The Dearborn Hills Civic Association is holding a Women’s Self Defense Class on Feb. 11, 18, 25 and March 4 and 11 from 6 pm – 8 pm at the Dearborn Hills Golf Course.

The cost is $80.00 per attendee.  Residency not required.  The course will be taught by a martial arts professional who will train women of all ages basic self defense techniques that may help them get away from an attacker and keep them safe.

Participants will learn basic kicks and strikes, escapes from common attacks such as hair-pulls, chokes, and bear hugs; how to defend yourself on the ground; how to be safe in your car or on the street; and more.  Good health and physical fitness as well as the ability to listen and participate in demonstrations are required.

Physical activity in the class will involve movements such as holds, throws, and strikes that will be first demonstrated by the instructor followed by practice and completion by participants.  The class is limited to 16 participants.  The first 16 qualified applications received will be selected for this class.  You will be notified when the class is full. For an application and more information, visit the Deaborn Hills website at www.dearbornhills.org

Henry Ford Community College is offering free planetarium shows called “Stopping by the Woods on a Snowy Evening – A Winter Star Talk” at 7:30 PM Tuesdays through March 17^th. 

HFCC’s 48-seat planetarium is in the upper level of the Science bldg. on the main campus. 

Doors will open at 7:15 PM and close at showtime.  For more information, call 845-9628.

The Relay For Life of Dearborn Kick-off Celebration kicks off Wednesday, Feb. 4., at the Ford Community and Performing Arts Center, Studio A.

Registration begins at 6:00 p.m. and the program will run from 6:30-7:30 p.m. 

Whether you want to learn more about enrolling in Cancer Prevention or are a returning team or are thinking about starting a team, organizers say you will want to be a part of this award-winning event.

Dinner will be provided by Salsarita’s.

Please RSVP by contacting Staff Partner, Anna Agustin, at 248.663.3411 or annalisa.agustin@cancer.org

In addition, the American Cancer Society is bringing the opportunity for Dearborn to be part of an historic research effort, Cancer Prevention Study-3, to the Relay for Life of Dearborn.

Enrollment will take place on May 2, 2009 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Relay For Life event.

To learn more about CPS-3, Debbie Malyn, Cancer Prevention Study-3 Chair, Relay For Life of Dearborn at 313.683.2573 or visit www.relayforlife.org/dearbornmi or www.cancer.org/cps3

A presentation by the Dearborn Police Department will highlight the newly formed Crowley Park Neighborhood Association’s community awareness meeting at 6:30 p.m. on Jan. 21.

The meeting takes place at the Dearborn Public Schools Long Elementary School, 3100 Westwood, in the cafeteria.  All are invited to attend.

Following the presentation, residents will have an opportunity to learn more about the neighborhood association and its benefits and receive information about how to volunteer to serve as a block captain, work on the newsletter, organize events and run for positions on the board.

The boundaries of the association are south of Michigan Avenue, north of Dartmouth Street, west of Telegraph Road and east of Gulley Road. 

For more information about Dearborn’s many neighborhood associations, call Dearborn City Hall at 943-2216.

The public is invited to a charity hockey game pitting a team of Dearborn police officers and firefighters against Detroit Red Wings alumni and current Red Wing Chris Chelios.

The game takes place at 3 p.m. on Sunday, March 8, at the Dearborn Ice Skating Center (DISC), 14900 Ford Road.

Tickets are $10 per person and are available at the door; children ages five and under are free. The event will also feature raffles of sports memorabilia and autograph signings by active and alumni Red Wing players.

All proceeds will benefit the Dearborn Firefighters Burn Drive charity organization and the Dearborn Police Charities organization.

Middle school students interested in enrolling at the Dearborn Center for Math, Science, & Technology (DCMST) for the fall, 2009 semester can pick up an application packet at any Dearborn Public Schools middle school office but they must do it by Jan. 23. Students planning to become a resident of the district, but do not currently attend a Dearborn Public School, have until March 5, 2009 to apply.

The Dearborn Center for Math, Science, & Technology is a community of learners sharing a high interest and achievement in Math and Science.  To be eligible to enroll in the DCMST program, students must successfully complete Algebra One in 8th grade and attend a Dearborn Public high school. Students must go through a competitive application process based on middle school grades, Math and Science ability, Algebra test scores, and teacher recommendations. 

This challenging four-year program provides an in-depth, project-based, problem-solving approach that integrates technology with Math and Science. Students attend the Center for three class periods each day and complete the remainder of their academic schedule at one of three Dearborn high schools. All students participate in individual research. Upperclassmen, enrolled at DCMST or any of the district high schools, have the opportunity to enroll in advanced placement and college courses. Last year students at the DCMST earned an average of 10 college credits and took AP courses in Calculus BC, Computer Science, and Statistics.

 The average grade point average for DCMST students in 2007 was 3.83 and the current senior class has an average ACT score of 27. Four Valedictorians and 8 Salutatorians have graduated from the program. The DCMST Class of 2007 received over $1.75 million in Scholarship offers and that number grew to $2.6 million for the class of 2008.

 For further information about the Dearborn Center for Math, Science, & Technology, please visit their web site at http://dcmst.dearbornschools.org or call (313) 827-2720.

SURA Arts Academy, a free, diversity-themed digital photography instruction program for youth run by the Arab American National Museum (AANM), is accepting registrations for the Spring 2009 semester, which begins on January 20 and concludes on April 7.

Thirty slots are available at no charge to students in grades six through nine who reside in southwest Detroit and adjacent areas.

SURA registration materials and program details are available for download at http://www.arabamericanmuseum.org/SURA-Arts-Academy.id.438.htm or by contacting Janice Freij at 313.624.0203 or jfreij@accesscommunity.org.

Entry forms to submit works for the exhibit are available at www.dcacarts.org, or by calling 313.943.3095, or by visiting the Ford Community & Performing Arts Center.

The Dearborn Community Arts Council will present the photography exhibit at the Padzieski Art Gallery from Thursday, Jan. 22 through Sunday, March 8.

The hours of the Padzieski Art Gallery hours are Tuesdays through Fridays from noon to 6 p.m., Saturdays from noon to 5:30 p.m. and through intermission during theater performances.

Joe Piscopo, Victoria Jackson and Don Novello, who is known as the smooth-talking Father Guido Sarducci, will perform at the Ford Community & Performing Arts Center on Jan. 17, 2009.

The performance, which features a live orchestra, begins at 8 p.m.

Tickets: $24-$29 at The Center Box Office. Call or visit The Center at (313) 943-2354 or www.dearbornfordcenter.com

The third and final installment of 2008 Summer Tax Bill is due Jan. 14, 2009. Make checks payable to the City of Dearborn. Late payments will be charged 1 percent per month on unpaid balance from July 1, 2008.