The classrooms and hallways at Anoka-Ramsey Community College (ARCC) have a different feel these days. First, you’ll hear the excited tones of young voices talking about all manner of unusual subjects: wizards, bird brains, mosaics, monsters, ooey, gooey concoctions…. Then there’s that group of kids tromping down the hall wearing wigs. And who let those dogs in? Whoa! Don’t look now, but it seems some pint-sized carpenters in the art studio are building pinball machines. What’s going on here?

All this activity can mean only one thing: It’s once again time for Kid U/College for Kids & Teens. Now celebrating its tenth year at ARCC, Kid U offers a wide variety of four-day courses in science, computers, visual arts, music, theater, language, literature, sports & fitness, and more. Held from July 12-29 in Coon Rapids and August 2-12 in Cambridge, the program serves children ages 4-18 from all over the Twin Cities metro area.

“We want to offer kids an opportunity to have a positive, fun college experience at an early age,” says LeAnn Snidarich, Kid U Program Director. “The earlier they can see that college is desirable and attainable, the more likely it is that they’ll complete high school and go on to college.”

Kid U was developed in 1995 on the Coon Rapids Campus through the Continuing Education and Customized Training division as part of ARCC’s mission to provide lifelong learning opportunities. The program expanded to the Cambridge Campus in 2000.

It continues to grow. While in its first year Kid U attracted 358 course registrations, total registrations this year have climbed past 1,500 for 265 course sections. In fact, this unique program has blossomed into a thriving institution anxiously awaited each year by students and staff alike.

“Some of our Kid U students from the early years have now returned to teach for us,” Snidarich says. “And one instructor who lives in Virginia returns to teach every year.”

To encourage participation and interest in science, Star Power scholarships for boys and girls and Become a Star scholarships for girls are made available for the science classes. Funded entirely by local firm Medtronic, Inc., the scholarships are offered to students who qualify for free or reduced lunch programs during the regular school year. This year, 78 Star Power and 32 Become a Star scholarships have been awarded.

For kids wanting to join in on the fun, it’s not too late to sign up for courses beginning July 19 or July 26 in Coon Rapids, and August 2 or August 9 in Cambridge. Courses range in cost from $35 to $95 each. A new scholarship has been added this year, to be made available in $90 increments for any courses being held in Cambridge. Funded entirely by private donations, the same eligibility rules apply for this scholarship as for the science scholarships.

For more information about Kid U/College for Kids, contact Program Director LeAnn Snidarich at 763-422-3375, or visit http://www.anokaramsey.edu/continuingEd/kidu.cfm.