Program Update

April & May Programs


COMMUNITY EVENTS

OPEN TO EVERYONE // NO COST


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STARSTRUCK: READING & BOOK RELEASE

TUE. APR. 24 · 7 PM

Join us during the GetLit! Festival for an astronomical poetry reading and book release of Starstruck, a Spark Central community book project led by Laura Read and Mark Anderson, our Spokane Poet Laureate. Finely crafted, limited edition books will be available for $15, with proceeds benefiting Spark Central.

VIRTUAL REALITY FIRST FRIDAY

FRI. MAY 4 · 5 - 6:45 PM

Experiment with games and creative tools in a virtual 3D space! Stop by any time from 5-6:45 PM on First Friday to explore worlds or create your own virtual art. Made possible by CenturyLink.
 

EWU VISITING WRITER SERIES: LAURA KASISCHKE

THU. MAY 11 · 7:30 PM

EWU Visiting Writer Series presents a reading event with novelist and poet Laura Kasischke. She has published nine novels, three of which have been made into feature films—The Life Before Her EyesSuspicious RiverWhite Bird in a Blizzard—and eight books of poetry, most recently Space, in Chains.  


DROP-IN PROGRAMS

OPEN TO EVERYONE // NO COST


DROP-IN & RPG

FRI. APR. 13 & 27 · 4 - 7 PM

AGES 6 - 17 · If you have ever been curious about table-top role-playing games, join us! we'll build a shared narrative using cooperative problem solving, exploration, imagination, and rich social interaction. 
 

DROP IN & CODE

THU. APR. 19 · 5 - 6:30 PM

ADULTS & YOUTH GRADES 3+ · Explore the world of coding and computer science at your own pace using game-based lessons on Code.org and Scratch. 
 

DROP IN & SCIENCE

SAT. APR. 21 · 3 - 4:45 PM

AGES 6+ · Our resident mad scientist shares experiments from the gross to the glorious, inspiring a sense of wonder.
 

DIVERSE VOICES WRITING GROUP

THU. MAY 3 · 5:30 - 6:45 PM

ADULTS & TEENS · A writing group for all experience levels that supports and elevates diverse voices. When you come to this writing group, whoever you might be outside of this circle, you are now a storyteller, a maker of visions, and a story-listener, too.

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THE INKLINGS: TEEN WRITERS' GROUP

SAT. MAY 5 · 3 - 5 PM

GRADES 8-12 · Take your creative writing to the next level with support from other teen writers and published local authors. Get feedback on works-in-progress, and create new work using a variety of writing prompts. 

 

DROP IN AND WRITE

EVERY TUESDAY · 5 - 6:30 PM

Aspiring writers unite! You're invited to be a part of our supportive writers' community. Bring works in progress to share, get inspired with creative prompts and spend some focused time writing. 
 

DROP IN AND DRAW

EVERY WEDNESDAY · 4 - 5:30 PM

Adults and teens who have always thought, “I wish I could draw," join local artists to explore mediums, develop skill and cultivate imaginative thinking.


YOUTH EVENTS & PLAYSHOPS

AVAILABLE TO ALL YOUTH AT NO COST 


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IMAGINARIUM: CREATIVE PLAY FOR TODDLERS

TUE. APR. 17 · 10 - 11 AM

Discover new ways to play together and spark your young one's healthy mental, social, and emotional growth. Meet other families, eat a healthy snack, and get creative in a relaxed and supportive environment. No registration required.
 

GIRLS CODE @ SPARK

SAT. APR. 21 · 10 AM - 12 PM

GRADES 4 - 7 · Learn to create your own story — choose a setting, characters, and action — using core computer coding concepts. Create, collaborate, code! We value diversity and we welcome girls and girl-identified kids of any background to participate. 
No cost · registration required.
 

FORT PARTY

TUE. MAY 5 · 10 AM - 12 PM

GRADES K - 3 · Team up with friends to build the fort of your dreams before transforming your new dwelling into a colorful light party using glow-in-the-dark and light-up toys. 
No cost · registration required.
 

MASTERPIECES MADE BY TWO

SAT. MAY 12 · 10 AM - 12 PM

AGES 2 - 7 · Parents, team up with your child to paint a masterpiece made by two. We’ll provide instruction and inspiration for a whimsical, imaginative collaboration you’ll be proud to hang in your living room. 
No cost · registration required.


ADULT & TEEN WORKSHOPS

AGES 16+ · REGISTER ONLINE · NO-COST REGISTRATION AVAILABLE


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GENERATING DRAWINGS WITH MACHINE LEARNING

THU. APR. 19 · 7 PM - 9 PM

Learn the basics of using artificial intelligence to make images. We'll look at notable artistic projects in the field, learn a bit about how machine learning works and experiment with basic machine learning setups. You'll leave with a better understanding of what it means to be a self-thinking artistic machine!
Register online · $10.
 

CUT PAPER COMICS

SAT. APR. 28 · 9 AM - 12 PM

Create a simple comic book by cutting paper to make characters and scenes! Script your story and transform it into a polished mini-book — all in this three-hour session. Materials and inspiration provided.
Register online · $10.

CREATE-A-THON WITH REAL-TIME GRAPHICS CLUB

SAT. MAY 19 · 9:30 AM - 8 PM

Do you like making things? Come build a game in eight hours! Video game makers and interactive artists of all experience levels are invited to sign up to make something in a day. Register online · $10.


POETRY WORKSHOP: I WILL PUT CHAOS INTO FOURTEEN LINES

MON. MAY. 21 · 5 - 7 PM

Join Henrietta Goodman, author of All That Held Us (a memoir in sonnets), to explore how formal structures can provide shape to personal material and lead us in unexpected, exciting directions. Beginning and experienced writers of poetry (and prose) welcome. Register online · $10.


VOLUNTEER ORIENTATION

TUE. MAY 1 // 7 - 8:30 PM

Spark Central relies on volunteers of all stripes to make the magic happen. Attend a volunteer orientation to learn more about joining our superhero team. Register online using our volunteer signup form.


April Program Schedule

COMMUNITY EVENTS

OPEN TO EVERYONE // NO COST

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VIRTUAL REALITY FIRST FRIDAY

FRI. APR. 6 // 5-6:45 PM

Experiment with games and creative tools in a virtual 3D space! Stop by any time from 5-7 PM on First Friday to explore worlds or create your own virtual art. Made possible by CenturyLink.


EWU VISITING WRITER SERIES: EMILY VAN KLEY

THU. APR. 13 // 7:30

EWU Visiting Writer Series presents a reading event with author Emily Van Kley. Emily lives in Olympia, Washington, where she writes, works at a cooperative grocery, practices aerial acrobatics, and nurses a near-pathological longing for snow.
 

STARSTRUCK: READING & BOOK RELEASE

TUE. APR. 24 // 7 PM

Join us during the GetLit! Festival for an astronomical poetry reading and book release of Starstruck, a Spark Central community book project led by Laura Read and Mark Anderson, our Spokane Poet Laureate. Finely crafted, limited edition books will be available for $15, with proceeds benefiting Spark Central (get yours while they last!).
 

DROP-IN PROGRAMS

OPEN TO EVERYONE // NO COST
 

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DIVERSE VOICES WRITING GROUP

THU. APR. 5  // 5:30 - 6:45 PM

ADULTS & TEENS // A writing group for all experience levels that supports and elevates diverse voices. Long ago, when we had only darkness at night, people came together around miraculous fire to tell stories and describe visions. When you come to this writing group, whoever you might be outside of this circle, you are now a storyteller, a maker of visions, and a story-listener, too. In this circle, there is only support and caring.
 

THE INKLINGS: TEEN WRITERS' GROUP

SAT. APR. 7  // 3 - 4:45 PM (Please note date correction.) 

GRADES 8-12 // Take your creative writing to the next level. Get feedback on your work from other teen writers and published local authors (bring a page or two of writing to workshop) and participate in writing exercises designed to hone your skills. Hosted by Spokane poet Kat Smith. You bring the ideas and we’ll bring the snacks! Join us for Inklings on the 1st Saturday of every month!

DROP-IN & RPG // TABLETOP ROLEPLAYING GAMES (RPGS) FOR ALL EXPERIENCE LEVELS

FRI. APR. 13 & 27 / / 4-7 PM

AGES 6 - 17 / / Bring your curiosity, imagination, and thirst for adventure, and we will supply the rest! If you have ever been curious about role-playing games, join us to experience this unique form of game-playing — we'll build a shared narrative using cooperative problem solving, exploration, imagination, and rich social interaction. 
 

DROP IN & SCIENCE!

SAT. APR. 14 // 3 - 4:45 PM

KIDS // Our resident mad scientist shares experiments from gross to glorious, inspiring a sense of wonder. Join us for Drop in & Science on the 3rd Saturday of every month!
 

DROP IN & CODE

FRI. APR. 20 // 4 - 5:30 PM (Please note date correction.)

ALL AGES // Explore the world of computer coding at your own pace using game-based lessons on Code.org and Scratch. You can even create an account to save your progress and continue playing — ahem, we mean learning — at home. Join us for Drop in & Code on the 3rd Friday of every month starting in April!


DROP IN & WRITE

EVERY TUE. // 5 - 6:30 PM

ALL AGES // Aspiring writers unite! You're invited to be a part of our supportive writers' community. Bring works in progress to share, get inspired with creative prompts and spend some focused time writing. 


DROP IN AND DRAW

EVERY WED. // 5 - 6:30 PM (Please note time change!)

ALL AGES // Adults and teens who have always thought, “I wish I could draw," join local artists to explore mediums, develop skill and cultivate imaginative thinking.

 

YOUTH EVENTS & PLAYSHOPS

AVAILABLE TO ALL YOUTH AT NO COST 

STORY + CRAFT: THE HUNGRY CATERPILLAR

SAT. MAR. 31 // 11 AM - 12 PM

Ages 2-5 // Parents and preschoolers, join us for story time followed by a craft you can easily replicate at home! We'll read The Very Hungry Caterpillar, then explore the concept of metamorphosis with a hands-on activity. No cost // Registration Required.
 

LEGO MINDSTORM SPRING BREAK CAMP

THU. & FRI. APR. 5 & 6 // 8 - 11 AM

STUDENTS MUST BE ABLE TO ATTEND BOTH SESSIONS.

GRADES 5-7 //  Team up with friends to build and program a LEGO robot! In the process of building, students will practice creative and collaborative problem-solving, apply introductory robotics concepts, experiment with block programming (the first step to learning to code) to teach their robot new tricks. Each team will rely on all participant, so it's essential that all students who register attend both sessions. No cost // Registration required.


IMAGINARIUM: CREATIVE PLAY FOR TODDLERS

TUE. APR. 17 // 10 - 11 AM

Discover new ways to play together and spark your young one's healthy mental, social, and emotional growth. Meet other families, eat a healthy snack, and get creative in a relaxed and supportive environment. Join us for Imaginarium on the third Tuesday of each month!
 

GIRLS CODE @ SPARK

SAT. APR. 21 // 10 AM - 12 PM

GRADES 4-7 // Learn to create your own story — choose a setting, characters, and action — using core computer coding concepts. Create, collaborate, code! We value diversity and we welcome girls and girl-identified kids of any background to participate. No cost; registration required.

 

ADULT & TEEN WORKSHOPS

AGES 16+ // REGISTER ONLINE // NO-COST REGISTRATION AVAILABLE
 

WORKSHOP: POWER 2 THE POETRY

TUE. APR. 3 // 7 - 9 PM

A workshop in writing and performing powerful poetry led by the poets of Power 2 the Poetry, a local movement promoting freedom of expression, providing a platform to underrepresented demographics in our community and growing awareness of social, cultural, and political issues. Register online // $10.
 

ARTIST TRUST WORKSHOP: ARTIST STATEMENTS & RESUMES

SAT. APR. 14 // 9 AM - 12 PM

Hosted by Artist Trust. Join artist/designer Ginelle Hustrulid to look at examples of successful artist statements and resumes from artists of all disciplines, then revise your own. Register online via Artist Trust // $15.
 

CUT PAPER COMICS

SAT. APR. 28 // 9 AM - 12 PM

Adults & Teens 16+ // Create a simple comic book by cutting paper to make characters and scenes! Script your story and transform it into a polished mini-book — all in this three-hour session. Materials and inspiration provided. Registration required // $10. 

VOLUNTEER ORIENTATION

TUE. APR. 10 // 7 PM 

Spark Central relies on volunteers of all stripes to make the magic happen. Attend a volunteer orientation to learn more about joining our superhero team. Register online using our volunteer signup form.

Introducing Google CS First

This free, self-paced coding curriculum is now part of all Spark Central's coding programs.

This free, self-paced coding curriculum is now part of all Spark Central's coding programs.

What is Google CS First
It's a free tool available to anyone who wants to learn coding. Choose a theme, create a profile and get started! 

What's new at Spark:
Our coding classes will stay the same in many ways — a mix of computer challenges and offline group activities that guide students through a self-paced learning process. Google CS First offers tons of fun themes for coding activities, so each program will offer a different challenge. 

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What's new is that whether you attend Girls Code @ Spark (Grades 4-6), Hour of Code (Grades 4-6) or Drop in & Code (Adults & Kids), you can keep progressing at your own pace and work toward filling up your passport with stickers to earn your t-shirt! Browse our calendar for upcoming program dates.

We're so lucky (and grateful). 
A huge thank you to our instructors, Eugenie Farrow (Girls Code), Diana Hiatt (Girls Code) and Savanna Schrock (Girls Code, Hour of Code & Drop in & Code) for implementing this innovative curriculum at Spark Central! Our deepest gratitude to our technology sponsor, CenturyLink.

 

West Central Express: A Newspaper by Holmes Elementary Kids for the West Central Community

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Do you know what the real rules of four square are? Did you know there's a whole list of variations of the official game — and an entirely different set of variations (on the playground, called "variants") played at Holmes Elementary? This December, you can read all about it in the second issue of West Central Express. 

Each Thursday afternoon, a creative and enthusiastic group of Holmes student journalists explore questions that matter to them, their school and the West Central community in our six-week after-school newspaper club. Thanks to print sponsorship from the Inlander, grants from Spokane Arts, Smith-Barbieri Progressive Fund, and KREM 2/TEGNA, as well as support from a special group of individual donorsyou'll be able to pick up a print copy of their paper, West Central Express, at locations throughout West Central starting in mid-December. 

Our editor-in-chief, Shawn Vestal of the Spokesman-Review, kicked off the program by leading the students in a brainstorm of what issues they're curious about researching for their stories. Here are just a few: Should kids be allowed to vote? What's going on with all the stray cats in the neighborhood? Does anyone know what the principal likes to do when she's not at school? What are some strategies for kids to improve their grades? What should the next school spirit day theme be? 

To guide them in their process, the kids get a visit from a different Inlander journalist each week — and tips on how to approach different kinds of stories. Last week, journalist Chey Scott visited and helped the students formulate questions for writing about games. They got to put those questions to work just a few minutes later when each group received a robotics or building toy to review.

Each student journalist will leave the West Central Express Newspaper Club with a host of new skills — conducting an interview, writing a story, photojournalism and editing their own work. Even more importantly, they'll leave with greater confidence that their voice matters and they can make a difference in their community using their creative power. 

We exist to remove barriers creative opportunities like West Central Express for people of all ages. To support us, please donate to our Giving Tuesday campaign! 
https://spark-central.org/latestnews/category/Program+Update
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