Youth, Teens, & family Programs

Creative Learning
for Every Age

The youth programs at the Sonoma Community Center provide children, teens, & family with an opportunity to explore their creativity in a nurturing environment. With our talented staff, students can develop their artistic skills, culinary skills, and interests nurturing their confidence and self-expression. 
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Programming

Find what’s right for you

regularly scheduled
After School Programming

Weekday after-school classes in art, ceramics, culinary arts, and more. Ongoing sessions throughout the school year for kids and teens.

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regularly scheduled
Homeschool Programming

Dedicated classes for homeschool students exploring art, ceramics, culinary arts, and beyond. Check the calendar for current sessions.

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regularly scheduled
Youth Dance Classes

Discover the joy of movement! Our youth dance classes provide a fun, inclusive environment for kids and teens to build confidence, learn new styles, and express themselves.

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upcoming

Class Schedule

All current and upcoming Youth, Teens & Family programming.

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our people

Meet our Team

Meet the dedicated staff, instructors, and assistants who make learning fun, engaging, and inspiring for every child.

  • Melissa Agocs
    Youth & Family / Dance & Movement Director

    (707)938-4626 ext.826

    Melissa Agocs is the Youth Programs Director at the Sonoma Community Center. She has many years of experience working with kids as a teacher and tutor to get them feeling confident and engaged in math. She loves making students think about numbers and patterns and believes there is a budding mathematician in all of us.

  • Gerardo Diaz
    Culinary Arts Director

    (707)938-4626 ext.5

    Gerardo Diaz is a passionate individual with a love for the great outdoors, culinary arts, and family connections. Born and raised in Mazatlan Sinaloa Gerardo’s affinity for nature was fostered from a young age. His earliest memories are filled with the sights and sounds of the ocean waves sparking a lifelong passion for exploration and adventure.

  • Persy Kreider
    Instructor

    Persy was born and raised in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico. She has a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and an associate degree in Montessori Early Childhood Education. Beginning as a Montessori teacher, Persy’s journey led her to become the Director of Crescent Montessori in 2021.

  • Ana Rios
    Instructor / Assistant

    Ana Rios is originally from Guadalajara Jal, and has lived here in the valley for 20 years, of which she has been teaching adults and children for 10 years in different crafts and other topics such as Latino literature and Opening Doors. She is involved in different activities in the community.

  • Elizabeth Piazza
    Instructor

    Elizabeth Piazza is a dancer, mother, student and teacher. Elizabeth earned her BA from Prescott College in Integrative Studies for Dance and Spirituality (2005). Prior to that she spent her early years training in ballet, competitive figure skating, and modern dance. Her classes create a nurturing environment for young dancers to learn the foundations of technique and self expression. Elizabeth completed her Wee Yogis certification in 2017, allowing her another avenue to empower and educate young people and families. She utilizes her unique skill set to help train, inspire and encourage people to live a life of creativity and discover their own magic.

  • Emily Marshall
    Instructor

    Emily Marshall owns Wildflower Sewing and Craft Studio and the custom workroom Emily Marshall Custom Sewing in Santa Rosa, California. She has been teaching students of all ages to love hand sewing and weaving as much as she does since 2019. These days when Emily’s not teaching or in her workroom she’s exploring the great outdoors or listening to live music with her two teenagers.

  • Bert Halcomb
    Instructor

    Whether as a teacher in the classroom, an athletics coach, or as the lead Educator-Gamemaster for The Game Academy, for more than two decades Bert has harnessed his passion for education to guide students toward their best selves. With a Bachelor’s degree in English Literature and a Teaching Credential from Sonoma State University, Bert brings his knowledge of child development and education, as well as his deep understanding of storytelling to bear when working with the diverse population of students who attend The Game Academy’s programs. Additionally, Bert’s 30+ years of experience as a Gamemaster and player of RPGs help him excel in designing and implementing interactive storytelling games that educate, engage and inspire.

  • Lexi Bakkar
    Instructor

    Lexi Bakkar is a teaching artist and ceramics artist with a background in public health. Lately, she spends her days playing with her two most time-consuming art pieces, her sons Hugo and Rocco.

  • Alice Pennes
    Instructor

    Alice Pennes is a maker and teaching artist. She specializes in leading creative experiences that inspire play and self-empowerment. Her career as an “Art Lady” started as a summer camp job but has evolved to encompass artists of all ages and abilities. In her personal practice she is currently exploring the intersection of natural dye and fabric repurposing/reuse.

  • Adele Davis
    Instructor

    Adele Davis is an herbalist and multi-medium artist who finds great inspiration in the textures of the natural world. She began collecting and drawing natural treasures at age 10 and never stopped! She moved to Sonoma County from New York City in early 2025 to further pursue her herbal studies.

    Adele often incorporates plants into her art classes, inviting students to allow their tactile relationship with the natural world –  the texture, weight, shape, & even sound of the material – to influence their art-making process. 

  • Meret Piderman
    Instructor

    Since arriving in Sonoma County 12 years ago, Meret has been teaching Handwork and Ceramics at Waldorf schools and various programs  around the County. This will be her 5th year teaching at the Sonoma community center.

  • Monica Ramirez
    Instructor

    Art has always been my greatest passion; I’ve been drawing and painting since I was a child! As a children’s book writer and illustrator, I believe in the power of art to tell stories, inspire creativity, and strengthen imagination. I’ve had the privilege of working with children in various settings, guiding them to explore the world of color, shape, and expression through painting and drawing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Parents must sign in their child upon arrival and sign out upon departure. Please do not drop off children before program start time, as we cannot supervise them before the facility opens. Children must be picked up by a parent, guardian, or authorized contact listed in your registration. For children 12 and under, we require escort by a parent, guardian, or authorized adult when departing. If running late, please call to inform staff.

We offer a free pick-up service for your kids if you are unable to drop them off after school.
More more information, please contact Melissa Agocs at [email protected].

All materials and supplies are included in the class fee unless otherwise noted in the specific class description. Your child may bring a water bottle or other snacks if they wish.
If your child has requires special accommodations, we are more than happy to work with you. You can contact [email protected] to inquire.

We ask that you notify us at least 10 business days in advance of a class if you need to cancel your registration. You may cancel by phone or email and we will gladly offer you a refund or credit toward a future class. If you cancel with less than 10 business days notice, we will not be able to provide a full refund. A flat cancellation fee of $15 will be charged to cover the transaction fee.

You can read our full policies and guidelines here.

Yes, all staff and volunteers who have contact with children undergo comprehensive background checks including FBI and DOJ fingerprinting, national Sex Offender Registry searches, and verification of identity. Checks are conducted before employment and renewed every two years. All youth program staff are trained mandated reporters and complete required safety training before working with children.

We prohibit isolated one-on-one contact between youth participants and staff or volunteers. This means all meetings and communications must involve at least three people (two staff and one child, or one staff and two children). This policy applies to in-person interactions, transportation, and electronic communications. Public contact in plain sight of others is always maintained to protect both children and staff.

We maintain a zero-tolerance policy for bullying. Staff who observe bullying take immediate intervention steps and report incidents to leadership. Parents of both victims and perpetrators are informed. We work with families on age-appropriate interventions and consequences. If bullying behavior continues, a child may lose their right to attend Center programs.

We maintain a comprehensive Emergency Operations Plan covering fire, earthquakes, weather emergencies, lockdowns, and medical incidents. All staff are trained in emergency procedures, and we conduct fire, earthquake, and intruder drills quarterly. At least one CPR and first-aid trained staff member is always on site during program hours. In any emergency, we immediately contact 911, notify parents, and follow our established protocols.

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