bring your ideas to life. Each session introduces a new theme—from realistic and stylized animals to delicate flowers, serene landscapes, and even whimsical anime subjects like Totoro—allowing you to develop your own unique style.

Sugar fiends and science geeks rejoice! Conduct sweet experiments ranging from sugar basics to advanced molecular gastronomy. Explore spherification with sodium alginate and calcium chloride, dessert foams from nitrous oxide and proteins, and how sucrose levels, glucose, and baking methods can affect the flavor, texture, and density of your treats. Make madeleines and Armenian khurebehs, blow sugar bubbles, and turn chemistry into dessert.

Discover the delights, surprises, and challenges of watercolor painting as you explore still lifes, landscapes, flowers, and more. Learn to mix colors, create mood and atmosphere, and capture the details of your favorite subjects—whether a delicate flower, a mushroom, or a striking landscape. Each day explores a different theme, with the final project giving you the freedom to bring your own ideas to life.