College credit (without leaving the Island) is on the course schedule for the winter session of the Adult and Community Education program (ACE MV), as well as its popular enrichment and training classes on a wide range of subjects.

There are seven courses for graduate and undergraduate credit from Northeastern University, and another credit course is pending through Cape Cod Community College. There has to be a minimum enrollment of 10 students for these courses, so early signups are needed for a course to run.

This winter ACE is also initiating an International Volunteer Service Program linking Vineyard volunteers with humanitarian efforts initiated by other Vineyarders. In February (Feb. 19 to 28 with optional extension to March 7), ACE participants will volunteer with Muriel Laverty’s community school project in Pacaya, Nicaragua. Volunteers will prepare for the trip with orientation sessions and optional ACE classes in language, history and teacher training.

Classes begin Jan. 8 and will meet on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings, with some Northeastern classes and workshops scheduled for weekends. While most classes are at the regional high school, four classes will meet at the Martha’s Vineyard Public Charter School in West Tisbury for convenience to up-Island residents.

ACE faculty share expertise in fitness (social dancing, salsa, hula hoop workout and dance, fencing, dance in the classroom); practical and recreational skills (speaking in public, blogging, Spanish, home landscaping, planting, birding, civics/government, teacher training, GED); the arts (acting for adults, ceramics, creative writing, guitar, piano, poetry, teaching language through the arts and media); challenging discussion (American literature, Irish history, Latin America and the Caribbean, psychology, Islam); ways to survive the economy (Simple Cooking on a Shoestring, Frugal Soup Fundamentals, Understanding Medicare, Work Smarter Not Harder); or a way to get inspired and meet others with similar interests.

There will also be single-event seminars in French Provencal and Korean cooking, manicure, Wampanoag culture, Writing to Learn, and Energy and the Island.

The winter catalog and flyers of courses are available at all the Island schools and libraries, courtesy of a grant from the Permanent Endowment Fund and support from the Vineyard Public Schools. The catalog of courses, registration forms, gift certificates, applications for the international service program, and detailed information are also available online at acemv.org.

Early registration online (with credit card or check via PayPal) is encouraged to secure a place in class. In person registration is at the high school lobby from 5:30 to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 5 and Wednesday, Jan. 6. Courses have limited class sizes. For more information, e-mail Lynn Ditchfield at lynn@acemv.org or leave a voice mail message at 508-693-1033, extension 240.