That's not the case for a group of middle school students taking part in Russ Childers' Mountain Dulcimer and Dancing Workshop each Thursday through December at the Mary Ann Mongan Library.

The 20-some students - mostly from Kenton County, but some from as far as Alexandria - gather each week to make progress on their homemade dulcimers and learn to play, sing and dance with them.

The group will then play the dulcimers in a holiday program at the library Dec. 19.

Childers, a Latonia native, is a full-time musician and storyteller who visits schools to tell students about mountain music.

"I teach about the banjo, fiddle, dulcimer, square dancing," he said. "I tell 'tall tales,' like Jack and the Beanstalk."

"It's a blast. Kids always have so many questions to ask."

Sara Howrey, youth librarian for the Covington branch, said the class comes at no cost for participants, since it was funded by a matching grant from the Kentucky Arts Council.

Howrey said the class has seen significant turnout from home schoolers.

"They find interest because there is participation and it deals with the arts," she said.

Rhonda Hanneken, of Southgate, home schools her daughters Allison, 13, and Sarah, 16. She said the workshop is educational.

"This teaches experience with other cultures," she said. "We did a whole lesson on Appalachian history," she said.

"(These kinds of programs) give the opportunity to make kids more well-rounded," Hanneken said.

Childers, who plays the banjo and fiddle in the Rabbit Hash String Band, gives students hands-on instruction to make a dulcimer. The wooden instrument with three strings is played on the lap.

This is the second time Zak Bentley, 12, of Covington, has taken the class.

"It's just fun," he said as he painted a coffee can that will be attached to his dulcimer to act as a resonator.

"I can make for children, at about a $15 cost, this musical instrument," Childers said. "It's a cheap way to get a musical instrument to kids."

Howrey said the class, which will be offered again in the spring, targets middle school children but includes some adults.

"We wanted to make it a multigenerational thing," she said.

Judy Hurley, a mentor with the Across Ages Mentoring Program at Two Rivers Middle School, has been taking the class with her partnered student, Sarah William, 11, of Covington. Hurley said adult mentors are matched up with students, and they attend events like this or just help with homework.

The holiday program will feature a collaboration of the students and the Rabbit Hash String Band.

"The band specializes in square-dance music," he said. "Kids will dance and play for them."

Childers said anyone is invited to the Dec. 19 event.

E-mail aremke@enquirer.com