This class is for any student who has always wanted to read and enjoy poetry. No experience with poetry required! Taught by a published poet who loves making poetry accessible for readers of all ages, the course will showcase works from a wide range of famous authors and cultures, from the modern day to the distant past, but with a special focus on American poets. Guided reading and discussions will happen each session, helping students make connections and find poems that they will hopefully love for the rest of their lives. Poems will include themes of love and joy, life and living, nature and time and place.

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January 25, 2027 to February 15, 2027 | 6:00pm-8:00pm PST | Bend

This course is for any student who has always wanted to read and enjoy poetry as well as try writing, and purely for fun! The instructor is a published poet and teacher, and he loves making poetry accessible for readers of all ages. The course will showcase poems from a wide range of famous poets. The instructor will lead the reading and discussions of the poems, helping students make connections and find poems that they will hopefully love for the rest of their lives. Then, we will use those poems to write our own versions. The intention is purely to use the poems to have fun with poetry writing. Positive feedback will be encouraged, and more confident students could use the poems to generate more original work, but that will not be the expectation. Please bring a journal or notebook and something to write with.

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February 22, 2027 to March 15, 2027 | 6:00pm-7:30pm PST | Bend

Substack is the newest trend to hit the publishing world. It is an easy, online way for anyone to make an income by writing. Many big-name authors, journalists and personalities have started their own Substack publications. The good news is that you don't have to be a big name, have a large following, or be tech-savvy to get yourself started. All you need is you! In this class, learn how to start your own Substack publication, how to get paid to write and how to leverage this new platform for your creative dreams.

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Saturday, November 7, 2026 | 9:00am-12:00pm PST | Bend

In this course, learn essential building blocks for fiction and memoir including plot, setting, theme, characterization, point-of-view and dialogue. What is the hero's journey, and how does a writer develop a story concept into a page-turning best seller? Award-winning author and college educator Kathryn Mattingly will inspire you to begin your novel, complete your first draft or reassess what you have written so far. Open to novel and memoir writers of all levels!

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October 6, 2026 to November 10, 2026 | 5:00pm-7:00pm PDT | Sisters