Our Classes

About This Class

Have you ever wondered who makes the rules in your town — or how a law actually gets passed? This class answers those questions in a way that's easy to understand and genuinely interesting.

Each week, we explore a different piece of how government works — and how regular people make their voices heard. We use real news stories, short videos, and group discussion to bring it all to life.

We also take community excursions — to places like City Hall and the State Capitol in Albany — so you can see government in action, not just read about it. Guest speakers, including local elected officials and community leaders, join us to answer questions directly. No prior knowledge needed. Just curiosity.

What We Cover

• Who's in charge? Federal, state, and local government explained
• How a law gets made — step by step
• Voting: how to register, what's on a ballot, and why it matters
• Your rights: what the Constitution actually says
• Local government: who makes decisions in your community
• How to contact and talk to your elected representatives
• Ways to get involved beyond voting
• How to read the news and tell facts from opinions

How We Learn

Who This Class Is For

This class is for anyone who wants to understand how government works and feel more confident as a citizen. Whether you've never voted before or just want to understand what's happening in the news, you belong here. All backgrounds and experience levels welcome.

Format & Rates

About This Class

Ever wish you could make a birthday card, a party invitation, or a flyer that actually looks the way you imagined it? In The Design Studio, you'll learn how to do exactly that — using a free tool called Canva that works on any phone, tablet, or computer.

Every class, you make something real. We start with simple basics — what makes something look good, how to pick colors that work together, how to choose a font. From there, you'll practice making your own projects: cards, event announcements, photo layouts, personal flyers, and more.

We also visit local design studios and creative spaces so you can see how professional designers work. And we have guest designers come in and share their stories. No art background needed — just a willingness to try things and have fun making stuff.

What We Cover

• What makes a design look good — color, layout, and fonts explained simply
• Getting started with Canva — finding your way around the app
• Using templates — how to make them your own
• Adding and editing photos
• Choosing fonts that work well together
• Making things you'll actually use: cards, invitations, flyers, photo books
• Developing your own personal style
• How to print, share, or save what you've made

How We Learn

Who This Class Is For

This class is for anyone who wants to make things that look the way they imagined — no design experience needed, no art background required. If you can use a smartphone or tablet, you can do this. Great for all ages and all skill levels.

Format & Rates

About This Class

Phones, apps, email, video calls, online shopping, AI tools — technology is everywhere. This class is for anyone who wants to feel more comfortable using it. Whether you're just getting started or you've been using technology for years and want to feel more confident, this class is for you.

Every week, we pick one topic and actually practice it together. You bring your own phone or tablet and we work through things step by step, at a pace that works for everyone. There are no dumb questions here — this is a safe, low-pressure place to learn and try things.

We also take trips to places like the public library to explore digital tools and services that are free and available to everyone. And we invite guest speakers — like a cybersecurity expert — to answer questions and help you stay safe online.

What We Cover

• Getting the most out of your smartphone — organizing apps, adjusting settings, freeing up space
• Email — how to use it, stay organized, and avoid mistakes
• Staying safe online — protecting your personal information and spotting scams
• Video calls — Zoom, FaceTime, Google Meet, and how to use them
• Saving and finding your files and photos
• Apps that make daily life easier — maps, calendars, reminders, and more
• AI tools — what they are, how to try them, and what to watch out for
• Streaming, online shopping, and managing subscriptions

How We Learn

Who This Class Is For

This class is for anyone who wants to feel more comfortable with technology — beginners and people who just want to fill in the gaps. All ages welcome. You just need a phone, tablet, or computer to participate.

Format & Rates

About This Class

Do you ever feel like there's too much to do and not enough time? Like important things keep falling through the cracks, or you're not sure where to even start? This class is for you.

The Planning Lab is a hands-on class where you try out different ways to organize your time, keep track of tasks, and build habits that actually stick. Each week focuses on one practical tool or idea — and you spend most of the class actually using it, not just hearing about it. You'll leave each session with something concrete you can put into practice right away.

There's no one right system, and this class doesn't push you to follow someone else's way of doing things. The point is to figure out what works for you — and build from there.

What We Cover

• How planning works — the basics of keeping track of your time and tasks
• Choosing a planning system that fits you — paper, phone, or a mix of both
• How habits form — and how to build ones that last
• Breaking a big goal down into small, doable steps
• Where does your time go? A simple exercise to find out
• What to do when everything feels urgent at the same time
• How to get started when you're feeling stuck
• Ending the week right — a simple review and reset routine

How We Learn

Who This Class Is For

This class is for anyone who wants to feel more organized and in control of their days — whether you're juggling a lot of responsibilities, trying to start new habits, or just looking for a better way to keep track of things. No experience or special tools required.

Format & Rates

About This Class

Most of us were never really taught how money works. This class is a chance to learn — in a friendly, no-judgment space where every question is welcome and nothing is assumed.

We cover the practical things that come up in real life: how to make a budget, how bank accounts work, what credit scores mean, how to spot a scam, and how to start saving — even a little at a time. Each session, we work with real examples and practice real skills, not just talk about them.

We also get out into the community — visiting a local bank and a market to practice what we're learning in real settings. And we bring in guests like a credit counselor and a consumer advocate to answer your questions directly.

What We Cover

• Making a budget — figuring out where your money goes and how to plan ahead
• Bank accounts — what they are, how they work, and how to use them
• Reading financial paperwork — statements, pay stubs, and benefit letters
• Credit scores and credit cards — explained in plain English
• Smart shopping — comparing prices and making good decisions
• Saving — how to start, even in small amounts
• Online banking and money apps — how to use them safely
• Protecting yourself — recognizing scams and knowing your rights

How We Learn

Who This Class Is For

This class is for any adult who wants to feel more comfortable and confident with money — whether you're just starting out, rebuilding, or filling in gaps you never had a chance to learn. All income levels welcome. No financial background needed.

Format & Rates

About This Class

Adult life comes with a lot to figure out — appointments, paperwork, community resources, knowing your rights, making good decisions. Most people learn these things by trial and error over many years. This class gives you a chance to learn them together, in a friendly and supportive setting.

Each week, we focus on one practical area of everyday life. We talk it through, practice it with real examples and real scenarios, and connect it directly to things that matter in your life. The class meets both at our offices and out in the community — visiting places like the library, local service offices, and neighborhood businesses.

This class is designed to be accessible and welcoming for people at any stage of life. We take our time, we keep things practical, and we make sure everyone can participate fully. Guest speakers from local organizations join us regularly to share what they know and answer questions.

What We Cover

• Finding help when you need it — community resources, services, and how to access them
• Staying organized — keeping track of appointments, documents, and important information
• Being a smart consumer — your rights, how contracts work, and how to ask good questions
• Knowing what's available in your community — libraries, services, and local organizations
• Speaking up for yourself — how to ask for what you need and communicate clearly
• Making decisions — how to weigh your options and feel confident in your choices
• Planning ahead — building routines that hold up when things get busy or unexpected
• Getting connected — finding people, groups, and resources in your community

How We Learn

Who This Class Is For

This class is for anyone who wants to feel more confident handling the everyday stuff that comes with life — whether you're navigating independent living for the first time, working through a big change, or building skills and knowledge that weren't formally taught. Everyone is welcome. All backgrounds included.

Format & Rates

About This Class

History isn't just something that happened in the past — it's alive in the buildings we walk past, the neighborhoods we live in, and the stories that shape who we are today. History at Large is a class that gets you out of your seat and into the places where history actually happened.

Each series focuses on a different topic — one semester might explore immigration and the people who built New York City, another might follow the Civil Rights Movement through primary sources and personal stories, another might trace the history of science and invention. Topics rotate regularly, so there's always something new to explore.

New York City is our classroom. We take regular community excursions to some of the world's great museums and cultural institutions — the American Museum of Natural History, the New-York Historical Society, the Museum of the City of New York, the Tenement Museum, and others — using each visit as the centerpiece of the week's learning. Guest historians, archivists, and community storytellers round out the experience.

What We Cover

• How to read history: primary sources, photographs, maps, and artifacts
• Series topics rotate — examples include: Immigration & the Building of New York, Civil Rights & Social Change, Science & Invention Through the Ages, Women in History, NYC Neighborhood Stories
• Understanding cause and effect: how events connect across time
• Reading history critically — whose stories get told, and whose don't
• Local and national history: how big events played out in our own backyard
• History through objects: what museums choose to preserve and why
• Connecting the past to the present: what history can teach us about today
• Building your own historical curiosity: how to keep exploring on your own

How We Learn

Who This Class Is For

History at Large is for anyone who loves learning — curious minds of all ages and backgrounds who want to understand the world and the city we live in a little better. No history background needed. Just come ready to explore.

Format & Rates

About This Class

Language is how we think, how we connect, and how we understand the world around us. Language Arts is a class that celebrates all the ways we use language — reading, writing, speaking, and listening — and helps you get better at each one, in ways that feel meaningful and genuinely useful.

Each session dives into a topic-driven exploration of language and communication. Some weeks we read and discuss — short stories, essays, news, poetry — and talk about what the words are doing and how they work. Other weeks we write, practice speaking out loud, work on listening skills, or explore how language shapes the way we think about things.

This isn't an English class, and it isn't about grammar rules. It's about becoming a more confident, thoughtful communicator — someone who can express themselves clearly, understand others more deeply, and engage with ideas and people with greater ease. All language backgrounds and experience levels are welcome, including English language learners.

What We Cover

• Finding your voice — how to say what you mean clearly and confidently
• Active listening — what it means to really hear someone else
• Reading for meaning — how to pull ideas out of what you read
• Writing that works — practical writing for everyday life: emails, notes, messages
• Storytelling — how to share your experiences in a way that connects with others
• Critical thinking through language — how the words we use shape what we think
• Discussion and debate — how to share your opinion and consider others' views
• Language and culture — how different communities use language differently

How We Learn

Who This Class Is For

This class is for anyone who wants to communicate more clearly and confidently — whether in conversation, in writing, or in how you take in and understand the world. All backgrounds, experience levels, and language histories are welcome. English language learners are especially encouraged to join.

Format & Rates

About This Class

Relationships are at the center of a meaningful life — friendships, family connections, community ties, and the everyday interactions that make up who we are in the world. But most of us were never formally taught how relationships actually work, what makes them strong, or what to do when they get difficult.

Forging Relationships is a class that approaches human connection as a subject — exploring the psychology of relationships, the skills of good communication, the dynamics that help friendships grow and the ones that pull them apart, and the practices that help us show up better for the people in our lives. Each session is grounded in real examples, thoughtful discussion, and reflection on our own experiences.

This is not a therapy group or a support program. It's a class about a subject that affects everyone — taught with the same curiosity and depth we bring to history or finance, but focused on the most human topic there is.

What We Cover

• What makes a relationship strong? The foundations of trust, respect, and reliability
• Communication in relationships — how to say what you mean and be heard
• Active listening — what it actually means to pay attention to someone
• Navigating disagreement — how to have a difficult conversation without losing the relationship
• Friendship across differences — connecting with people who aren't like you
• Understanding boundaries — what they are, why they matter, and how to communicate them
• Building community connections — neighbors, groups, and the people we share our lives with
• Relationship patterns — understanding what we bring to our connections with others

How We Learn

Who This Class Is For

This class is for any adult who wants to understand relationships better and feel more confident in them — whether you're looking to strengthen existing friendships, build new connections, or simply understand yourself and others a little more clearly. All backgrounds and relationship experiences welcome.

Format & Rates