Teens

Building

Lee Juvland is our teen building coordinator.

2025-2026
Class List

To participate in co-op at the teen building students must be 13 years old by the first day of co-op.

Students need to be able to listen and behave with minimal effort from teacher, interacts well with adults, able to do group work and participate in discussions, ready for more intensive classwork. They will rotate between classes throughout the day and will be able to pick the classes they wish to participate in. 

Our teen classes are laid out in three 1 hour blocks. Some of our classes are a year long, while others are only a semester.

Before Classes

  • We encourage all the teens to be to co-op in time for announcements.

  • Join the teens for a brief devotion time before co-op

  • What do you want to be when you grow up? Don’t wait until you are 40 to figure it out!

    In this class we will be exploring jobs from many different fields.

    We plan on having speakers throughout the year. Possible visitors from fields such as: First Responders, Nursing, Law, Engineering, Forestry, Business Management, Construction, Food Services, Education, Art, Marketing, Agriculture, and more.

    Students will be able to learn about and talk to speakers about their jobs, what they love and don’t love about what they do, as well as how they came to be in the field they are in.

    We will help students find their calling through assessment tests, journaling, and research.

    Students will develop skills to discover their passion, decide if schooling is necessary, learn interview etiquette and hopefully find a path to pursuing their dream job!

    Cost: $25

    Possible Book Requirement: $10-17

    Length of Class: 16 weeks (full year)

    Class Size: 25

    Teachers: Eric & Karen Juvland - email
    Eric and Karen Juvland have been with HOPE for about 9 years. They have taught several classes at the kids building including – preschool, art, character studies, Bible, and music, as well as forensics, geography, and a class about sharing the gospel for teens. They have been homeschooling for 19 years.  Between both of them they have had jobs from many different fields including – sales, stocking, cook/kitchen work, waiter/waitress, office work, childcare, accounting, painting, handyman, construction, a horse stable worker and more.

  • Join us as we learn about chemistry through independent reading, videos, class discussion and group experiments.  There will be homework for this class each time.  Students will be asked to take a quiz each class time and these will be graded.  We will cover the topics of chemistry’s history and key discoverers.  We will also cover the periodic table and the many elements.  We will learn about neutrons, isotopes, ions, compounds, molecules as well as balancing equations.

    Cost: $50

    Length of Class: 16 weeks (full year)

    Teacher: Sarah Sohl

    Sarah Sohl has a degree in plant sciences. She has enjoyed her time spent studying chemistry and biochemistry and how they apply to the world around her.  Sarah has been homeschooling for 16 years and has 5 children.  She has taught botany, food preservation and history at HOPE Co-op in the past. She enjoys being outside as much as possible.

  • This is a class for anyone who enjoys singing—no previous experience singing in a choir is necessary. The main focus will be enjoying making music! We will work on some music/vocal techniques, practice singing in parts, explore a variety of different music styles, and prepare several songs to sing at the HOPE Co-op programs in December and at the end of the year.

    Cost: $10

    Class Size: Any

    Teacher: Susan Gosswiller - email
    Susan Gosswiller has been involved in HOPE Co-op since it began. She has taught knitting, embroidery, and poetry in the teen building and has also worked at the help desk and taught Discovery in the kids’ building. Susan and her husband, Tim, live in Cokato and have 8 children (mostly grown).

  • This class will offer a variety of different fitness formats. In the course of 16 weeks we will gain knowledge on the use of correct form and muscle/body movement by implementing REV+FLOW, Barre, PumpedUp and Dynamic Stretch. Students will need a yoga mat for stretching and cooling down, water, weights (ask for recommendations which will be made based on experience), and clothing students can freely move in.

    A variety of clean, positive & uplifting music will be played. I am not open to criticism in this area. I am VERY careful with my music selection and will do my utmost to honor everyone with my choices.

    Cost: $80

    Length of Class: 16 weeks (full year)

    Class Size: 12

    Teacher: Brooke Henriques. email Aside from being a wife & homeschool mamma of 6, I'm also a certified fitness instructor. I've been teaching fitness for a little over six years, starting out at my church & local recreational center in Louisiana. I've taught for homeschool groups, adult groups, ATHC Hutchinson & I am presently at TDB Fitness here in Cokato. I love to challenge & encourage others to always do their best. Movement is so good for the mind, body, soul & spirit. Make sure to have FUN & be proud of what you accomplish . . . no matter how big or small.Item description

  • In this course, students will be introduced to the life and works of poet/playwright William Shakespeare. By studying his works in performance and through literary analysis, students will identify key components of Shakespeare’s writing style, the genres in which Shakespeare wrote, and qualities of Shakespeare’s works which are important and foundational to the history of English literature and drama. Students will also apply themes, vocabulary, phrases, and cultural influences of Shakespeare’s works to their lives in today’s world.

    The course will provide opportunities for students to engage in performance, analysis, and discussion to understand not only the complexities of Shakespeare’s works, but also their dramatic, comedic, and entertainment values. Contrary to popular belief, Shakespeare’s works are not dry, dead literary antiques, but forms of dramatic expression which can come to life in surprising and engaging ways, as each student will understand as they bring their own human experiences to their engagement with the texts.

    Cost: $25

    Length of Class: 16 weeks (full year)

    Teacher: Isaac Olson

1st Block Classes at 9 am

2nd Block Classes at 10 am

  • This would require off weeks from HOPE to be a digital meetup (this could be a recorded class for students unable to attend) to fit the 16-week schedule into the semester.

    Notes:

    • Students would need to purchase specific course books on their own.

    • Students would secure testing on their own.

    • Students would need an email address that they have access to for experiment documentation.

    • Students would need to be able to commit to off-week meetups to gain all information from the course. 

    Cost: $50, depending on number of students

    Length of Class: 8 weeks (fall semester)

    Teacher: Kasey Jensen - email

  • This would require off weeks from HOPE to be a digital meetup (this could be a recorded class for students unable to attend) to fit the 16-week schedule into the semester.

    Notes:

    • Students would need to purchase specific course books on their own.

    • Students would secure testing on their own.

    • Students would need an email address that they have access to for experiment documentation.

    • Students would need to be able to commit to off-week meetups to gain all information from the course. 

    Cost: $50, depending on number of students

    Length of Class: 8 weeks (spring semester)

    Teacher: Kasey Jensen - email

  • Do you love stories? Have you ever dreamed of creating a story of your own? Stories come in all types of mediums, from books and poetry, to movies and even music. This class is for those who love stories, whether it be reading them or writing them. In this class I will cover the basics of story types, story structure, and the important aspects of a good story. One of the best ways to improve your storytelling ability is having others read your work, and in this class there will be critique groups. A prompt will be presented each week and students will draw inspiration from it to create their short story, helping them practice what was learned that week. They will then break off into small groups and share their work with their peers before handing their stories in to me for grading. With this class, I hope to help aspiring creators improve their skills, urge hesitant storytellers to learn and embrace their ideas, and encourage everyone to have fun!

    A few quick notes about the short story assignments:

    • Stories will have a minimum of 500 words and a maximum of 3,000 words.

    • Story assignments will be graded. Proper grammar, spelling, and punctuation is essential, as this is what students will be graded on.

    • Writing style and form will not be considered for the students’ overall class grade, though I will provide feedback for improvement.

    Cost: $25

    Length of Class: 16 weeks (full year)

    Class Size: 12

    Teacher: Maddie Juvland - email Maddie Juvland is a fiction author, local librarian, book connoisseur, music lover, and freelance graphic designer. She enjoys crafting stories and teaching others how to make their stories the best they can be! She has written several drafts of novels, some in a month, some over a period of six years. She believes that if there is a story you want to tell, you shouldn’t be afraid to tell it! This will be her sixth year teaching at HOPE Co-op.

  • This class will focus on how to stay safe in the digital world. To provide this level of security we will explore how predators / marketers get information, through social engineering, about you, to use against you.

    We will learn how the internet works, what is a VPN (Virtual Private Network), what “in-Private” mode does and does not do, etc.

    We will go through email and have the class determine if they are malicious or spam, also what tools are available to help minimize the amount of these.

    As we go through the class we will also discuss the Ethics related to data collection and surveillance.

    This is an interactive class so participants are free to ask questions and we will address them as appropriate.

    Cost: $25

    Length of Class: 16 weeks (full year)

    Class Size: 12

    Teacher: Mike Graham - email
    I am a father of 4 and have a beautiful wife. I love them all and the kids keep me up to date on my hacking skills and techniques. I have my Bachelors Degree in Information Security and Assurance. I have been a student of the “Hacking” arts for many years. Professionally I have been working with electronics and controls since the 90’s. The past 9 years I have been doing network architecture and am a member of a Corporate Cybersecurity team. I have been programming computers since 1980s and know several programming languages.

  • We will be doing various hands-on projects such as:

    • Cooking from scratch: making a pot of soup, bread, raw cheese, and dairy items

    • Natural living: making soap, tallow balm, and candles

    • Animal husbandry: tending animals with herbs and minerals, fencing tips, and making shelters

    Cost: $75

    Length of Class: 16 weeks (full year)

    Teacher: Joy Gullings. Wife, Mother and owner of Red Oaks Homestead.

  • This class is meant to introduce, or reinforce biblical manhood. We will be studying the manly characteristics taught and displayed in the Bible.

    The plan would be to go over a topic or character quality at each class. Some examples are:

    • What is a man?

    • Say what you mean, and do what you say

    • Basic garage/auto knowledge—what does “work heartily as unto the Lord” mean?

    The class time will be interactive. Please encourage your son to engage, and ask questions about the subject we discuss.

    IMPORTANT: There will be homework. There will be accountability. If a student or parents do not think that being at every class, AND that doing ALL of the homework is realistic, please do not sign up for this class.

    Cost: $160 due at or before the first class. (This is the first assignment.) All of this fee will be given back upon completion of the class if the student earns a passing grade.

    Length of Class: 16 weeks (full year)

    Teacher: Lee Juvland - email, 612-272-4901

    My name is Lee Juvland. I love the Lord and His Word. I would like to be a conduit for Wisdom to young men in the co-op. I am greatly flawed, and will be relying on the Spirit of God, and scripture, to do the work in each student throughout the year.

3rd Block Classes at 11 am

  • In this class, we will learn the programming basics that are fundamental for any programming language.

    Starting off with basic logic, utilizing Boolean logic to create a basic logic design. From there, we will explore what a variable is, various naming conventions, and best practices for variable names.

    Students will explore the differences and similarities of object-oriented and object-based programming languages. By the end of this class, the student should be able to read and write code in various languages.

    Cost: $50

    Length: 16 weeks (full year)

    Teacher: Mike Graham - email
    I am a father of 4 and have a beautiful wife. I love them all and the kids keep me up to date on my hacking skills and techniques. I have my Bachelors Degree in Information Security and Assurance. I have been a student of the “Hacking” arts for many years. Professionally I have been working with electronics and controls since the 90’s. The past 9 years I have been doing network architecture and am a member of a Corporate Cybersecurity team. I have been programming computers since 1980s and know several programming languages.

  • I will be teaching about movie scores and soundtracks and how they affect the movie. We will learn about modern day composers in Hollywood and their process of creating a movie score. The class will have discussions, snacks, and plenty of humor.

    Cost: $25

    Length: 16 weeks (full year)

    Teacher: Abram Blessing

  • This would require off weeks from HOPE to be a digital meetup (this could be a recorded class for students unable to attend) to fit the 16-week schedule into the semester.

    Notes:

    • Students would need to purchase specific course books on their own.

    • Students would secure testing on their own.

    • Students would need an email address that they have access to for experiment documentation.

    • Students would need to be able to commit to off-week meetups to gain all information from the course. 

    Cost: $75, depending on number of students

    Length of Class: 8 weeks (fall semester)

    Teacher: Kasey Jensen - email

  • This survival skills course will provide the student with solid fundamental knowledge that will be critical to surviving in a variety of outdoor settings. Each week’s topic will also have a small spiritual component that will provide biblical guidance that can help a teen survive in todays’ world. Survival topics we will explore include: Firecraft, Shelter, Weather, Plants, Ropecraft, First-Aid, and Obtaining Water. The class will have a final outdoor experience outing, where we will incorporate much of the knowledge we learned. This will either be a day camp or possibly an overnight camp, depending on class interest and logistics.

    Cost: $35

    Length of Class: 8 weeks (fall semester)

    Teacher: Tim Barberg

    I have spent most of my life outdoors and enjoy opportunities to combine ministry with nature. I am a currently a leader with Royal Rangers, which is a Christ-based mentoring program for boys. I learned many survival skills in this program since I first joined back in 1985. I also enjoy camping in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness and have made 24 trips to this incredible location. I look forward to sharing my passion with your teen.

  • Heartsaver courses are designed to prepare people to provide first aid, CPR, and AED use in a safe, timely, and effective manner. The course goals include cognitive and psychomotor objectives

    At the end of the course, students will be able to:

    • Perform high quality CPR for an adult, child, or infant

    • Demonstrate how to help a choking infant

    • Use an epinephrine pen

    • Control bleeding and use bandaging

    Cost: TBD based on number of students

    Length: 8 weeks (spring semester)

    Size: No limit

    Teacher: Terresa Huselid, email

  • Come enjoy a creative break during your academic day. Knitting is a relaxing and useful hobby, and I am excited to share it with you! We will begin the year learning how to cast on, knit, and purl, and then we will knit a dish cloth to practice skills. Other beginning projects will include a small drawstring bag, a decorative pumpkin, and some Christmas decorations/gifts. Some possible project ideas for the spring semester are a hat, a cabled pillow, and simple stuffed animals. If there are certain projects you would like to work on, I will gladly help you. 

    There will be no fee for this class, but you will need to provide your own supplies. To start with, you will need a pair of size 7 or 8 needles (preferably 10” long) and a ball of 100% cotton yarn. I will share more details on this in the fall. This class will focus on beginners, but more advanced knitters are welcome to join us and work on their own projects. There is always more to learn!

    Cost: $0

    Length of Class: 8 weeks (fall semester)

    Class Size: 6 beginners

    Teacher: Susan Gosswiller - email Susan Gosswiller has been involved in HOPE Co-op since it began. She has taught knitting, embroidery, and poetry in the teen building and has also worked at the help desk and taught Discovery in the kids’ building. Susan and her husband, Tim, live in Cokato and have 8 children (mostly grown).

  • In this hand-building ceramics course, students will acquire a comprehensive understanding of the terminology and techniques involved in transforming clay from a pliable state into a durable, stone-like form. The captivating art of ceramics integrates various elements of nature, rendering it an inherently engaging and compelling artistic practice. The cost of this class is $110 which includes tools and supplies.

    Cost: $110 for Semester 1, $80 for Semester 2 (if doing both semesters - $110 if only Semester 2)

    Length: 8 week semesters

    Teacher: Joanie Bull

  • This would require off weeks from HOPE to be a digital meetup (this could be a recorded class for students unable to attend) to fit the 16-week schedule into the semester.

    Notes:

    • Students would need to purchase specific course books on their own.

    • Students would secure testing on their own.

    • Students would need an email address that they have access to for experiment documentation.

    • Students would need to be able to commit to off-week meetups to gain all information from the course. 

    Cost: $50, depending on number of students

    Length of Class: 8 weeks (spring semester)

    Teacher: Kasey Jensen - email

  • This advanced course will be leveling up students’ knowledge of the basics they learned in the beginner course. Each week’s topic will also have a small spiritual component that will provide biblical guidance that can help a teen survive in todays’ world. Survival topics we will explore include: Firecraft, Shelter, Weather, Plants, Ropecraft, First-Aid, and Obtaining Water. The class will have a final outdoor experience outing, where we will incorporate much of the knowledge we learned. This will either be a day camp or possibly an overnight camp, depending on class interest and logistics. You must have taken the Beginner Survival Skills as a prerequisite for this class.

    Cost: $40

    Length of Class: 8 weeks (spring semester)

    Teacher: Tim Barberg

    I have spent most of my life outdoors and enjoy opportunities to combine ministry with nature. I am a currently a leader with Royal Rangers, which is a Christ-based mentoring program for boys. I learned many survival skills in this program since I first joined back in 1985. I also enjoy camping in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness and have made 24 trips to this incredible location. I look forward to sharing my passion with your teen.