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Students will learn to think like inventors and designers when creating 3D! 3D design is used not only for modeling and fabricating objects but is also at the heart of many cutting-edge technologies such as AR and VR, video game design, interactive exhibits, and more. 3D printing is used in nearly all industries and design fields today from art to animation, manufacturing to medicine, and engineering to entertainment.
In this class, students will first learn to use Tinkercard, a 3D modeling software that works in solid forms (like LEGO bricks). Then, students will transition to MeshMixer, a software that creates smooth, curved, organic shapes (like clay). They will learn to think about their design from all angles and how to subtract forms to create holes, voids, and concave features, and add forms to create projections, contours, appendages, and convex details. They will discover the limitations of 3D printing and how to handle overhanging elements or delicate details.

Students will practice the artistic design process with simple sketches before diving into the software. They will be encouraged to use reference material, whether photos, a model, or even by modifying existing, public domain 3D files. Students will use an iterative printing process in which they print their project, check it for design intent, functionality, or fit, make modifications, and print again. The class will learn how to save and convert between 3D solid object files (.stl) and object files (.obj) and work with metadata fields to protect the intellectual property of their designs.

To demonstrate the range and capability of 3D-printed designs, favorite student projects include D & D miniatures, cosplay props, Minecraft-designed creations, and beloved characters such as anime, baby Yoda, and Pokemon creatures.

Second semester, continuing students will progress to more complex assemblies including multiple parts and parts with hinges. Second semester, some students may wish to work with alternative filaments such as TPU (rubber), metal, or magnetized filament. Because of the studio format, new students can enroll second semester.

The class instructor is a design engineer with 3D Herndon and expert in 3D technologies and other areas of design and invention. A typical class will be structured with 5-10 minutes of lecture or demonstration of a new design skill, followed by 40 minutes of design "studio" time where students can receive trouble-shooting support and design tips from the instructor and have dedicated work time, and 5-10 minutes of sharing time at the end of class. As a studio class, students will work on individual projects at their own pace.
Topics in this Series: As an open studio for individual projects, students may continue from one semester to the next or enroll mid-year. Students continuing from first semester receive priority pre-registration for second semester.

Prerequisites: None

What to Bring: Students will need to bring a laptop to class for design work.

Workload: Students should expect to spend 0-1+ hours per week outside of class.

Assignments: Project criteria will be explained in class to students.

Assessments: Informal, qualitative feedback will be given in class throughout the semester as the student works.

Lab/Supply Fee: A class fee of $25.00 is due payable to Compass on the first day of class for 3D printing and filament. This provides the student with 800 g of printed product per semester. Students who are prolific designers and print often will be asked to pay an additional $5.00 per 100 g or fraction thereof.

*This class will begin on 1/19 and meet on 3/9*

Credit: Homeschool families may wish to count this course as a component (partial) credit in Visual Arts, Technology, or Career Exploration for purposes of a high school transcript.

Prerequisites: None

Acting is an adventure! Young actors work together to create and perform their very own play with unique characters and an original storyline. What will happen if whales and walruses meet flashy fish and mystical mermaids in a unique underwater undertaking?

Students will begin with improvisational games to get to know each other and to begin to brainstorm about their original play. Through group activities and guided discussion, the young actors will decide on characters, conflict, and conclusion, and the story they want to tell. The script will be developed and customized for this class with input from the students.

Young actors will explore skills such as sensory awareness, listening, stage movement, character development, emotional expression, and observation/concentration while learning to portray their original character. Young actors will learn aspects of acting by script read-through, blocking, costume/prop discussion, and planning the show. Through individual and group activities, young actors build confidence in preparation for a final sharing for parents.

Students will work from a simple, written script, but emerging readers can be accommodated. Parents will be emailed the script after the 3rd or 4th class and will be expected to help their children memorize their lines and assemble a simple make-at-home costume, ideally from clothing items and accessories you already own and a little creativity. All actors must be at least age 6 to sign up for this class.

Topics in this Series: Medieval Mix-Up (Quarter 1), Magical Monsters (Quarter 2), Outrageous Outer Space (Quarter 3), Under Sea Secrets (Quarter 4).

Prerequisites: None

Observe an owl, meet a Madagascar hissing cockroach, touch a giant tortoise, study a sea star, and peek at a porcupine! Meet live animals at Compass each week as we explore some of the major animal families through interactive presentations.

Each week, wildlife educators will bring a variety of animal ambassadors. They will discuss adaptations, habitats, diets, and diversity in the animal family. They will help students discover similarities and differences among species in animal families. Students will learn about adaptations and plenty of fun facts about the live animals that they meet each week.

This is a 45-minute program. Participants must be age 6 or older for the program.

Elementary artists can get in on the action as they learn about a different artist or artistic style each week and create a representative piece using a wide range of artistic supplies such as tempura and water color paints, pastels, pencils, cray pas, oil pastel crayons, specialty papers, sculpting media, and embellishments.

Fourth quarter, students will be introduced to a surprise countries or culture each week where they will learn briefly about the locale's unique tradition of art. The class will use a variety of materials and techniques to represent the projects inspired by the secret destination.

Topics in this Series: Picasso in Perspective (Quarter 1); Original Works of the Worlds Oceans (Quarter 2); American Artist Spotlight (Quarter 3); Destination Art (Quarter 4). Supply Fee: There is a supply fee of $25.00, payable to the instructor on the first day of class which covers consumable class materials such a specialty papers, watercolor pencils, and paints.

Prerequisites: None

The US capture of the Mariana Islands in 1944 allowed American bombers to reach Japan's home islands. The US sought a halfway point, both to allow damaged bombers a life raft and to allow the shorter-range escort fighter planes a base to launch from. The island of Iwo Jima was an obvious choice as it was already serving as an air base for the Japanese military. Allied intelligence estimated that the island's defenses were weak enough to fall in as little as one week. In reality, it took five weeks of some of the most hellish fighting in WWII for "victory" to be declared, with thousands of Japanese soldiers holding out all the way until 1949! Iwo Jima has the dubious distinction of being one of the few battles in WWII where US forces suffered more casualties than the Japanese. 20,000 men of the Japanese 109th division and a handful of tanks, artillery, and Kamikaze suicide planes put up a difficult defense against Allied forces which consisted of an armada of 500+ ships and nearly 100,000 men.

Using artistic model-making techniques, hand tools, and historical maps, students will each form a 10" X 14" shaped, foam diorama with landscape elements (hills, vegetation, shoreline, etc) to represent the major battle sites of the Iwo Jima Campaign in dioramas of the beaches, the airfield, or to the site of the famous flag-raising on Mt. Surabachi. Once the dioramas are completed, students will stage 1/72 scale Japanese troops, US Marines, and equipment to refight the battles in miniature. This will allow the class to examine the tactics of the later Pacific battles of WWII and see the challenges of this type of warfare. The instructor will use maps and visual presentations to explain the historical background and circumstances leading up to the specific battle.

The instructor will use maps and visual presentations to explain the historical background and circumstances leading up to the specific battle. Course documents, such as period maps, game rules and all other instructional media will be available via a Google Drive link which will be emailed to parents.

Topics in this series include: Operation Torch/North Africa (Quarter 1), Battle of Stalingrad (Quarter 2), Iwo Jima (Quarter 3), and Philppine Sea (Quarter 4).

There is a $25.00 materials fee payable to the instructor on the first day of class.

Prerequisites: None

Discover the world of robotics using kids' favorite, interlocking building bricks! Students will build and program a different whimsical, mechanized project each week using the WeDo 2.0 robotics system by LEGO Education.

Third quarter, rush hour comes to Compass as students build and program automated vehicles like a dune buggy, Formula 1 race car, tow truck, tractor trailer, bus, and more.

Their robots will be built using special-shaped LEGO components from the WeDo Educational set, motors, motion sensors, tilt sensors and a programmable, Bluetooth control unit ("brain"). Student will use classroom tablets to program the control units using an intuitive drag-and-drop coding modules.

Prior experience with LEGO or coding is not required. All equipment is furnished.

This class will begin on 1/22/26 and meet on 3/12/26.

Topics in this Series: Animated Animals (Quarter 1), Jurassic Giants (Quarter 2); Rush Hour! (Quarter 3), and Creepy Crawlies (Quarter 4).

Prerequisites: None

In just four hours, students will dive into electronic music production- creating beats, shaping sounds, exploring rhythm and tempo, and building original tracks using professional-style digital tools.

Students will be introduced to the basics of Electronic Music Production by industry professional, DJ, producer, musician, and educator Eric Jao. Eric brings 30+ years of working in the music industry, touring the world, and performing with artists like Madonna, Shakira, Rhianna, and Linkin Park. He is the founder of the Mix Major Electronic Music School and co-author of Electronic Music Element curriculum, a web-based platform where students can continue to create beyond the workshop.

Students do not need to play an instrument or be able to read music for this course. Instead, they need to have a love of music and the desire to create their own, original compositions. Students should bring a charged laptop, Chromebook, or iPad to class.

This is a 2-week workshop meeting for 2-hours each day. This workshop serves as an introduction for students interested in exploring Compass’s Electronic Music Production class offered in the fall.

Prerequisites: None

Enter the BuildZone and step into a world of endless possibilities, where over 10,000 building components are at your fingertips! From Keva Planks to K'Nex, Magnatiles to Marble Runs, Tubelox, Chaos Tower, and Pipe Builders-this is the ultimate mash-up of all things construction.
Here, you're the architect, the engineer, the mastermind. Stack it, snap it, connect it-then remix it! What happens when you combine pieces from totally different sets? You get taller towers, stronger structures, and mind-blowing mega builds! Build solo masterpieces or team up for cool collaborations. Every session is a chance to dream big, build bigger, and let your imagination break all the rules.
This is a hands-on afternoon lab intended to provide opportunities for kids to socialize and tap into their creative energy in a relaxed club setting. No formal curriculum or lessons are provided. This is a supervised 75-minute free-build session followed by 15 minutes of clean up. All participants are expected to help pick up and to follow all Compass rules on indoor behavior including respecting materials, supplies, and furnishings.

Prerequisites: None

Children will enjoy making delicious recipes and family favorites that feature a variety of fruits, vegetables, and fresh ingredients. Recipes are selected to be nutritious, fun, and simple to make. Each class will focus on a portion of a meal including appetizer, salad, soup, side dish, main dish, and dessert. The Compass chefs' culinary adventures will include:

-Spring Vegetable and Goat Cheese Dip
-Gazpacho
-Pea Leek Pasta Salad
-Brown Sugar Glazed Carrots
-Asparagus Fettuccine Alfredo
-Rice Casserole with Baked Tomato and Feta
-Peach Cobbler
-Strawberry icebox cake

Students will be eating what they make each week and bringing home the recipes and leftovers. These engaging cooking classes will get students excited about helping in the kitchen, experimenting, and trying new foods. Students will be exposed to healthy ingredients they may not regularly eat. They will learn important kitchen skills such as safety, sanitation, measuring, knife skills, and other tricks of the trade. Culinary vocabulary and terms are introduced each week, with no-pressure verbal review of those words the following week.

Notes: (1) Students with allergies to food ingredients or dietary restrictions cannot be accommodated in this class. Recipes may contain nuts, dairy, wheat, gluten, and eggs. All food supplies will be conventional, mass market ingredients. Specialty food preparations/certifications such as halal, kosher, and organic will not be used due to cost and sourcing logistics. (2) Children must be minimum age 6 for this class and be able to listen to and follow instructions.

Topics in this Series: Fall Fare with Flair (Quarter 1), Festive Fall Flavors (Quarter 2), Winter Warm-Ups (Quarter 3), Savory Spring Specialties (Quarter 4).

Lab/Supply Fee: A class fee of $45.00 is due payable to the instructor on or before the first day of class.

What to Wear: Students should wear clean clothes and have long hair tied back, braided, or secured under a bandana (male and female).

Cooking Class Requirements:For more information and FAQs, see the Compass Cooking Classes webpage.

Prerequisites: None

Tweens will enjoy making delicious recipes and family favorites that feature a variety of fruits, vegetables, and fresh ingredients. Recipes are selected to be nutritious, fun, and simple to make. Each class will focus on a portion of a meal including appetizer, salad, soup, side dish, main dish, and dessert. The Compass chefs' culinary adventures will include:

-Spring Vegetable and Goat Cheese Dip
-Gazpacho
-Pea Leek Pasta Salad
-Brown Sugar Glazed Carrots
-Asparagus Fettuccine Alfredo
-Rice Casserole with Baked Tomato and Feta
-Peach Cobbler
-Strawberry icebox cake

Students will be eating what they make each week and bringing home the recipes and leftovers. These engaging cooking classes will get students excited about helping in the kitchen, experimenting, and trying new foods. Students will be exposed to healthy ingredients they may not regularly eat. They will learn important kitchen skills such as safety, sanitation, measuring, knife skills, and other tricks of the trade. Culinary vocabulary and terms are introduced each week, with no-pressure verbal review of those words the following week.

Notes: (1) Students with allergies to food ingredients or dietary restrictions cannot be accommodated in this class. Recipes may contain nuts, dairy, wheat, gluten, and eggs. All food supplies will be conventional, mass market ingredients. Specialty food preparations/certifications such as halal, kosher, and organic will not be used due to cost and sourcing logistics.

Topics in this Series: Fall Fare with Flair (Quarter 1), Festive Fall Flavors (Quarter 2), Winter Warm-Ups (Quarter 3), Savory Spring Specialties (Quarter 4).

Lab/Supply Fee: A class fee of $45.00 is due payable to the instructor on or before the first day of class.

What to Wear: Students should wear clean clothes and have long hair tied back, braided, or secured under a bandana (male and female).

Cooking Class Requirements:For more information and FAQs, see the Compass Cooking Classes webpage.

Prerequisites: None

Students will delve into the world of crime scene investigators (CSIs) as seen each week on Cold Justice, Unsolved Mysteries, and the Forensic Files television series! Students will be introduced to the mystery of unsolved cases. The class will identify the roadblocks and pitfalls that prevented cases from being solved and justice being served. They will critique where forensic science failed or could have been used more effectively to close a case.

Second semester, students will walk through the timelines of cases in the criminal justice system, starting with the crimes, moving through the collections of evidence, forensic testing, taking the cases to trial, receiving the verdicts, and sentencing if found guilty. How does this process change when a case 'goes cold?' How long can evidence sit in storage? How long can a witness's memory last? How long can victims wait for justice?

The class will evaluate pairs of similar cases: one that was solved and one that remains unsolved. The class will take cues from the solved case, brainstorm, and formulate recommendations or different approaches that could be applied to the unsolved case using information they have learned about forensic investigation. Students will complete in-class forensic labs related to the cases they are examining.

This course is taught by a PhD candidate and professor of Criminology, Tayler Shreve. It is an introduction to criminology for teens who are interested in becoming practitioners or professionals in the vast criminal justice system or those who enjoy true crime books, blogs, or movies.

Rating/Advisory: For sensitive students, please note that in the examination of actual crimes, violence such as assault and murder will be discussed. References may be made to illicit substances and weapons used in the commission of crimes. Course content will be filtered to be age-appropriate for high school students in the instructor's judgement. For example, real crime scene photos may be shown with evidentiary details, but not victims or body parts. Students may read autopsy reports, but they will not be shown autopsy photos, and cases of rape will be referred to as sexual assault with no intimate de

Topics in this Series: Fundamentals of Forensic Science (Semester 1) and Cold Case Files (Semester 2). Students continuing from first semester will receive priority pre-registration for second semester.

Workload: Students should expect to spend 1-2 hours per week outside of class.

Assignments:

There are assignments both in and out of the classroom. Students have the ability to submit assignments based on their learning style(s): written assignments, presentations, spoken recordings (podcast, TedTalk, etc.).

Assessments: Students will receive feedback on all assignments. There are no exams in this course, however points will be assigned for completed assignments, participation, and attendance.

Textbook/Materials: Articles and case studies will be posted by the instructor as downloadable pdfs.

Lab/Supply Fee: A lab fee of $50.00 is due payable to the instructor on the first day of class. This teacher accepts payments via Zelle @ (941)224-9944

Non-Meeting Days: This is a 12-week class that will begin on 1/23 and have one additional day off to be announced.

Credit: Homeschool families may wish to count this course as a component (partial) credit in humanities or career exploration for purposes of a high school transcript.

Prerequisites: None

Register here to participate in the Junior Spelling Bee on February 25, 2026, at 4:00 pm. Junior Spelling Bee is for students under age 9. This is an in-person bee held at Compass's Herndon facility. All participants will receive a certificate and mementos, and the winner will receive a medal. There is a $25.00 activity fee for non-Compass homeschooled students to participate in the bee.

Chewy, chunky, crispy, or crunchy- kids love cookies! Join us for a one-day, 3-hour Cookie Academy where bakers will craft 3-4 kinds of cookies: Strawberry Cherry Poms, Chocolate Spritz Shortbread, Raspberry Coconut Balls, and/or Cherry Chip Cookies. Students will leave with a tray of 3-4 dozen cookies ready to share with their Valentines and the recipes to repeat the cookies at home. See the Compass Cooking Class webpage for more FAQs about our cooking classes. There is a supply fee of $25.00 due to the instructor at the start of the workshop.

Prerequisites: None

You might have gone through high school using beginner-level Google tools like Docs, Sheets, and Slides, but to prepare for college and career, it might be time to learn Microsoft Office 365. While Google Workspace applications are generally liked for their ease of collaboration and cloud-based accessibility, Microsoft Office 365 tools are preferred in many majors and industries for their advanced features, refinement, and computing power. Any high school student who plans to pursue a college major in business, science, engineering, or other data-driven field should learn Microsoft Office, and anyone wishing to enter the job market or enhance their resume with recognized credentials as a Certified Microsoft Office Specialist should take this class. Furthermore, any student bound for college or the work world who is not proficient in these computer applications can take this class to catch up on 21st century skills.

Second semester, students will work through official Microsoft study materials to become certified as a Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) in Excel. Working in Excel will help as student create and manage worksheets and workbooks that can become professional-looking budgets, financial statements, sales invoices, data logs, and performance charts. Specific skills covered in the Excel Associate curriculum include: creating cells and ranges; creating tables; applying formulas and functions; creating charts and objects; creating and editing a workbook with multiple sheets; and using a graphic element to represent data visually.

An additional benefit of this course may be earned college credit. The American Council on Education (ACE) has recommended that MOS certifications in Word, Excel, and PowerPoint be considered as computer application in higher education institutions. 1800 accredited ACE-member, degree-granting colleges, universities, and other education-related organizations may award college credit to students who earned these certifications.

Prerequisite: Basic keyboarding skills.

Levels: Students who take this course on-level can earn MOS certifications. Students who take both semesters of this course will additionally qualify as a Microsoft Office Specialist: Associate level for earning at least three certifications. Students who wish to pursue a more rigorous curriculum and designate this as an "honors" level course on their transcript can self-study for the Microsoft Office Specialist: Expert level which requires two additional exams passed at the Expert level (and additional testing fees of $200.)

Equipment: Students should bring a laptop to class which has a local copy of Microsoft Office 2019 installed or a current subscription and access to Microsoft Office 365.

Course Materials: Students will work from the official Microsoft Office Specialist study guides that will be provided in class and is included in the course tuition

Assessment: Students will take computer-based exams for each application: The MO-110: Microsoft Word (Microsoft 365 Apps)and the MO-310: Microsoft PowerPoint (Microsoft 365 Apps) first semester and the MO-210: Microsoft Excel (Microsoft 365 Apps) second semester.

Testing Fees: A fee of $100 per exam is required to take the Microsoft Office Specialist exams.

Non-Meeting Days: In addition to the scheduled days-off on the published Compass schedule, this class will begin on Friday 1/23, with one other day off with the actual dates to be announced.

Credit: Homeschool families may wish to count this course as a component (partial) credit in Career Exploration or Technology for purposes of a high school transcript.

Prerequisites: None

Mindful Mosaics is run as a studio art class where students create unique compositions and work at their own pace under the guidance of an experienced mosaic artist. Each quarter, students are taught new design, cutting, layout, and finishing techniques and are introduced to new mosaic materials which they can incorporate into inspired, original pieces. The instructor can suggest possible themes for projects based on the featured materials, but most students work on individual projects that reflect their own interests, hobbies, or decor.

Students who are new to mosaics will complete a quick checkerboard project (complete with wooden checkers) to teach pattern, layout, and lines before starting an individual projects. For each project, students will choose from a variety of substrates- rectangular, square, shaped, or circular backboards (typically first-year students), or special forms or 3D objects (experienced students). Each project will expand a student's understanding of color, pattern, rhythm, texture, and spacing as they complete rich, dimensioned compositions. Students will be able to incorporate other glass, ceramic, and porcelain tiles into their projects and may select feature elements such as beautiful glass gems, millefiori, sliced stone, metallic ornaments, mirrored bits, or shells, to serve as focal points in their mosaic piece. The mosaic can be monochromatic, complimentary, or contrasting colors. A broad pallet of colors is always available, and new colors are added each quarter to reflect the season.

Students will develop a skillset for mosaic artistry over multiple quarters or years. As each student demonstrates mastery of basic skills, safety, and artistic expression, that student will be taught advanced techniques, materials, tools, composition, and color theory. A typical progression in mosaics is: (1) Whole tiles in symmetric design on a flat, rectangular substrate with emphasis on proper spacing and adhesion; (2) Tile cut with nippers in themed design and individual color choices on a flat wood substrate; (3) Sheet glass cut with pistol grip, breaking, and/or running pliers with emphasis on composition, color, and design on a flat or curved substrate; (4) Progress to 3D substrate and advanced adhesives; (5) Learn porcelain and ceramic cutting, special adhesives, and advanced design.

Note:There is no prerequisite for this class. The number of projects completed each quarter depends on the student's work speed and attendance in class. Compass parents are welcome to register for the class to work alongside their teens, or to work on their own, while their teen is in another Compass class.

Workload: Students should expect to spend 0-1 hours per week outside of class.

Assessments: will not be given.

Materials Fees: All material fees are due payable to the instructor on or before the first day of class by cash, check or electronic payment. Materials used vary depending on a student's experience with mosaic.
Beginner Material Fee: $50.00 for a selection of Beginner Materials, including: vitreous glass, ceramic, mini, eco recycled glass, beach glass, glitter glass, glass gems, ceramic pebble, shells, metallic crystal, subway glass
Adhesive: weld bond
Grout: bone or charcoal color
Cutters: wheeled tile nippers
Substrate: 2D/Flat 12" x 12",10" x 10", 8" X 8", 4" X 4", framed mirrors, ornament shapes

Advanced Material Fee: $60.00 for a selection of Advanced Materials including: All Beginner Materials plus, iridized glass, cathedral sheet glass, opaque sheet glass, color fusion, millefiori, Van Gogh glass, natural stone and minerals, special effects glass, water glass, colored mirror, illumination glass, china plates, rhinestone, ball chain
Adhesives: weld bond, thin-set mortar, silicone
Grout: Custom colors (purple, rose, green, blue, earth, orange)
Cutters: wheeled tile nippers, porcelain hand tool, hand file, pistol grip, beetle bits cutting system
Substrates: All flat shapes plus, 3D forms (egg, sphere, cone, pyramid, etc.), cut out sentiments, trays, glass bottle, mini sleds, flower pot, picture frame, sun catcher.

Additional Fee: There may be additional fees for premium materials such as tesserae (by request and consultation with instructor), mother of pearl, 24 kt gold tiles (market rate), or specially cut substrates.

Credit: Homeschool families may wish to count this course as a component (partial) credit in Fine Arts for purposes of a high school transcript.

Prerequisites: None

Sign up here to participate in the Northern Virginia Homeschool Geography Bee on February 4, 2026 (4:00 pm- 5:30 pm). This is an independent bee that does not advance to a regional or state competition, as the National Geographic Bee has been cancelled indefinitely. The bee will use geography questions from prior years' National Geographic Bees. This is an in-person bee held at Compass's Herndon facility. All participants will receive a certificate and mementos, and the winner will receive a medal. There is a $25.00 activity fee for a non-Compass homeschooled students to participate.

Compass middle school students ages 11-13 are invited to the Polar Party, a middle school social and dance, on Sunday, February 22, from 5:00pm-7:00pm. There will be games, music, activities, and dancing. Snacks, sweets, and beverages will be served. All Compass rules on behavior and dress code will apply to all partygoers. Tickets are $15.00 per person (early registration) through February 13, and $20.00 per person after February 13 (late registration). This is only open to Compass students. Non-Compass guests cannot be accommodated. Parent set-up, chaperones, and clean-up help will be needed.

Step into a world of imagination, strategy, and storytelling! In this club, teens will work together to create characters, explore fantasy worlds, and go on epic adventures using the popular tabletop roleplaying game, Dungeons & Dragons. Through creative problem-solving, teamwork, and storytelling, members will learn the basics of the game while building friendships and having fun. No experience is needed-just a sense of adventure! All games and scenarios will be moderated and facilitated by an experienced Compass instructor and Dungeon Master.

Prerequisites: None

Compass little girls ages 5-10 and their fathers or special grown-ups are invited to the Sweetheart Soiree, a Valentines dance, on Sunday, February 8, from 5:00pm - 7:00pm. There will be games, music, activities, and dancing. Snacks, sweets, and beverages will be served.

Attire for little girls is Valentines dressy, and attire for fathers is suits or sportscoats. All Compass rules on behavior and dress code will apply to all partygoers.

Tickets are $15.00 per person (early registration) through February 1, and $20.00 per person after February 1 (late registration). Note: One ticket is needed for each attendee. At least one child must be a currently enrolled Compass student. Sisters who are not enrolled at Compass may attend with their Compass sister and parent. Parent set-up, chaperones, and clean-up help will be needed.

Homeschool Swim Lessons are taught at the Reston YMCA located 0.9 miles/ 3 minute drive from Compass's classroom facility. For more information on swimming lessons, see the program webpage.

During the first lesson, students will be observed and determined to be Beginner or Advanced Beginner level, and the class will be divided accordingly among two instructors. Beginners level is for students with little to no swim experience and will cover YMCA Level 1 skills such as water acclimation, floatation, water movement, putting face in the water, swimming 5 feet without a floatation device, and becoming comfortable on back in water. Advanced Beginners level will review all skills in beginner-level class and add YMCA Level 2 skills such as stamina, swimming one length of the pool (25 yards), performing elementary backstroke, rotary breathing, becoming comfortable in deep water, and stroke introduction to include: front crawl, backstroke, and elementary breaststroke.

Please note that these skills will be introduced and progress at different rates depending on the comfortable level and experience of enrolled students and may take more than one quarter to complete. At times, students might be moved to a different swimming group (same day, same time, different instructor) to better match the experience level of enrolled children.

Lessons are 40 minutes long, running from 0:05 until 0:45 after the hour, leaving enough time to towel dry, change clothes, and return to Compass for your next class. Students should bring a swimsuit, towel, and change of clothes. Googles and swim caps are optional.

A parent (or parent proxy) is required to remain on site. Parents may wait on poolside benches or lobby seating. YMCA waivers must be signed and returned for each swimmer. All registration is completed through Compass. All YMCA swimming classes are taught by certified, experienced, background-checked adult instructors with experience teaching children.

Consider enrolling your child in both Tuesday and Thursday classes to improve their rate of learning.

Prerequisites: None

Compass students: Register here to receive a discount code for a free Elite membership (a $179 value) in Volunteer Scholars, a Compass affiliate, where you can earn the American Volunteer Service Award (AVSA), the American Citizenship Award (ACA), and/or National Distinguished Student Leadership Award (NDSLA). Additional information about these awards can be found on the Volunteer Scholars webpage.

Students will learn to think like inventors and designers when creating 3D! 3D design is used not only for modeling and fabricating objects but is also at the heart of many cutting-edge technologies such as AR and VR, video game design, interactive exhibits, and more. 3D printing is used in nearly all industries and design fields today from art to animation, manufacturing to medicine, and engineering to entertainment.
In this class, students will first learn to use Tinkercard, a 3D modeling software that works in solid forms (like LEGO bricks). Then, students will transition to MeshMixer, a software that creates smooth, curved, organic shapes (like clay). They will learn to think about their design from all angles and how to subtract forms to create holes, voids, and concave features, and add forms to create projections, contours, appendages, and convex details. They will discover the limitations of 3D printing and how to handle overhanging elements or delicate details.

Students will practice the artistic design process with simple sketches before diving into the software. They will be encouraged to use reference material, whether photos, a model, or even by modifying existing, public domain 3D files. Students will use an iterative printing process in which they print their project, check it for design intent, functionality, or fit, make modifications, and print again. The class will learn how to save and convert between 3D solid object files (.stl) and object files (.obj) and work with metadata fields to protect the intellectual property of their designs.

To demonstrate the range and capability of 3D-printed designs, favorite student projects include D & D miniatures, cosplay props, Minecraft-designed creations, and beloved characters such as anime, baby Yoda, and Pokemon creatures.

Second semester, continuing students will progress to more complex assemblies including multiple parts and parts with hinges. Second semester, some students may wish to work with alternative filaments such as TPU (rubber), metal, or magnetized filament. Because of the studio format, new students can enroll second semester.

The class instructor is a design engineer with 3D Herndon and expert in 3D technologies and other areas of design and invention. A typical class will be structured with 5-10 minutes of lecture or demonstration of a new design skill, followed by 40 minutes of design "studio" time where students can receive trouble-shooting support and design tips from the instructor and have dedicated work time, and 5-10 minutes of sharing time at the end of class. As a studio class, students will work on individual projects at their own pace.

Topics in this Series: As an open studio for individual projects, students may continue from one semester to the next or enroll mid-year. Students continuing from first semester receive priority pre-registration for second semester.

*This class will begin 1/19 and meet on 3/9*

Lab/Supply Fee: A class fee of $25.00 is due payable to Compass on the first day of class for 3D printing and filament. This provides the student with 800 g of printed product per semester. Students who are prolific designers and print often will be asked to pay an additional $5.00 per 100 g or fraction thereof.

Prerequisites: None

Register here to participate in the Senior Spelling Bee on March 4, 2026 at 4:00 pm. Senior Spelling Bee is for students ages 9-15. This is an in-person bee held at Compass's Herndon facility. All participants will receive a certificate and mementos, and the winner will receive a medal. There is a $10.00 activity fee for Compass students to participate in the bee. (A Compass student one who is currently enrolled in Compass classes.)