by Davy James, Staff Writer
Even when school is finished, the desire to learn carries on for many people. Luckily for South Brunswick residents, one program has ensured that education doesn’t have to end with a cap and gown on graduation day.
Community Education, which has brought a lifetime of learning for people throughout South Brunswick, is celebrating its 20th anniversary during this school year. Nov. 18 also marked National Community Education Day in the U.S. The classes offered by the school district run program offer choices for every age, according to Director Catherine Kujawa. Classes such as pee-wee tennis, summer enrichment, SAT prep and photography are just a few of the offerings through Community Education.
”We start from the youngest of children and go up through adults,” Ms. Kujawa said. “People are learning and having fun while getting to meet other members of the community at the same time.”
The social aspect of community learning has made a huge difference in the lives of many people. Ann Markey, of Kendall Park, can attest to that fact. In late 1997, Ms. Markey,67, was speaking with a co-worker who had lost her mother in March of that year.
A widow herself, Ms. Markey asked how her co-worker’s father was doing.
”She told me that he’s been going to dances in South Brunswick,” Ms. Markey said. “I said that I’d love to do something like that to get out of the house and hoped it would give me something to look forward to.”
In January 1998, Ms. Markey, her co-worker and her co-worker’s father, Joe Romeo, went out for dinner and to a dance at Crossroads Middle School.
”We just had a blast and he mentioned that he’d been taking classes at Community Education,” Ms. Markey said. “There were a session of dance lessons coming up at Dayton School and Joe told me he’d get me signed up. We took it from there and we’ve been dancing ever since. We have such a good time with everything and dancing is just the icing on the cake.”
Ms. Markey and Joe have been together since that time, going to dances wherever they can find them. She said there’s so much about dancing that she enjoys, as long as it’s a certain kind of dancing.
”It has to be old-fashioned dancing and not that stuff people dance to today,” she said. “It’s great exercise and it’s just so much fun. Holding your partner might have a little to do with it, as I’ve heard.”
The match made through Community Education continues to enjoy the benefits of the program.
”It’s an outlet for people who want to learn new things and don’t want to go the normal college route because you’re beyond that,” Ms. Markey said. “It makes information available for you to go and take a class on. It helps people follow through with an interest.”
For Ms. Markey the social aspect of Community Education gave two people with a common interest the chance to connect.
”I never thought a dancing class would go where it went,” Ms. Markey said. “It’s an outlet for people and gives you the chance for social interaction with other people who have the same interests.”
Information on Community Education can be found through the district’s web site www.sbschools.org and clicking on the Community Education link.

