New classes come to Hawthorne

HAWTHORNE – Santa Fe College will be offering community education courses at Hawthorne High School starting in January.

Computer skills, dancing and pottery will be among the six or seven courses available.

Hawthorne resident Heather Surrency began laying the groundwork for the courses last August, when she was inspired be the number of Hawthorne students with scholarships and good grades, but no access to transportation to go to Gainesville for classes.

“So I thought, let’s bring the classes to them,” she said.  

She started calling people from Santa Fe College, the University of Florida, the Hawthorne Chamber of Commerce and others to set up meetings.

The classes will not be worth college credit at the start, but Surrency hopes they will be before the start of the next school year.

There will be an introductory computer class and courses on dancing, pottery, painting, Microsoft Excel and Word, Microsoft Powerpoint and Publisher and preparing and sending resumes through email.

The course on using email to apply for jobs is free. The rest will cost around $34 to about $69.

“They’re affordable classes,” Surrency said.

Surrency said she believes as more jobs come into the area, it’s important to make sure the residents are prepared.

“Knowledge is power,” she said. “I think it’s an opportunity to have our citizens be ready and skilled for the jobs that are coming.”

The program has already brought some jobs to the area. Santa Fe College has hired Hawthorne residents to teach the classes. Only experience and knowledge in the subject is required, Surrency said, teachers for the community education classes do not need certificates.

In the future, the program could expand, she said.

“If we outgrow it, maybe one day we will have our own future Santa Fe campus,” Surrency said.

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