Dordt Discovery Days

A Week at the Spa: Renew, Refresh, and Radiate (Morning Class)

Angela Perigo, Dordt Co-Director of Children’s Worship Initiative

Treat yourself to a fun and educational week of self-care and creativity! Come journey into the world of wellness where together we'll learn all about the art of nail care, makeup application, and trending hair styles while exploring the secrets behind glowing skin and effective relaxation techniques. Discover the science of wellness through hands-on experiences in skin treatments, gentle massage methods, deep breathing, and stress-relief exercises designed to recharge your spirit, mind, and body. It's the perfect blend of pampering and practical skills to help you radiate confidence and embrace lifelong health!

Basketball Strategies (Morning Class)

Drew Edwards, Dordt Men’s Basketball Graduate Assistant

Learn effective ways to impact the game without scoring the ball, in game strategies, and fun competitions!

Beach Volleyball (Morning Class)

Chad Hanson, Dordt Men’s Volleyball Head Coach

Playing outdoor beach and grass volleyball is a lifelong opportunity for community and fellowship. Learn skills and strategies of the sport at appropriate levels to your abilities. This class is open to both boys and girls.

Beekeeping (Morning Class)

Phil Westra and Ron Rynders, Dordt Alumni

Are you interested in different kinds of animals and exploring how God’s creation works? You may have taken care of a pet or helped with animals on a farm, but how do we take care of honeybees? This class will introduce you to the life of honeybee colonies and get you involved in hands-on beekeeping, from opening and inspecting beehives to harvesting honey. You will also make lip balm, roll beeswax candles, and fill a small jar of honey to take home. Protective gear is provided.

Collaborative Painting (Morning Class)

Libbie Rettinger, Dordt Art Alumna

Explore using paint and other materials to represent personal stories. Students will work on individual sections and bring them together into one cohesive art installation. Learn the joy of sharing in art together with a recent graduate of Dordt’s Art and Design program!

Cooking with Karinda (Morning Class)

Karinda de Boom, Western Christian High School Educator of Art and Life Skills

Even if you've never advanced beyond making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich or licking the spoon, this class will show you how to rustle up some grub sure to impress your friends and your mom. Learn how to make healthy snacks, main course dishes, even drinks and desserts. A trip to the grocery store will make ingredient shopping less of a mystery, and if it all pans out, you'll take home a DDD cookbook! Both guys and girls are welcome to learn basic cooking skills that will put you somewhere between Chef Boyardee and Rachel Ray.

Dance and Cheer (Morning Class)

Mel Knobloch, Dordt Dance and Cheer Head Coach

Let’s Go! Let’s Go! L-E-T-S G-O! This high energy class will get you moving and shaking, leaping, and jumping, and even tumbling and stunting! You will learn everything dance related from hip hop, to ballet, to Zumba, and maybe even some country line dancing! You’ll also get to cartwheel, flip, and stunt your way to the top as we learn what it takes to become a cheerleader. No experience necessary.

Discover the Organ (Morning Class)

Carrie Groenewold, Dordt Professor of Music

Curious about the "King of Instruments?" Discover the thrill of playing the organ with private and group lessons, field trips, and other hands-on activities. Pre-requisite: 4 years of piano lessons recommended. Submit a note of recommendation from your parent or piano teacher emailed to Dr. Carrie Groenewold, carrie.groenewold@dordt.edu from the Dordt University Music Department.

Down on the Farm (Morning Class)

Mike Schouten, Dordt Agriculture Stewardship Center Director

Feed the calves! Vaccinate the steers! There are farm chores to do at Dordt's Agriculture Stewardship Center! Learn about caring for farm animals and about growing food for them in a real farm setting. Because farm safety is important, you'll learn firsthand how to properly use equipment like a skid loader. You might even get to harvest from the garden and process the food into tasty treats. (Think strawberry jam and homemade ice cream!) Don't pass up this chance to be a farm kid for a week! No repeaters, please.

Engineering (Morning Class)

Dordt Engineering Students and Justin Vander Werff, Dordt Professor of Engineering

Have you ever thought about how God sustains you each day by using things that have been engineered? From transportation-related items like cars and bridges to productivity-related items like computers and cell phones to basic-use items like chairs and pencils, the results of engineering are all around us. Have you ever imagined designing things like these yourself? Join us to learn a little more about the amazing world of engineering that keeps us moving forward every single day, and to put some of this engineering into practice!

Expeditions in STEM (Morning Class)

Bryce Enger, DSST Montview Middle School Educator of Engineering and Dordt Alumnus

Get ready for an adventure that blends fun, creativity, and problem solving! In our class, you will dive into the exciting world of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. You'll learn cool math games to stump your friends, how to program a robot to do exciting challenges, and how to engineer something to tackle a real-world problem in a way that truly makes a difference. This class is all about unlocking your potential through fun activities that give you skills that could shape your future! So, if you are ready to tackle challenges, explore robotics, and unleash your imagination, this class is for you! By the end, we are certain you will say this class was pretty STEM-tastic!

Fly Fishing for Beginners (Morning Class)

Don Mulder, Fly Fishing Expert

Take a step beyond traditional rod and reel fishing into the world of fly fishing! Students will learn about making a fly rod by participating in the assembly of one. There will be teaching sessions for fly casting and fly tying. Instruction will also include learning about insects and other things that fish eat. Hands-on teaching throughout the week will include knot tying, fishing methods, and actual fly fishing on the final day! All materials will be provided. Both boys and girls are welcome! Participants will be required to wear eye protection when casting a fly rod. We recommend bringing sunglasses and a hat.

Game Quest 1.0 (Morning Class)

Tom Clark, Dordt Professor of Mathematics

Strategize! Outwit! Cooperate! This board game extravaganza hones your game playing skills while having a ton of fun. You'll learn games like Settlers of Catan, Carcassonne, and Ticket to Ride where strategy is of vital importance. Social deduction plays a role in the Sheriff of Nottingham, teamwork saves the day in Forbidden Island, and much more. Game Quest 1.0 is a great choice if you love to play and learn new games. You'll even have some free-play time to choose from over 70 games to play.

Imagination and Improv (Morning Class)

Grace Bruin, Dordt Art Education and Theatre Arts Student

Learn how to take a crazy idea and run with it through improv games! Whether or not you think you’re funny, improv comedy can teach you how to tell a good story, think on your feet, and help out your friends. You’ll get to create funny, goofy, and crazy situations and bring them to life all through your imagination!

Imagination Station (Morning Class)

Shauna Vander Kooi, Unity Christian High School Educator of Art

Have you always wanted to learn how to draw different characters or objects in unique styles? Do you have a passion for doodling or want to learn more about drawing? This class is for you! Let's have fun trying new materials and styles while creating unique masterpieces.

Lights! Camera! Action! (Morning Class)

Rich Lodewyk, Dordt Media Network Director

Behind the scenes or on camera? Which one is for you? This class begins with basic skills in television remote production using the new Dordt Media Network broadcast remote production truck. Besides directing, you can try your hand at being a news and sports anchor and talk show host. The camera's on you! You get to try it all with state-of-the-art broadcasting equipment! Three, two, one...you're on!

Nursing (Morning Class)

Melanie Wynja, Professor of Nursing, and Summer Folkerts, Instructor of Nursing

Ever wondered what it's like to be a nurse? In this hands-on class, you'll get the chance to give shots, check blood pressure, practice CPR, and even work with our simulated patients and other nursing manikins. You'll explore how your body works and discover the best ways to take care of it, from first aid to healthy eating tips. Whether you're thinking about a future in healthcare or just want to explore nursing in a fun interactive environment, this course is a great way to dive in! Note: If students are willing, we will test their blood sugar, which involves a finger stick with a sterile lancet using proper technique and protective gear. No repeaters, please.

Ooey Gooey Science (Morning Class)

Sandra Nyenhuis, Unity Christian High School Educator of Physics and Physical Science

This lab is for anyone who wants to get messy! You’ll do dissections, create slimes, and find out who has the dirtiest hands! Have you ever made your own biodegradable plastics or gold pennies? We'll do both! Petri dishes, scalpels, and beakers - we’ll do real science together. Ready to get messy?

Photography 101 (Morning Class)

Becky Vanden Brink, Owner of and Photographer at Picture This Photography

Photography helps us express ourselves in a way that words sometimes can’t. Join me for a week of learning how to use a DSLR camera while exploring more about who God made you to be through the gift of photography. In this class you will learn about the different modes and settings of a camera and how to use them to get exactly the shot that you want. We will also learn about composition and how to apply it to get great photos. This class is project-based so get ready to grab a camera and go explore!

Racquet Sports (Morning Class)

Craig Stiemsma, Dordt Professor of Health and Human Performance

Do you want to learn the rules, strategies, different serves, and many different shots in pickleball, badminton and racquetball? Do you want to learn the rules and strategies for singles and doubles in these very popular racquet sports? Learn all this and more about pickleball, one of the hottest new sports in the country, as well as racquetball and badminton, which is an Olympic sport. We will have many different competitions and tournaments during this week.

Sewing 101 (Morning Class)

Kara De Berg, Dordt Entrepreneurial Business Student and Business Owner

Do you get "sew" excited about working with pretty fabrics or tinkering around with a needle and thread? If you're eager to learn more about the world of sewing, this is the class for you! We'll start by covering the basic tools and fabrics you need to get started and getting to know the sewing machine. Then we'll jump in with a few projects that you'll be proud to show off to your friends and family while covering important skills such as how to install a zipper, get perfect points, choose fabrics, and more! This class will equip you with the skills you need to keep creating at home and give you a chance to practice your stitching with an experienced sewist.

Survivor (Morning Class)

Sunday Ford, Sioux County Conservation

Spend each morning learning survival skills and having lots of outdoor fun! You'll learn the basic survivor skills: how to build shelters, make a campfire, use a GPS unit and more! This involves hiking on and off trail. *Please bring jeans and old clothes you don't mind getting a little dirty. Closed-toed shoes are also required. We will be outside as much as possible. No repeaters, please.

Miniature Making for Beginners (Morning Class)

Becky Donahue, Dordt Theatre Department Production Manager and Costumer

Step into the tiny world of miniature making! In this hands-on class you will learn the basics of creating detailed miniatures using a variety of materials like clay, cardboard, paint, and recycled objects. From tiny furniture to miniature food and décor, campers will develop skills in sculpting, painting, and assembling small-scale creations.

Watercolors with Bailey (Morning Class)

Bailey Stetson, Dordt Alumna

In this fun and colorful class, you’ll learn how to design and create your own unique watercolor cards! Whether you’re making cards for a special occasion of just for fun, you’ll explore the magic of watercolor painting and discover how to use vibrant colors, different painting techniques, and creative designs to make your cards stand out.

Where It Is From (Morning Class)

Unny Nzioka, Dordt Instructor of Business

You mean the cocoa that goes into chocolate come from outside the U.S.? Tell me more about that place! Over four fun-filled days, you'll take a virtual tour of the world as you watch and hear exciting stories about different countries. Get ready to discover and learn about the amazing places some of the products we use come from!

The Wonderful World of Gaming (Morning Class)

Brad Hickey, Dordt Director of Gaming and Student Support Specialist

Together we will explore the world of gaming together and discover how God's love for us includes the games that we play! This adventure will include playing various games together while focusing on developing good gaming habits and ways to use our gaming to love others and grow in our faith.

Agriculture and Food: How It’s Produced (Afternoon Class)

Rich Vyn, Dordt Professor of Agriculture

Have you ever wondered where our food comes from and how it’s produced? This class will explore how a variety of agriculture and food products are produced, such as ice cream, cheese, eggs, and ethanol. You’ll visit production facilities and farms to learn more and see for yourself how food is produced. Then you’ll play the Farming Game to see if you have what it takes to make money farming!

Baked with Love, Iced with Joy (Afternoon Class)

Michelle Bomgaars, Owner of and Baker at Piece of Cake in Le Mars

Unleash your inner cookie artist! This class will take you on a step-by-step journey through the world of cookies as we create, make, and decorate. Cookie making is an art form, and you’ll learn the process from start to finish from a professional baker! After learning how to properly execute a recipe, roll out dough, and make frosting, you will then put it all together and learn how to create beautiful cookies that are almost too pretty to eat. This class will also highlight some classic cookie recipes and will teach you how to think outside the box and get creative with your baking!

Beekeeping (Afternoon Class)

Ron Rynders and Phil Westra, Dordt Alumni

Are you interested in different kinds of animals and exploring how God’s creation works? You may have taken care of a pet or helped with animals on a farm, but how do we take care of honeybees? This class will introduce you to the life of honeybee colonies and get you involved in hands-on beekeeping, from opening and inspecting beehives to harvesting honey. You will also make lip balm, roll beeswax candles, and fill a small jar of honey to take home. Protective gear is provided.

Bookworms (Afternoon Class)

Jen Wielenga, Orange City Christian School Librarian and Educator of Language Arts

This class starts with homework you are going to love! Read a BOOK! We’ll choose a couple of books, you read your favorite of those, and we will discuss and enjoy them together. We will talk about genres, classics, and favorite authors. We’ll sprinkle in some library visits, and of course have you read a book while on campus. It is the best of reading worlds! Bookworms RULE!

Cooking with Karinda (Afternoon Class)

Karinda de Boom, Western Christian High School Educator of Art and Life Skills

Even if you've never advanced beyond making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich or licking the spoon, this class will show you how to rustle up some grub sure to impress your friends and your mom. Learn how to make healthy snacks, main course dishes, even drinks and desserts. A trip to the grocery store will make ingredient shopping less of a mystery, and if it all pans out, you'll take home a DDD cookbook! Both guys and girls are welcome to learn basic cooking skills that will put you somewhere between Chef Boyardee and Rachel Ray.

Engineering (Afternoon Class)

Dordt Engineering Students and Justin Vander Werff, Dordt Professor of Engineering

Have you ever thought about how God sustains you each day by using things that have been engineered? From transportation-related items like cars and bridges to productivity-related items like computers and cell phones to basic-use items like chairs and pencils, the results of engineering are all around us. Have you ever imagined designing things like these yourself? Join us to learn a little more about the amazing world of engineering that keeps us moving forward every single day, and to put some of this engineering into practice!

Game Quest 2.0 (Afternoon Class)

Tom Clark, Dordt Professor of Mathematics

Strategize! Outwit! Cooperate! Game Quest 2.0 is a great choice if you have experience playing board games or have completed Game Quest 1.0 and want to play some more advanced games. Test your social deduction in games like Coup and Cockroach Poker. Expand your strategy with worker placement and deckbuilding games like Mintworks and El Dorado. Take a deeper dive into Settlers of Catan by adding an expansion. Travel to Egypt to test your predictive skills in Camel Up. Dig into other games like Arboretum, Kingdomino, and Welcome To. You’ll also have some free-play time to play your favorite from the week with over 70 games to choose from.

Imagination and Improv (Afternoon Class)

Grace Bruin, Dordt Art Education and Theatre Arts Student

Learn how to take a crazy idea and run with it through improv games! Whether or not you think you’re funny, improv comedy can teach you how to tell a good story, think on your feet, and help out your friends. You’ll get to create funny, goofy, and crazy situations and bring them to life all through your imagination!

Imagination Station (Afternoon Class)

Shauna Vander Kooi, Unity Christian High School Educator of Art

Have you always wanted to learn how to draw different characters or objects in unique styles? Do you have a passion for doodling or want to learn more about drawing? This class is for you! Let's have fun trying new materials and styles while creating unique masterpieces.

Lego Robotics (Afternoon Class)

Bryce Enger, DSST Montview Middle School Educator of Engineering and Dordt Alumnus

Calling all Master Builders! So, girls and guys, you're ready to move past building Emmet-style double-decker couches, and take your Lego skills to the next level? Or maybe you've always been fascinated by robotics and would like to try your hand at building and programming one for yourself? Sounds like you're ready to create functional robots, using Lego Mindstorms kits! We will build several different robots throughout the week, as we team up to conquer design challenges and hone our programming skills. By the end of the week, we're pretty sure you'll be singing along: "Everything is Awesome!"

Movie Date (Afternoon Class)

Dave Mulder, Dordt Professor of Education

Lights...camera...ACTION! Get in the director's seat as you learn more about your favorite movies. We'll watch a wide variety of clips from movies from all across the ages. We'll explore how levels of violence have changed in the past decades, how to recognize a film's message or theme, and how special effects promote the plot. We'll even check out the history of movies and what movies were like int he "old days." Of course, we're having snacks and popcorn the whole time! As a group, we'll become film critics, learning how to view films through our Biblical glasses and figure out what movies are "good" and why. You'll definitely give this class two thumbs up!

Nursing (Afternoon Class)

Nicole Driewer, Nursing Simulation Technician, and Summer Folkerts, Instructor of Nursing

Ever wondered what it's like to be a nurse? In this hands-on class, you'll get the chance to give shots, check blood pressure, practice CPR, and even work with our simulated patients and other nursing manikins. You'll explore how your body works and discover the best ways to take care of it, from first aid to healthy eating tips. Whether you're thinking about a future in healthcare or just want to explore nursing in a fun interactive environment, this course is a great way to dive in! Note: If students are willing, we will test their blood sugar, which involves a finger stick with a sterile lancet using proper technique and protective gear. No repeaters, please.

Ooey Gooey Science (Afternoon Class)

Sandra Nyenhuis, Unity Christian High School Educator of Physics and Physical Science

This lab is for anyone who wants to get messy! You’ll do dissections, create slimes, and find out who has the dirtiest hands! Have you ever made your own biodegradable plastics or gold pennies? We'll do both! Petri dishes, scalpels, and beakers - we’ll do real science together. Ready to get messy?

Photography 101 (Afternoon Class)

Becky Vanden Brink, Owner of and Photographer at Picture This Photography

Photography helps us express ourselves in a way that words sometimes can’t. Join me for a week of learning how to use a DSLR camera while exploring more about who God made you to be through the gift of photography. In this class you will learn about the different modes and settings of a camera and how to use them to get exactly the shot that you want. We will also learn about composition and how to apply it to get great photos. This class is project-based so get ready to grab a camera and go explore!

Printmaking and Silkscreen (Afternoon Class)

Vaughn Donahue, Dordt Instructor of Art and Design

Do you want to make your own T-shirt or poster? How cool would it be to wear a shirt that YOU designed? Come spend a week printmaking with linoleum blocks and screen printing in the Dordt Art and Design Department! We'll turn a sketch or digital design into real ink on real paper, and we'll get plenty messy along the way. Please bring a few black T-shirts along with you to print on toward the end of the week!

Programming in Scratch (Afternoon Class)

Logan Swanson, Dordt Alumnus

Learn to code by creating your own computer games using the Scratch programming language!

Sewing 101 (Afternoon Class)

Kara De Berg, Dordt Entrepreneurial Business Student and Business Owner

Do you get "sew" excited about working with pretty fabrics or tinkering around with a needle and thread? If you're eager to learn more about the world of sewing, this is the class for you! We'll start by covering the basic tools and fabrics you need to get started and getting to know the sewing machine. Then we'll jump in with a few projects that you'll be proud to show off to your friends and family while covering important skills such as how to install a zipper, get perfect points, choose fabrics, and more! This class will equip you with the skills you need to keep creating at home and give you a chance to practice your stitching with an experienced sewist.

Social Work and Service (Afternoon Class)

Erin Olson, Dordt Professor of Social Work and MSW Program Director

In the Bible God calls us to love and care for our neighbor, but who is our neighbor? And how do we love and care for him/her? In this class, you'll learn what it means to be a helper and how by helping others you can actually help yourself and work to strengthen God's kingdom here on earth. You'll learn how to become a better and more effective listener (and talker!) for your friends and family. You'll also learn how changing your own self-talk can help your own outlook on life. As another part of the class, we will learn about how we can help our community members in need by joining the work of local non-profit organizations. We'll visit a thrift store, and food pantry, a shelter, and other organizations to learn about what they're doing to help those in need and then we'll volunteer some of our time to help those organizations continue to do their good work!

Watercolors with Bailey (Afternoon Class)

Bailey Stetson, Dordt Alumna

In this fun and colorful class, you’ll learn how to design and create your own unique watercolor cards! Whether you’re making cards for a special occasion of just for fun, you’ll explore the magic of watercolor painting and discover how to use vibrant colors, different painting techniques, and creative designs to make your cards stand out.

Where It Is From (Afternoon Class)

Unny Nzioka, Dordt Instructor of Business

You mean the cocoa that goes into chocolate come from outside the U.S.? Tell me more about that place! Over four fun-filled days, you'll take a virtual tour of the world as you watch and hear exciting stories about different countries. Get ready to discover and learn about the amazing places some of the products we use come from!

The Wonderful World of Gaming (Afternoon Class)

Brad Hickey, Dordt Director of Gaming and Student Support Specialist

Together we will explore the world of gaming together and discover how God's love for us includes the games that we play! This adventure will include playing various games together while focusing on developing good gaming habits and ways to use our gaming to love others and grow in our faith.

Yard Games (Afternoon Class)

Chad Hanson, Dordt Men’s Volleyball Head Coach

Yard games are an increasing aspect to neighborhood and church gatherings. Learn techniques and strategies for games like Corn Hole, Kan Jam, Spike Ball, Bocci, Kub, and more. These games are low exertion, and anyone can learn and play, no prior experience required. This class is open to both boys and girls.