Biannual SPLASH program offers free workshops to middle and high school students, April 13

 Clark University’s Education Studies Program (ESP) will host SPLASH, an event that enables middle and high school students to take a wide variety of free classes taught by Clark students and faculty, on Sunday, April 13, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Registration begins at 9 a.m. in Jonas Clark Hall.

More than 65 Clark students — and several Clark professors — will teach classes on the day of the event. Some SPLASH workshops include “Disease and Civilization,” “Introspection and its Applications,” and “How to Live in a World Ruled by Zombies,” while other classes will teach skills ranging from making guacamole to fashion design.

Ethan Goldstein ’14 is one of the Clark students who helps run the program; he also teaches multiple SPLASH classes. “I’m truly amazed by how much SPLASH has grown over the past two years,” Goldstein said. “It’s transformed from a handful of teachers in fewer than a dozen rooms to become a campus wide phenomenon, and Clark’s largest event held on behalf of the community, all while remaining free to attend.”

SPLASH organizers will provide food and beverages from Panera Bread to participants, as well as free Internet access for non-Clark attendees and parents who bring their children for the day.

Online registration for SPLASH workshops ends April 6. To register, visit the program’s website; the course catalog is available online.

SPLASH was started at MIT, and has since spread to numerous colleges including Clark, Boston College, and Babson College by way of a nonprofit organization called LearningU, founded by MIT graduate Dan Zarapol.  Zarapol helped advise Clark’s program in the fall of 2011. Clark’s SPLASH program was started in the spring of 2012.