On the afternoon of Oct. 25, the Tehachapi Chamber of Commerce helped Susan Minor celebrate the Grand Opening of Slice of Life Enrichment School. Responding to the needs of home-schooled and traditionally schooled students for classes in language, music, and art, the new facility at 48771 Valley Blvd. has been beautifully designed and remodeled by Susan's husband Lonnie, a general contractor, and their son Seth as a classroom, meeting, and recital center.

Susan moved to Bear Valley Springs from Lancaster seven years ago. She had home-schooled her two children and then found herself with an empty nest. She decided to put her efforts into building an enrichment program that would meet the needs of home-schooled students and those who wanted supplemental instruction in the areas of music, language and art. An accomplished pianist since childhood, Susan also attended language immersion school in France. These skills became the basis for Slice of Life. In the beginning, she taught classes at the Whiting Center in Bear Valley and traveled to Lancaster three times a week to teach in an after-school program there. When the Lancaster studio became too full to accommodate more students, she began to look for permanent space in Tehachapi. With the help of a local Realtor, she found the building on Valley Blvd. that once remodeled would be perfect for her needs.

Slice of Life Enrichment School has several classroom spaces around a central meeting area. A large catering kitchen adjoins the meeting room. There is a lovely recital hall in the front of the building that has a raised stage and will seat an audience of over 150 people. The school currently has service contracts with Summit, Ilead, Gorman, and Inspire Charter Schools and will also add Valley Oaks to that list in January.

Susan Minor is a member of the Music Teachers Association of California. This allows her students to participate in its' prestigious Certificate of Merit program up to level 10. Slice of Life students also participate in the National Piano Guild Program, which allows students to perform and be evaluated by judges, annually.

Currently, Slice of Life is offering classes in French for all age groups. Susan uses a semi-immersion style of instruction and includes cultural studies in her programs. So far she has taken two groups of her students to France.

Art classes start with art exploration for Little Sprouts 5-9 years old. Fine Art classes are taught by Alicia Garver, a well –known teacher and former senior graphic artist for Lockheed/Martin. Her classes for older children and adults include drawing, illustration, portraiture, color pencil, pen & ink and watercolor.

Also available at Slice of Life Enrichment School, are academic consulting services provided by Accel Accademics. Julia Johnson directs this program designed to help high-school students and adults save money and time by earning college credit by exam. This program can greatly reduce the expense and time-investment typically required, and can help students to graduate from regionally accredited 4-year universities in as little as 1-2 years.

Susan emphasized that the Slice of Life facilities are available to rent for parties, receptions, meetings, concerts and recitals. The recital hall can be set up for 150 attendees and can provide quality sound and AV systems. With the holiday season quickly approaching, anyone looking for a venue should give Susan a call at

(661) 733-7409.