Adult Education Classes, 2026

Adult Education Classes

     Morning Classes  >  Adult Education Classes, 2026

There are three periods of 55 minute classes beginning at 9:00AM each day, Sunday through Friday. Teachers are selected by the Program & Evaluations Committee. Each teacher teaches his/her class twice each morning for 6 days. Classes are strictly optional and no attendance is kept.

The Program & Evaluations committee seeks to achieve a balance of classes in these categories, usually nine or more classes total:

  • Religion & Spirituality:  Bible study, comparative religion, etc.
  • Personal Development:  Dance, yoga, etc.
  • Social/Political:  Labor issues, political workings, and miscellaneous other

Read on for class descriptions and instructor bios. We’ve got a great lineup featuring some familiar faces and new instructors. Looking forward to seeing you in class!

 

2026 Classes:


 

—    Religion & Spirituality    —

 

Meditations on Racial Healing – Deborah McCarter

Racial justice and racial reconciliation are needed for people to live in harmony. It may also be that people are experiencing spiritual conflict, shame, guilt or resentment in their lives due to racism, and meditations on healing help create internal harmony and harmony with God. This class will be based on the book: The Night is Long but Light Comes in the Morning: Meditations for Racial Healing, by Catherine Meeks. Each day we will read one of the meditations and have a discussion about it together. The class is appropriate for anyone interested in addressing racial justice in the context of spirituality/Christianity and a desire for healing, no matter what stage of the justice or spiritual journey you are in at the moment.

Deborah McCarter, PhD, RN is recently retired from her role as nursing professor at Saint Anselm College. She has been on a personal and professional journey of anti-racism and racial reconciliation and had the opportunity to learn from the book author, Catherine Meeks, while living in Atlanta for a year. She has participated in Sacred Ground circles in her Episcopal church in Goffstown, NH, a film-and-readings-based dialogue series on race, grounded in faith. Her journey began in her passion for maternal-child health, discovering the health disparities that women of color experience, which motivated her nursing research program.

 

Kinder Gentler Yoga – Robert Tait

Kinder Gentler Yoga is a style of yoga that doesn’t concern itself with how many postures you can fit into an hour, or just how pretzelly you can make yourself look. It’s more about doing vinyasa flows so that you can relax in a posture and let your breath do the work. The motto here is not “No pain no gain” — it’s “No pain no suffering,” with the peak pose always savasana. This year, in keeping with our theme, there will also be a focus on Sanskrit chanted mantras, and always a joke or two. Bring your level, whatever that level — we’ve got mats.

Bob Tait is a graduate of Beloit College and currently a student at Southern Connecticut State University, with an honors degree in Comparative Literature and a degree in progress in Theater Arts. Since receiving his 200-hour yoga certification from the Breathing Room in New Haven, CT, he has taught exclusively at Your Community Yoga Center (now called Yoga at the Commons) with Jennifer Brocious in Hamden, CT. Bob has taught nursery school, sixth grade, nature conservancy, fire fighting and fire safety, wine appreciation, and now, after being a lifelong practitioner, yoga.

 

What the Buddha Taught – Richard Davis

This course will focus on the earliest recorded teachings of the Buddha Shakyamuni, from early India. We will consider the teachings that have formed the foundation for the world religion of Buddhism. Themes will include the four noble truths (suffering and its alleviation), the core principles of impermanence and no-soul, the multiple lives of the Buddha (and his practice of ethical perfection), the methods of Buddhist meditation, the organization of the community of mendicants, and the poems of the earliest Buddhist female renouncers. Brief excerpts from the Buddhist texts will be distributed in class and discussed together. Many in the Winni community have some knowledge and experience with modern forms of Buddhism — those contributions are welcome, but the center of the classes will be reading and discussing the early works that are the shared legacy of all schools of Buddhism.

Richard Davis is a retired professor of religious studies who taught for thirty-five years at Yale University and Bard College. He is currently teaching part-time with the Center for Prison Education at Wesleyan University. His main interests are the history of Indian religions, both Hinduism and Buddhism. He has written several books, the most recent of which is Religions of Early India: A Cultural History. Last year he taught a course at Winni on The Bhagavad Gita: A Hindu Bible.

 

—    Personal Development    —

 

The Rhythm of Poetry – John Shaw

Poetry brings joy and offers opportunities for introspection. When examining a poem and engaging in a group discussion, different themes and understandings rise to the surface. This class will read and discuss one or two poems each day. The daily focus will be thematic, and include poems touching on spirituality, current events, personal relationships, environmental concerns, justice and mercy, and music. Our conversations will likely consider the story and background of the poet, the poem’s structure and the poet’s choice of particular words or phrases, as well as whatever meaning we are able to draw from it — for ourselves, for our respective communities, and for the world.

John Shaw has been a practicing attorney in Middletown, Connecticut and an active member of the First Church of Christ in Middletown for nearly 54 years. John has also served as Chair of the Middletown Board of Education as well as Moderator and Chair of the Board of Directors of the Connecticut Conference of the United Church of Christ, before its merger into the UCC Southern New England Conference. He has selected the poems for discussion by a men’s poetry reading group which has been meeting once each week since April 2020.

 

Zining for Our Lives – Skylar Gould and Andrea Bonney Gould

As we all navigate these times of increased isolation and polarization, art making continues to be a vital community building and uniting force. Zines are self-published magazines or booklets associated with a long history of political organizing, community building, and making creativity and art accessible to all. They are often created using free or very cheap materials and can range in theme from exhibiting artworks, written poetry or prose, personal journals, and information sharing. In class, we will cover a new technique and corresponding theme each day, while providing time to work on the zines as well. All necessary materials will be provided. Students will leave the class with several zines, and will have the opportunity to show them off in an exhibition, trade with one another, and distribute them to the rest of the camp community at the end of the week.

Skylar Gould (the daughter) is a recent graduate of Connecticut College where she majored in Art and American Studies. She is primarily a printmaker and textile artist with a passion for community-based arts organizing and installation. Andrea Bonney Gould (the mom) is a multi-disciplinary artist who uses drawing, painting, collage, and embroidery as a mode of communicating through a combination of abstract and figurative work. From collecting zines in the 90s to learning new techniques for making zines today, she brings decades of creative experience to the class.

 

Acting Shakespeare – Marianna Gailus

Shakespeare’s plays were never written to be read. They were written to be played, embodied, performed by actors and received by audiences in the instantaneous, semi-mystical, kinesthetic feedback loop that is created through live theatre. This class will be an intensive and practical exploration of Shakespeare’s texts from the point of view of the actor. Together, we will touch on the many different tools that actors use to mine the text for meaning, using text analysis, verse rhythms and scansion, phrasing, and imagery. We’ll explore vocal technique and start to develop the imaginative and physical capacity to speak this language (performing it can be a full-body-and-brain workout!). Class participants will also get to dip their toes into what rehearsing a text might feel like. For fans of Shakespeare and skeptics alike — no acting experience required!

Marianna Gailus received her M.F.A. from the Juilliard School, where she was the recipient of the Laura Pels Prize in Acting. She earned a B.A. in History from Yale University and studied maritime and global history at Pembroke College, Cambridge. Since graduating from Juilliard, she has made her Broadway debut in Peter Morgan’s PATRIOTS, performed off-Broadway, and performed regionally at Cleveland Playhouse, the Geffen Playhouse in Los Angeles, and Yale Repertory Theatre. She is deeply grateful to the Winni community for their continual kindness and encouragement since her arrival at camp four years ago.

 

Altered Book 2.0: Building Dimension – Allie Bruch

Continuing the craft of the altered book, we will manipulate the page to create sculptural interiors by way of gluing, folding, and cutting to change the book’s interior from flat to dimensional. The freeform medium techniques of paint, collage, blackout, and printing will help us transform white pages to something more colorful, while we intentionally create textural pages within to delight and bring wonder to pages of long unused texts. We will enjoy the approachable meditative and mobile art of altering books to gain artistic confidence and new skills, while finding inspiration from our circle of fellow campers and creatives. Each participant will take away at least one fully manipulated book using a folding technique in addition to the book being worked on throughout the week. More specific instructions to follow in Pre-GEMS regarding supplies and books to bring.

Allie Bruch is an interior designer, wallpaper hanger, stylist, and artist, with additional years of experience in paper arts, retail display, and all things visual, colorful, and considered. Her graduate degree focused on the study of how design is an ever-present factor in the human experience of the world, both natural and human made. She focused her studies on the multidisciplinary sculptor, engineer and architect Santiago Calatrava, and went to Spain to see some of his iconic work. She lives in New Haven with her son August and dog Timber and works locally and remotely.

 

—    Social/Political    —

 

Black American History II: What Are We (Still) Scared Of? – Piper Williams

This course offers a unique perspective, focusing on excerpts from the rich tradition of Black American History. We will deepen our understanding of Black American history, culture, and society in the United States through the anthology Four Hundred Souls: A Community History of African America, 1619–2019 (edited by Ibram X. Kendi and Keisha N. Blain). This year we will read and discuss excerpts covering the period from 1619 to 1739 — a historical period rarely taught in American schools. Each class session will also include a song from the rich tradition of Black American music that connects to that day’s theme.

Piper Kendrix Williams has been attending Winni for over 20 years. She has her PhD and is Professor of African American Studies, jointly appointed in English at The College of New Jersey (TCNJ). She is the co-editor of Re-presenting Segregation: Toward an Aesthetics of Living Jim Crow (SUNY UP, 2012) and co-authored The Toni Morrison Book Club (University of Wisconsin Press, 2020). Her essay “Afrofuturistic Storytelling in Barracoon and Their Eyes Were Watching God” appears in The Routledge Handbook to Alternative Futurism. She is the editor of the forthcoming Teaching Toni Morrison in the 21st Century (MLA).

 

Navigating No Man’s Land: Difficult Conversations in a Polarized World – James McKim

Difficult conversations in the current social climate can feel like walking a tightrope — one wrong step and, oops! But what if you could learn to not only walk that rope but dance on it, turning those moments of tension into chances for real progress and stronger connections? This course blends neuroscience with ancient wisdom to show how to engage with others through agape love, overcoming fear of stumbling or offending. Topics include Ned Herrmann’s Thinking Styles, Ethos/Pathos/Logos, the Shannon and Weaver communication model, Otto Scharmer’s Theory U, Jonathan Haidt’s moral foundations, and Doug Stone’s “Three Conversations in One.” By the end of this session, participants will be able to recognize when difficult situations arise, determine when to engage, and leverage steps for having productive conversations.

James McKim is a nationally sought-after speaker, coach, and award-winning organizational performance expert. He is the author of The Diversity Factor: Igniting Superior Organizational Performance and has served on several for-profit and nonprofit boards. He has served on committees in the Episcopal Church of NH, facilitated discussions among the NH Council of the United Church of Christ leadership, served as Chair of the Episcopal Church’s National Executive Council Committee on Anti-Racism & Reconciliation, and is past president of the Manchester Branch of the NAACP. He occasionally directs the choir at St. Matthew’s in Goffstown and is the vocalist for the jazz band The Episcocats.

 

Managing Your Health in a Storm: Coping in Scary Times – Rachel Gunderson

In this era of consistently challenging news, many of us feel overwhelmed, anxious, depressed, or paralyzed. This discussion-based class will help build coping skills to reclaim your mental peace using the evidence-based framework of Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). We will explore different themes and techniques presented in the four main domains of practice: mindfulness, emotional regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness. We will learn to balance the constant tension between accepting the world as it is and changing our internal response to it. An overview of common mental health disorders will also be discussed as a way to dismantle stigma and expand our world view. By the end of this course, you will be prepared with a personalized mental health toolkit to help you stay grounded. Everyone is welcome!

Rachel Gundersen is a licensed clinical social worker with a wide range of experience working with different populations. She is passionate about social justice, education, and mental health awareness. Most recently she has worked in group therapy settings with women experiencing severe mental health and substance use issues. She has been a part of the Winni community since she was a baby, and it has helped to shape her into the person she is today. She looks forward to sharing her skills with camp.