Athletics & Enrichment
Basketball
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Basketball has been a part of the HPNC story from our very beginning in 1909. Participants develop fundamental skills while broadening players’ knowledge of positions and responsibilities for an increased basketball IQ. At HPNC, players learn age-appropriate skills and sportsmanship through drills and scrimmages.
Winter 2024: January 8 - March 23
Spring 2024: April 1 - June 1
5-8 year-olds
Tuesdays from 5:30-6:30pm
Saturdays from 10:30-11:30am
9-13 year-olds
Tuesdays from 6:30-7:30pm
Thursdays from 5:30-6:30pm
Saturdays from 11:30-12:30pm
Open Gym Basketball
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Open gym basketball at HPNC is for new as well as skilled players. HPNC staff will facilitate 5-on-5 full court games, open to all genders.
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Open court basketball connects youth throughout the city with the goal of enjoying the game in a fun and safe environment. The free-play atmosphere provides youth agency with their play under the supervision of HPNC staff.
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Winter 2024: January 8 - March 23
Spring 2024: April 1 - June 1
*No class Monday, January 15th
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Elementary/Middle School (4th-8th grades)
When: Mondays from 4:00-5:30pm
Who: Open to all youth in grades 4-8 of any gender
Cost: FREE, registration required
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High School (9th-12th grades)
When: Wednesdays from 4:30-6:00pm
Who: Open to all youth in grades 9-12 of any gender
Cost: FREE, registration required
Adult Badminton
Take a midday break to join our weekly badminton open play sessions! Build community, increase your cardio and hand-eye coordination, and meet new neighbors while having fun. Not an experienced player? Not to worry! No matter if badminton is new to you or already your favorite hobby, expect to break a sweat and have a good time!
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Winter 2024: January 10 - March 20
Spring 2024: April 1 - June 1
When: Wednesdays from 12:30-1:30pm
Who: Open to adults of all skill-levels
Chess Enrichment
Participants will learn the purpose and object of the game of chess. They will learn the difference between check and checkmate, the board, the pieces and how they move, piece value, en passant, castling, pawn promotion, opening theory, checkmating patterns, and chess etiquette.
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Our instructors, Shiva Maharaj and Leon Liu, have an extensive knowledge of chess play. They bring decades of combined experience teaching and playing chess.
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Shiva Maharaj has taught chess for over 26 years and is a certified instructor per the United States Chess Federation and FIDE. Shiva continues to work with several Grandmasters from around the world and is personal friends with some of the most widely-known World Chess Champions. Shiva comes highly recommended as a top coach and trainer by many Grandmasters. Many of his previous students have become Chess Masters and successful in both academic and personal endeavors.
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Leon Liu, our chess volunteer, is a high school student and has been playing chess for over 10 years. He is 1700 USCF rated at his peak! He has placed 28th in the National K-12 grade Championships, 3rd at Greater Chicago Championships, and 19th at the National High School Championships.
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Winter 2024: January 8 - March 23
Spring 2024: April 1 - June 1
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*No class Monday, January 15th
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When: Mondays from 5:00-6:00pm
Ages: 5-12 years old
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Kids Cooking
with Kitchen Possible
Ages 8-12
July 15-September 9
No class on Sept. 2
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Kitchen Possible builds empowered mindsets in kids through cooking. In our weekly volunteer-run cooking classes, kids gain confidence and a sense of control that set them up for success as they grow, all while learning to make delicious and wholesome meals. Our curriculum includes specific focus on transferrable life lessons experienced through cooking – things like the importance of patience, perseverance and teamwork.
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HPNC aims to make our programs accessible to families across all income levels. As such, we are pleased to offer Kids Cooking with Kitchen Possible as a pay-what-you-can program. Registrants may add an optional contribution of $25, $50, or $75 to help cover the costs of this program. No contribution is necessary to register.
Acrobatic Arts
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This internationally acclaimed curriculum was developed by Mandy Yip and is offered at HPNC through our partner, Kenwood School of Ballet. Acro Dance is based on safe and effective progressions with proven results in five divisions of AcroDance – Flexibility, Strength, Balancing, Limbering, and Tumbling. Developed with input from professional experts in Ballet, Modern, Jazz, contortion, artistic gymnastics, rhythmic gymnastics, yoga, Acro, Pilates, physiotherapy, and more, you will not find a more comprehensive program. Simple, thoughtful progressions take the beginner preschool level dancer from log rolls and somersaults to the advanced dancer tumbling effortlessly across the stage!
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See current offerings on the Kenwood School of Ballet website