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Contact: Debbie Gibbons, Western Washington University Extended Education Youth Programs manager, at (360) 650-6820 or debbie.gibbons@wwu.edu.

BELLINGHAM –- Western Washington University Youth Programs will offer an Early Release Enrichment program exploring foreign language and culture and science topics on Wednesdays this fall.

Sessions will be offered on Oct. 9 and 23, Nov. 6 and 20, and Dec. 11. Each Wednesday session is from 1:45 to 5 p.m. and has a capacity of 40 students. Students may participate in any number of the sessions. Cost is $60 for all five Wednesdays or $15 per individual session.

Designed to give K-5 students in the Bellingham School District an alternative to traditional childcare, early-release enrichment sessions provide opportunities for students to make fascinating discoveries in an exciting university setting.

Students will benefit from hands-on activities in specialized science labs and classrooms, led by language and culture and science education university students.

Each session features a science topic paired with a foreign language and culture lesson. Science topics include “Science of the Stars,” “Microscopic World,” “Imagination Station,” “Space Odyssey” and “Kitchen Chemistry.”  Foreign language and culture themes will include Mandarin, Spanish and Japanese taught through games, music, basic phrases, writing characters and traditional foods.

Students are asked to bring a rain jacket, healthy snack and curious mind.

For more information or to register online, visit , email youth@wwu.edu or call (360) 650-3308.