Registration for SLICE of Summer classes started on April 1. The program, a local educational mainstay, is presented through the auspices of the Claremont Educational Foundation.

SLICE includes sports like basketball and volleyball, enrichment courses such as Legos Across the Curriculum and classes designed to give students a handle on challenging subjects, like Fractions, Decimals, and Percents, Oh My!

There are classes on transitioning to middle school or preparing for college and even courses where you can earn school credits, such as driver’s education. While there are exceptions, most classes cost $160 per session.

Each year, SLICE serves the community by offering scholarships valued at more than $50,000. According to the organization’s website, “no one is turned away from taking a class with SLICE.”

There are three sessions this summer, one from June 20 to July 1, another from July 6 to July 15 and a third from July 18 to 29.

This year SLICE has introduced a new course called Leap Into Theater Academy with Ophelia’s Jump. Members of the local repertory company will teach participants—in 6th through 9th grades—skills needed to be a well-rounded actor, including comedic improv, music, acting, stagecraft and movement. The curriculum will prepare kids to perform onstage as part of Ophelia’s Jump Productions’ Midsummer Shakespeare Festival in July. The cost for the class, which runs from June 20 from July 15, from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., is $1,080.

Another course drawing young people out of their shell and into the public eye is Speech and Debate Summer Institute, taught by Dave Chamberlain, adviser to CHS’ award-winning speech and debate team. The class, which will give high school speech and debate competitors a head-start on the 2016-2017 competitive season, runs from June 20 to July 15 from 1 to 4 p.m. It costs $310.

Do you have a child with Hollywood dreams? Chad Corhan will present an Introduction to Filmmaking for kids in 5th through 8th grade and an Introduction to Screenwriting for teens in 7th through 12th grade. The filmmaker will also helm classes in Music Video Production, Stop Motion Animation and Special Effects Filmmaking.

If you’ve got a youngster in 8th through 12th grade who’s addicted to Project Runway and proficient with a sewing machine, they’ll enjoy Sewing Camp: Introduction to Fashion Design, presented by Cut Sew Stitch in the CVS shopping center. The class will be held during the first SLICE session, Monday through Friday from noon to 3 p.m.

The second and third sessions will feature another Sewing Camp providing an Introduction to Cosplay. Participants will learn character design and development, makeup techniques, patternmaking and costume drawing. The session will be capped off with an exhibition. The cost for each Sewing Camp is $225, with a $30 materials fee.

Kids may also be interested in American Storytelling, which features a class for students in 5th through 8th grade and another for high school students. The class covers America’s rich storytelling history—including fables, short stories, literature, poetry and musical compositions—by US authors ranging from Mark Twain to Dr. Seuss. The cost for the class is $160.

Other offerings include hip-hop, ballet, jazz and musical theater dance; cooking classes specializing in baking and in preparing dishes for family meals or special occasions; pencil drawing, character design, portrait drawing and photography; sign language, hair-styling, law and computer coding; as well as world music drumming and a get-your-feet-wet music class providing an introduction to the ukulele, the recorder and the hand-drum.

To find out more or to enroll, visit the CEF website at www.supportcef.com, email info@cefslice.org or call call (909) 399-1709.

—Sarah Torribio

storribio@claremont-courier.com