Wednesday Dec. 16th at 7p: Visiting Botswana and Namibia was a lifelong dream come true. After spending a couple of months house- and petting-sitting in Maun, Botswana, living the lives of locals, Jen and Mike headed out to parks and nether regions with a 4WD truck and a tent. Come see photos and hear stories of camping with lions, lunching with elephants, and listening to cheetahs chirp. Share in the thrill of a self-guided safari as they track animals and peer into the world of African wildlife.

This free presentation is part of FVCS’s “Armchair Traveler” series, and made possible by a generous donation from our sponsors, longtime local Girdwoodians Sherry & Bob Dugan.

Zoom link:

Topic: Armchair Traveler: Southern Africa

Time: Dec 16, 2020 07:00 PM Alaska
Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82509270126

Forty years ago Four Valley Community School began as an idea to build community and offer opportunities locally for residents of greater Girdwood.

Despite present day challenges, we plan on serving our community for now and forever, and are celebrating our 40th year with an Arts Auction Fundraiser.  All proceeds will go to support our programs, events, and classes and to keep them available locally. 

Local artists and crafters of all ages have come together to create pieces in support of our anniversary, and it is a perfect time to shop for the holidays or for yourself. 

Go to the Online Auction Site and log-in, bid it up, and celebrate 40 with us!

Meet today’s artist: Ewan Whitcomb-Stark is 11 years old and a 6th grade student at Girdwood Elementary School. Ewan’s favorite type of art is using acrylics like the one he donated to this auction. Ewan has been participating in the Girdwood Fine Arts Camp for 5 years and his favorite animals are cats and snakes. To bid on Ewan’s artwork you can visit: https://www.biddingowl.com/Auction/item-detail.cfm?auctionID=21297&ItemID=942852&viewType=1&style=75&font=0&catName=Antiques%20and%20ArtAuction open until December 15th! Click, Bid, Win!

Just as the world began to shut down due to COVID, Girdwood locals Jeff & Sharon Samuels were in Cambodia as part of a year long round-the-world adventure. Jeff will share photos and stories of he and Sharon’s visit. From the capital of Phnom Penh to the villages of the Mekong River and Tonle Sap Lake to the splendor of Angkor Wat and the surrounding temples, Cambodia has a wealth of culture and history to see and experience.

This free presentation is part of FVCS’s “Armchair Traveler” series, and made possible by a generous donation from our sponsors, longtime local Girdwoodians Sherry & Bob Dugan. 

Topic: Cambodia Rising with Jeff Samuels

Time: Dec 2, 2020 07:00 PM Alaska
Join Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86535680590

HELP US CELEBRATE 40! 

Forty years ago Four Valley Community School began as an idea to build community and offer opportunities locally for residents of greater Girdwood.

Despite present day challenges, we plan on serving our community for now and forever, and are celebrating our 40th year with an Arts Auction Fundraiser.  All proceeds will go to support our programs, events, and classes and to keep them available locally. 

Local artists and crafters of all ages have come together to create pieces in support of our anniversary, and it is a perfect time to shop for the holidays or for yourself. 

Go to the Online Auction Site and log-in, bid it up, and celebrate 40 with us!

Social distancing got you down? Come share an isolation experience together. Join us via Zoom to see photos and hear stories of Jen and Mike getting their winter feet wet caretaking for remote Alaska lodges, from Bristol Bay to the Arctic. Hear what it is like to live and work in remote Alaskan bush locations, where daily life included shoveling snow off of roofs, filling wood sheds, reporting weather, and, perhaps most importantly, taking care of and entertaining themselves, miles away from neighbors, stores, and medical help.

This free presentation is part of FVCS’s “Armchair Travels” series, and made possible by a generous donation from our sponsors Sherry & Bob Dugan.

Register ahead to receive the Zoom link the day of the presentation.

Small Group Guitar Lessons

Tuesdays November 10- December 15 @ 5p & 6:15p
So you play guitar? Have you been stuck at the same level for a while? Perhaps you have heard of local bands the Dirty Hands, Big Fat Buddha and Lateral Lines. And perhaps you are combating Covid restrictions by setting some self improvement goals. Get off the intermediate plateau and take your guitar playing to the next level with these small group lessons taught by Girdwood musician Chris Lesesne. 6 weeks, small groups, for $240. Click the registration buttons below for more details and to learn about the instructor!

Wondering if you are a Intermediate or Advanced student, and if this class is right for you? Schedule a short conversation with instructor Chris Lesesne to answer questions you might have, provide further details about the scope of this course, and ensure that it is the correct fit for you.

Please email Chris at chrisclaymusic@gmail.com

COVID Safety Protocols: This class will have a maximum of 4 students plus the instructor. All students will be required to maintain a 6 foot plus distance from the instructor and other students, must wear a mask at all times, as well as use hand sanitizer when arriving to class as well as submit to a temperature check.

Our volunteer leadership represents the greater Girdwood community with the depth of local knowledge and the skills needed to oversee Four Valleys Community School. As an entity, the board has all the legal duties of a nonprofit board and is responsible for setting policies, overseeing staff, developing program and awarding scholarships.

Members serve two-year terms on various committees and hold specific board positions. New board members are selected by the current board and elected to serve specific board positions.

Welcome to new members, and welcome back to returning members. Thank you for your work to bring community education to the greater Girdwood area via Four Valleys Community School!

Did you know Four Valleys Community School has been serving our community for forty years? To celebrate we intended on hosting an online art auction culminating with a community celebration, but things have changed due to Covid precautions.  We are still holding our art auction, but the dates have been pushed to the month of November.  Please help by donating your original artwork!  All ages welcome. Artworks need to be received by mid-October.  If you have any questions, please call or email Ashley Wade at 907-382-7773 or awade@fourvalleys.org.