Community ed offers spooky classes

Just in time for Halloween, Granite School District's community education program is offering several spooky classes on the supernatural, spirit-seeking and witchcraft.

The "Ghostbusters" paranormal class, taught by self-proclaimed ghost hunter and psychic Tom Young, 48, usually sells out and has to open up another section. The goal for students isn't to earn an A, but to capture an apparition on camera or record a haunting noise, something with which to show and scare their friends.

The "Sixth Sense" psychic course is new and starts Oct. 28. "We're going to learn how to open up those channels … and how to protect ourselves against negative energies," said Laurel Lowe, of Sandy, a self-proclaimed psychic medium and spiritual counselor.

West Valley resident Andrew Nixon, 33, a self-proclaimed witch of 20 years, instructs the "Paganism, Witchcraft, Wicca" class.

"I'm tired of the stigmas that have been put on paganism, witchcraft and Wicca as something evil," he said. "There is a divine aspect and not something to be feared. There is nothing to do with devil worship or sexual carnality."

The classes, such as the one on witchcraft, have raised a few eyebrows in the community, said Alison Tanner, the program's associate director.

"There have been some people who have wondered why we would allow it," she said. "But it's an informational and informative class. There are people who want to know more, who want to learn and understand."

Tanner said she reviewed the course outline and made sure it was academic. The class is a study of religion and wouldn't be allowed "if it had an evangelical type of approach to it versus being informational, such as a world religion class," she said.

During a recent class, Nixon explained to students the history and definition of paganism and the different religions that fall under it. He said he is fed up with people thinking witchcraft is like the movie "The Craft" or the TV show "Charmed."

Meighanne Loch, 33, of Millcreek, said she is taking the class because it's something she's interested in. "And because my mother is a witch," she said, adding she means in the literal sense.

Classes in the Granite Peaks program run the gamut from "Home Buying 101" to martial arts, with costs ranging from free up to several hundred dollars. Some of the most popular classes are languages, technology and yoga. About 12,000 people of all ages take the program's courses annually, according to program directors. Classes are offered year-round in the evenings at the district's high schools.

Teachers are generally paid 35 percent of their class revenue which depends on the number of students enrolled in their course and the cost of the class, although there is a minimum and maximum cap. The remaining funds goes for the program's administration and marketing. The program is self-sustaining with an annual budget of approximately $400,000, program directors said.

For information on Granite Peak classes, go to www.granitepeaks.org or call 385-646-5439.

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