ACE MV has remaining fall classes open to adult students. Offerings include yoga teacher training, a practicum in early childhood education, a Wampanoag culture class and a workshop titled Envisioning Your Emerging Self.

From cooking to bookkeeping, the course selection at ACE MV attracts increasing interest every year. But facing a mounting financial crisis, the organization is looking to secure public funding by next fall, or close down operations permanently.

When Lorena Crespo moved to the Island six years ago, her English was shaky. So she enrolled in an English as a Second Language class taught by Lynn Ditchfield at the high school.

At first, she didn’t know many people here, but her classes in ESL and art education expanded her social circle. And when she wanted to advance her degree in early childhood education, Adult and Community Education of Martha’s Vineyard (ACE MV) offered her that opportunity also.

Adult and Community Education of Martha’s Vineyard (ACE MV) was named an Outstanding Community Arts Education Collaborative on May 22 by Arts Learning. The award was presented in a ceremony at Lesley University in Cambridge.

ACE MV offers numerous classes in many different mediums. It also hosts community forums, performances, readings and cultural events focusing on the arts.

The mission of Arts Learning is to transform education through the power of the arts.

On Saturday, March 9 from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m., ACE MV will hold at reading at the Bunch of Grapes Bookstore in Vineyard Haven. The reading will feature students from the writing classes of Cynthia Riggs and Nancy Aronie. Featured readers are Cynthia Riggs, Amy Reece, Lisa Belcastro, Catherine Finch, Taffy McCarthy, Kanta Lipsky, Anna Conathan and Joyce Wagner.

Registration for the spring programs of Adult and Community Education (ACE MV) is open. This spring ACE MV offers over 30 classes and seminars from arts and communication to cooking and healthcare.

This week Adult and Community Education (ACE MV) begins its winter course offerings. Many of the courses include college credit and thanks to the MV Family Center, all Thursday evening ACE MV classes at the regional high school include free childcare.

Cape Cod Community College (CCCC) is offering PSY 101-67: General Psychology through ACE MV. This three credit course is required for nursing and many health programs and meets the social/behavioral science requirement for associate degree concentrations. The class begins Thursday, Jan. 31.

ACE MV and Cape Cod Community College are teaming up to offer a course in child psychology. The three-credit course, PSY 201-67, will be taught on-Island, beginning Nov. 1 at the regional high school. General psychology (PSY 101 or equivalent) is a prerequisite for this course.

KEEP PANTRY FULL

Editors, Vineyard Gazette:

I work at the food pantry as a volunteer. I now get it about the hardship on Island that justifies support for the food pantry. It’s real to me, now I see that it’s more that just putting some groceries in the purple boxes in the supermarket. The need is real. I see the elderly, infirm, single mothers, mentally incapacitated, unemployed people come in, and they all need to eat.

Island chefs and healthy cooking experts soon will be offering classes through Adult and Community Education (ACE MV).

On Jan. 25 MJ Delekta, director of the Sacred Circle of Yoga, will be teaching The Yoga of Food Cooking Workshop.

On Feb. 2 especially (but not exclusively) for Valentine’s Day, Christian Thornton, owner and chef of Atria Restaurant, will be guiding would-be lovers of all ages to cook a simple dinner for those you love, a meal sure to impress with minimal time in the kitchen.