Project Based Learning Electives provided by the Berrien Springs Virtual Academy
Historic Photography Spring 2026
All students must complete a project for these classes.
*Find this class listed under the Art or Humanities category during registration.
Instructors: Jan Sigvartsen PhD, Leanne Sigvartsen
Email: lsigvart@gmail.com
Phone: 269-363-3968
Ages: 8 and up
Website: See tarragindi.org for more details
Location: various locations, see syllabus for details
Required Orientation: January 6th or 8th, 6pm-8pm
Class Day & Time: Tuesdays 4pm-6pm OR Wednesdays 10am-12pm, see syllabus for details
Course Overview: Learn how to take beautiful photographs while cataloging some of Berrien County’s important historic buildings and places. Your best photographs will be kept for future generations to enjoy in a special youth archive at the Berrien County History Center. You will also photograph artifacts discovered at the Old Jailhouse Archaeological Dig and the Tarragindi Archaeological Dig (seeTarragindi.org) and create a very important historic photographic record of the Spring 2026 Dig Season for Berrien County. We will also learn about some of the fascinating history and stories of Berrien Springs that will inform and inspire our photography.
This is your time to learn new techniques, be creative, try different angles and perspectives, learn from others, share ideas, and try to capture amazing and unique photos of Berrien Springs and its history. A parent, grandparent, or guardian over 18 is welcome to accompany you, but is not required. Friends and siblings aged 5-18 must be registered for this class with the parent partnership to participate, or be a fee-paying student.
REQUIRED MATERIALS:
- a camera, or phone/tablet camera (it doesn’t have to be fancy)
- a good pair of cold weather walking shoes
- and warm clothes suitable for being outdoors in late September and October.
*Please note: it is important to make as informed a decision as possible when choosing your student's Community Resource classes. Most locations will allow a student to drop a class after one meeting, at no charge if it wasn't a good fit for the student, but not all. Some classes plan ahead based on the number that have signed up and have purchased materials, hired teachers, etc. and there might be a fee for class time or materials given to the student if the student drops after one or two meetings. The school cannot pay for classes that students do not complete, so choose wisely; if you do not take the class off of your student's schedule by the deadline, you may be asked to pay for the class time incurred prior to dropping the class.
Teacher of Record: Hilary Burchett
