MONROE - Sixth- and seventh-graders at Monroe Middle School spent Thursday afternoon going to some unusual classes: Hobbies and careers.
Seventh-graders contemplated some serious future career choices - listening to professionals from every conceivable field, including a SWAT team member and a nuclear physicist.
Sixth-graders, meanwhile, were exploring, or in some cases solidifying, choices in hobbies.
Hobbies are nothing to scoff at.
Cathy Hauck, a yoga instructor, was taking one group of students through the moves of balance and strengthening, not entirely easy positions.
Randy Booth was teaching guitar to another group. A few students had had previous training, and a few had frustrations learning struts and strings for the first time.
A favorite class for many female students and a few male students was Keri Haworth's cake decorating.
Haworth told students she didn't start decorating cakes until she was grown up and married. She's had chances and encouragement to take her hobby to the next level as a career, but she has refused.
"I don't think I'd love it if I did it for a living," she said.
But some of the students who attended her class had different thoughts.
Alexia Bartels took the class because, "I want to become a chef when I grow up," she said.
Although baking, food decorating and chocolate are some of her special interests, she is keeping her options open to cooking "all kinds" of food.
Nadeline Schluesche came to the class because she had seen cake decorating on the Food Network. This was her chance to try it herself.
Haworth brought cookies for the students to decorate, which are larger, flatter and easier than cupcakes, she told them.
She also explained what they could create using the decorating tips. Paired with bags of colored icing, the choices seemed endless, and sounded like a popular kids' cereal: Green leaves, yellow flowers, blue stars, white shells ...
Not all students chose to take the class; students were guaranteed only their top choices in classes.
"They picked it for me," Justin Batz said.
Still Batz said he did learn different techniques in how to use the tips.
Shayna Krebs has used decorating tips before in her 4-H projects, and Jennifer Thomas has watched her aunt decorate cakes "for many years."
"It's fun to watch her," Thomas said. She thought she may be able, with a little practice, to help her aunt.
Every hobbyist has a deep, hidden love for the activity or collection to which they are drawn.
"Basically, I came for the sugar," Abby Reilly admitted with a smile.
Seventh-graders contemplated some serious future career choices - listening to professionals from every conceivable field, including a SWAT team member and a nuclear physicist.
Sixth-graders, meanwhile, were exploring, or in some cases solidifying, choices in hobbies.
Hobbies are nothing to scoff at.
Cathy Hauck, a yoga instructor, was taking one group of students through the moves of balance and strengthening, not entirely easy positions.
Randy Booth was teaching guitar to another group. A few students had had previous training, and a few had frustrations learning struts and strings for the first time.
A favorite class for many female students and a few male students was Keri Haworth's cake decorating.
Haworth told students she didn't start decorating cakes until she was grown up and married. She's had chances and encouragement to take her hobby to the next level as a career, but she has refused.
"I don't think I'd love it if I did it for a living," she said.
But some of the students who attended her class had different thoughts.
Alexia Bartels took the class because, "I want to become a chef when I grow up," she said.
Although baking, food decorating and chocolate are some of her special interests, she is keeping her options open to cooking "all kinds" of food.
Nadeline Schluesche came to the class because she had seen cake decorating on the Food Network. This was her chance to try it herself.
Haworth brought cookies for the students to decorate, which are larger, flatter and easier than cupcakes, she told them.
She also explained what they could create using the decorating tips. Paired with bags of colored icing, the choices seemed endless, and sounded like a popular kids' cereal: Green leaves, yellow flowers, blue stars, white shells ...
Not all students chose to take the class; students were guaranteed only their top choices in classes.
"They picked it for me," Justin Batz said.
Still Batz said he did learn different techniques in how to use the tips.
Shayna Krebs has used decorating tips before in her 4-H projects, and Jennifer Thomas has watched her aunt decorate cakes "for many years."
"It's fun to watch her," Thomas said. She thought she may be able, with a little practice, to help her aunt.
Every hobbyist has a deep, hidden love for the activity or collection to which they are drawn.
"Basically, I came for the sugar," Abby Reilly admitted with a smile.