Current Class Offerings

Mondays, April 3 - May 8, 2023 | 10:15 AM - 11:35 AM [IN PERSON]
No beverage has shaped Eastern and Western civilization more than the ancient elixir - tea.  But how did this happen?  Join us and meet the noteworthy and influential men and women, each of whom in their own individual and unique way through history, left their indelible mark on the world of tea.  For example, get to know Lu Yu, Penelope Barker, Thomas Twining and others.  So whatever your cup of tea -- green, black, white, oolong, chai, Japanese, Chinese, Sri Lankan, American or British -- every tea aficionado will take great pleasure in meeting these Tea Champions.  Tea, of course, will be served! ... [ more ]

Mondays, April 3 - May 8, 2023 | 10:15 AM - 11:35 AM [VIA ZOOM]
Discover how to research historical information and incorporate it into your writing: in memoirs, biographies, creative writing and more.  This class includes plenty of handouts that contain useful resources for you to start or continue your researching and writing journey ... [ more ]

Mondays, April 3 - May 8, 2023 | 10:15 AM - 11:35 AM [IN PERSON]
From the world of the great ice ages to the time of Christ, our ancestors developed the foundations of civilization. Art played a major role in this development. It was the first mode of communication, and from such beginnings, the first systems of writing were born. Art Historian Sean Crum will present a series of six lectures covering prehistoric art from the Paleolithic and Neolithic age, plus the art from the ancient historic societies of Mesopotamia, Egypt, Mycenae, Crete, Greece and Rome. ... [ more ]

Mondays, April 3 - May 8, 2023 | 12:45 PM - 02:05 PM [IN PERSON]
The mounted warriors of the Middle Ages and their fortified residences inspire awe, romance, and power even today.  In this class, you will learn how knights became a major element in European warfare; how they lived and fought; how they created a governing class and an elite social rank; how they fashioned an ideology of chivalry in art and literature; and finally, how they declined ... [ more ]

Mondays, April 3 - May 8, 2023 | 12:45 PM - 02:05 PM [IN PERSON]
We will cover the basic philosophy of the five elements (which will be a review for anyone who has already taken the history of Traditional Chinese Medicine course). Then we will learn about the energetic quality of the five flavors and how they interact with the body. Finally, we will learn about how various foods can be used to create balance or disharmony ... [ more ]

Mondays, April 3 - April 24, 2023 | 02:40 PM - 04:00 PM [IN PERSON]
This four-week class will entertain you with little known stories from the Great Lakes and across the country: 

April 3 -   Introduction
April 10 - Stories From Across the Country
April 17 - Waves in the Great Lakes
April 24 - My Oh My, Ohio! ... [ more ]

Mondays, April 3 - May 8, 2023 | 02:40 PM - 04:00 PM [IN PERSON]
In the late 4th century AD, Augustine struggled to find himself as a young man.  He eventually became a priest, later a bishop in the early Christian Church.  His background and experiences lead him to formulate the doctrine of Original Sin.  He had to fiercely debate, even bring legal challenges against his fellow clergy, to make his positions Church Law.  Was he right or were his contemporaries on to something different? ... [ more ]

Mondays, April 3 - May 8, 2023 | 02:40 PM - 04:00 PM [IN PERSON]
Hawaii, Iceland, Mt. St. Helens, Pompeii, Himalayas, Yellowstone, San Andreas Fault, 2004 Indonesian Tsunami, 2011 Japan Earthquake - what do they have in common?  Learn of the theory that revolutionized the Earth Sciences and provides an understanding for mountain building processes, earthquakes and volcanoes.  Grasp how the dynamics of the Earth’s outer shell cause and explain these places and events ... [ more ]

Tuesdays, April 4 - May 9, 2023 | 10:15 AM - 11:35 AM [IN PERSON]
We will examine the history of the television game show genre including the early days of radio game shows.  We will cover Jeopardy, Wheel of Fortune, Concentration, Password, Match Game, Beat the Clock and much more. We will have the opportunity to play simulated versions of some of these games for those students who want to be “contestants.”  I also plan to include a guest speaker(s) who has appeared on a TV game show to share his/her experiences. Prizes and a few surprises! ... [ more ]

Tuesdays, April 4 - May 2, 2023 | 10:15 AM - 11:35 AM [IN PERSON]
This highly interactive course will equip you with the information, strategies and skills you need to navigate an increasingly complex healthcare system and to advocate for yourself and others in the planning and implementation of care.  Stress management, Medicare options, the levels of the care continuum, roles and responsibilities of caregivers and patients and how to apply course concepts to healthcare case scenarios are included in class discussions ... [ more ]

Tuesdays, April 4 - May 9, 2023 | 10:15 AM - 11:35 AM [IN PERSON]
Cyber Security for Seniors is a six-week course designed to teach you the basics of cyber security and to inform you of some of the tricks and schemes used to attempt to trick us out of our hard-earned money or steal our identity to commit fraud.

We will be using videos, PowerPoints, current events, and most of all, your questions to make this as interesting a class as possible ... [ more ]

Tuesdays, April 4 - May 9, 2023 | 10:15 AM - 11:35 AM [IN PERSON]
We will explore what is Art Journaling, how to make your own and what to put in it!  Art Journals can be made in many shapes and sizes and filled with a wide variety of art materials and writing on each page. Come discover your creative energies by using an existing journal or construct your own and fill it with themed images and words that interest you.  No two are ever alike!  Art Journals are great tools to take with you on trips and vacations, nature explorations, themed events and so much more. No previous art experience needed, just a desire to express yourself through this fun and portable art form. ... [ more ]

Tuesdays, April 4 - May 9, 2023 | 12:45 PM - 02:05 PM [IN PERSON]
This June will mark the fifty-fifth anniversary of the assassination of Robert F. Kennedy.  His campaign for the presidency was reaching its zenith when he was struck down after winning the California primary in June, 1968.  The official account of his assassination is fraught with contradictions.  What stunning evidence exists to dispute the conclusion that Sirhan Sirhan was the assassin?

Forensic, medico-legal, eyewitness and recently discovered acoustic evidence will be presented - much of which was never introduced at his trial.  Close examination of the case seriously calls into question Sirhan’s role in this tragic event ... [ more ]

Tuesdays, April 4 - May 9, 2023 | 12:45 PM - 02:05 PM [IN PERSON]
All aboard! for a six-week adventure narrated by the members of the Midwest Railway Preservation Society  (MRPS) who restore locomotives and vintage rolling stock in an effort to preserve Cleveland's rich railroad history.  Topics include: History of Railroads with an Emphasis on Those That Ran Through the Cleveland Area and Northeast Ohio; An In-depth Look at Locomotives (both steam and diesel); People Who Kept the Trains Running; Stories of Cleveland Railroad Movers and Shakers (Mathers, Stones and Van Sweringens); and the History and Mission of MRPS (including a tour of the Historic B&O Roundhouse).

Discussion may include additional topics. Get your ticket now! ... [ more ]

Tuesdays, April 4 - May 9, 2023 | 02:40 PM - 04:00 PM [IN PERSON]
This course is for adults who are interested in learning about the world's major religions, and some minor ones, too. We will cover those religions of India: Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism, and Buddhism. Those religions originating in China: Taoism and Confucianism, and Japan: Shintoism. Members will explore each region and the answers that each of them has for mankind's most persistent questions. ... [ more ]

Tuesdays, April 4 - May 9, 2023 | 02:40 PM - 04:00 PM [IN PERSON]
During World War II Hitler and his Nazi regime carried out the killing of about 6 million Jews.  This class will examine the history of this nightmare.  We will examine what can be known about why this was done, we will look at the first stages of the slaughter in the first couple of years of the war, including the horror of the Einsatzgruppen units -- ordinary men who ended up brutally killing many, many Jews with incredible cruelty as the German army moved into the U.S.S.R. in 1941. The decision to go to systematic killing in the concentration camps was made as the German advance into Russia bogged down -- we will examine that decision.  And then we will go on to the climax of the war against the Jews -- the deaths of millions in the killing camps.  We will also briefly look at the fantasies of the “holocaust deniers,” those who say it never happened or only on a small scale ... [ more ]

Tuesdays, April 4 - May 9, 2023 | 02:40 PM - 04:00 PM [IN PERSON]
After the fall of Rome, there was no central authority directing the practice of religion.  The Irish embraced Christianity (without bloodshed) while still upholding their Druidic traditions.  Humanity was seen as fundamentally good, an integral part of God’s creation.  This was contrary to the writings of Augustine of Hippo, that men were born into sin, adopted as the official positions of Christendom.  The Synod of Whitby in 664 AD favored the disciple Peter as the rock of the church as opposed to the disciple John, remembered as “listening for the heartbeat of God”.  What would Christianity be like today if the Synod had decided differently? ... [ more ]

Wednesdays, April 5 - May 10, 2023 | 10:15 AM - 11:35 AM [IN PERSON]
No knowledge of the Latin language is required for this class.  We’ll examine English words and trace their Latin origins -- words like “amateur,” “tenacious,” “astronaut,” “recalcitrant” -- all having interesting derivations.  Don’t be a persona non grata --we’ll cover phrases, mottos and abbreviations coming from Latin.  Of course we’ll discuss “i. e.” and “e. g.” -- frequently misused.  And what about all the (sic)’s used in newspapers and Google searches?   What are the four quotable quotes uttered by Caesar?   What’s the explanation of the Ides of March?  What was the relationship between the fall of Troy and the founding of Rome?  All questions will be answered.  The course finishes with excerpts and explanatory material from three classics:  “Ben Hur,” “Cleopatra,” and “Spartacus.” ... [ more ]

Wednesdays, April 5 - May 10, 2023 | 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM [IN PERSON]
This class is a foundation class that builds on 2D shapes. It provides proportional measuring and value shading which results in an accurate drawing of all subject areas. Focus Areas will be: Accuracy, Basic Shading, Tone and Value Control, and Using an Artistic Eye ... [ more ]

Wednesdays, April 5 - May 10, 2023 | 10:15 AM - 11:35 AM [VIA ZOOM]
According to Confucius, a woman ruler would be as unnatural as having a "hen crow like a rooster at daybreak". Was he wrong?  Yes. Uncover the fascinating stories of several powerful women rulers and leaders such as Hatshepsut & Cleopatra-Queens of Egypt, Empress Wu Zetian of China, Queens Elizabeth I and II of England, Tsarina Catherine of Russia, Iceland’s first  female president, plus those of Spain, Austria and others in the world ... [ more ]

Wednesdays, April 5 - May 10, 2023 | 10:00 AM - 11:20 AM [VIA ZOOM]
Most people take their citizenship for granted.  But for our ancestors and so many people coming to America, becoming a citizen is the most important moment of their life.  Article 1, Section 8, paragraph 4, of the U.S. Constitution states that "Congress shall have the power... to establish a uniform Rule of Naturalization..." This course will examine the 10 step naturalization process, including taking the test all must take, to become a citizen and discuss the legislation and laws to make that happen ... [ more ]

Wednesdays, April 5 - May 10, 2023 | 12:45 PM - 02:05 PM [IN PERSON]
Class topics include: Colonizing North America (it was not all English); The Constitutional Convention; two obscure presidents not named Fillmore, Pierce or Buchanan; Three historical figures that I admire, namely Anne Hutchinson, Frederick Douglass, Thaddeus Stevens; The Home Front in World War II; and "I like Ike." ... [ more ]

Wednesdays, April 5 - May 10, 2023 | 12:45 PM - 02:05 PM [VIA ZOOM]
(1)  Pre-Diabetes/Diabetes--What is it and how to manage it
(2)  Healthy diet patterns for Pre-Diabetes/Diabetes
(3)  Glycemic index and how it effects blood sugars
(4)  Physical activity--Get back in your lane
(5)  Sleep--It's more important than you think
(6)  Stress management--Control a chronic condition ... [ more ]

Wednesdays, April 5 - May 10, 2023 | 12:45 PM - 02:05 PM [IN PERSON]
Stress can kill you…. or make you stronger!  We often think of stress as a bad thing but we can actually use stress to improve our health and well-being.  Come and learn how to reduce the effects of bad stress and accentuate the stress that makes our lives interesting and meaningful.  We will define the difference between stress and stressors, learn how it affects our bodies and practice strategies that can enhance our lives ... [ more ]

Class has been canceled will be offered in the Fall of 2023

Wednesdays, April 5 - May 10, 2023 | 12:45 PM - 02:05 PM [VIA ZOOM]
The Road Less Traveled (RLT) is a feature article appearing in Around Kent magazine.  Eighteen have been written in the last 6 years.  The RLT chronicles the path successful people have taken to become successful. They include the zigs and zags, starts and restarts and other twists and turns people take along their lives. They resemble a biography and are informative and insightful.  Readers often comment they enjoy reading them because they can picture themselves in the story.  That’s because everyone has a RLT.

This course reviews the process the author uses to write a RLT.  The 18 archived features will be used as examples throughout the course.  Participants are guided through the process and can write a RLT as part of the course. They can write their own personal RLT (autobiography) or that of a family or friend (biography). After they learn the process, they can write as many as they wish.  The course facilitator will write a RLT along with the participants. ... [ more ]

Wednesdays, April 5 - May 10, 2023 | 02:40 PM - 04:00 PM [IN PERSON]
Monastic life has fascinated and formed Christian spirituality and religious practice from the beginning.  Desert hermits evolved to cloistered monks and nuns.  St. Ignatius Loyola broke the mold with missionaries educated in science, as well as theology.  At each transition, the laity tried to imitate monastic practices, often missing the evolving spirituality.  Join a former Jesuit priest in tracing the pioneering lives and learn their secrets for a more spiritual (vs. religious) life ... [ more ]

Wednesdays, April 5 - May 10, 2023 | 02:40 PM - 04:00 PM [IN PERSON]
Do you seek the many benefits of traditional yoga, but have limitations that may prevent you from doing so?  Adaptive Yoga applies the same practices of traditional yoga while using chairs, blocks, blankets and straps to meet the practitioner where they are. In a safe and supported environment, attendees will discover how they can reduce their risk of falling with techniques designed to improve balance and proprioception.  Practitioners will gain knowledge and understanding of the full spectrum of yoga while building strength, stability, flexibility. Breath practices will increase energy levels, reduce stress and provide relaxation for improved sleep.  This class will allow students to build confidence in movement, feel more joyful, and have fun. ... [ more ]

Wednesdays, April 5 - May 10, 2023 | 02:40 PM - 04:00 PM [VIA ZOOM]
The online world of genealogy is constantly changing.  The class will focus on telling the story of your family utilizing the online world of genealogy.  You will explore subscription resources and free resources.  If you are a beginner to the world of genealogy or if you have been doing research for some time there is always something new to learn.  The course has new resources for those researching for African American ancestors and Jewish ancestors ... [ more ]

Wednesdays, April 5 - May 10, 2023 | 06:30 PM - 07:45 PM [VIA ZOOM]
The British Invasion took America by storm and changed the course of music forever.  It was a takeover of the music industry so huge that it knocked all the famous crooners such as Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin off the charts for years.  Debbie Darling will tell you about the famous groups, duos and individual performers from across the pond who made their mark on American music forever and as well as perform many of their songs ... [ more ]

Thursdays, April 6 - May 11, 2023 | 10:15 AM - 11:35 AM [IN PERSON]
Learn the basics of estate planning and elder law in this unique, hands-on course. Discover how to efficiently pass on your assets to your children or heirs through probate avoidance and asset protection strategies. The instructor uses real-life examples to explain basic wills, trusts, powers of attorney, advanced directives and other estate planning tools ... [ more ]

Class has been canceled will be offered in the Fall of 2023

Thursdays, April 6 - May 11, 2023 | 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM [IN PERSON]
Let’s make a Summer Garden quilt. Equipment for this class includes a basic sewing machine with a 1/4-inch foot, an iron and ironing board or ironing mat (one or two for class), rotary cutting set (mat, ruler and cutter) and basic sewing supplies (straight pins, needles, cotton thread, seam ripper, scissors, thread snips). Material requirements will vary depending on individual design decisions selected - cotton fabric in Pre-cuts (5- or 10-inch squares, 2 ½ inch strips), fat quarters and/or yardage in colors of your choice. After the quilt top is completed a corresponding amount of batting and fabric for backing will be needed.

We will work with flower color fabrics from 5 inch or 10-inch squares, 2 ½ inch strips or yardage and a background fabric. This pattern includes a coordinated pieced border that is easy but adds to the overall design. In the first class, we will discuss fabric requirements and supplies - no sewing machine required at first class. Most of the sewing will be completed in class. The only prerequisite is some sewing experience and the desire to learn to make a quilt. ... [ more ]

Thursdays, April 6 - May 11, 2023 | 10:15 AM - 11:35 AM [VIA ZOOM]
This class tells powerful human accounts about Gettysburg through the faces and experiences of officers, enlistees in the artillery, infantry and cavalry, sharpshooters, Signal Corps, medical staff, chaplains and nurses.  The narratives that accompany each person’s image will detail triumphant and tragic events before, during and after the three-day fight.  Each profile is a micro-history and together, they tell the larger story of Gettysburg in human terms.  Among those you’ll meet: James M. “Roe” Reisinger who suffered a wound and later received the Medal of Honor for his actions on July 1; Zachariah Angel Blanton of the 18th Virginia Infantry, wounded and captured in Pickett’s Charge; and Harriett A. Dada Emens, a nurse who cared for the desperately wounded and sick in the Union Army’s 12th Corps Hospital ... [ more ]

Thursdays, April 6 - May 18, 2023 | 10:15 AM - 11:35 AM [IN PERSON]
Tai Chi and Qi Gong are ancient Chinese exercises using the Mind, the breath and gentle movements to create a meditation in motion which enhances overall physical health. These practices have been scientifically proven to improve cardiovascular fitness, lower blood pressure, relieve osteoarthritis, increase energy, aid in managing stress and enhance one’s overall sense of well-being. In this class you will learn the Yang 10 Tai Chi form and several Qi Gong forms ... [ more ]

Thursdays, April 6 - May 11, 2023 | 12:45 PM - 02:05 PM [IN PERSON]
This course will examine the history of the U.S. Army from the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor to the recapture of the Aleutian Islands. Many first think of the Marines in the Pacific, but in fact the Army made dozens of more amphibious assaults on islands than the Corps. The Philippines Islands were doomed due to poor military decisions. More than 76,000 American and Filipino soldiers surrendered and then suffered through the Bataan Death March. The Army fought with Allies in the jungles in New Guinea and New Britain, helped stop the Japanese in Burma and China and recaptured the frozen tundra of the American islands of Attu and Kiska. This complex story will discuss the role of personalities, weapons, changes in technology, the Navy and the Army Air Corps during this critical period of World War II history.  ... [ more ]

Thursdays, April 6 - May 11, 2023 | 12:45 PM - 02:05 PM [IN PERSON]
Irish Gaelic, known as Gaeilge, is the native language of Ireland, spoken on the island as its first language since at least the 4th century AD.  Though it is currently a minority language, it is still spoken in communities throughout the west coast of the country and has had a prominent role in place names and Ireland’s dialect of English.  In this course we will learn about the rich and unique history of the language, a bit about the culture it arises out of and focus on picking up a cúpla focal ('couple of words' - the colloquial term for having a foundation in the language).  Students will leave the course being able to hold basic conversations, ask useful questions and with a deeper understanding of the history and role of the language ... [ more ]

Thursdays, April 6 - May 11, 2023 | 12:45 PM - 02:05 PM [VIA ZOOM]
In this fun class, each week we will explore various aspects of bringing a film from concept to distribution ­– the PROCESS. Along the way we’ll look at scripting, pitching, directing, producing, financing, casting, cinematography, editing, scoring, sound design, etc…. and the skilled people who make it all possible.

Each week we’ll also view some edited interviews and behind-the-scenes featurettes from, for example, "Close Encounters of the Third Kind," "Who framed Roger Rabbit," "Field of Dreams," "Interstellar," "Once Upon a Time in the West," "Apollo 13," "Alice," "Skyfall," "E.T.," etc.  ... [ more ]

Thursdays, April 6 - May 11, 2023 | 02:00 PM - 04:00 PM [IN PERSON]
Falling Man, Migrant Mother, View From a Window, Leap Into Freedom, Lunch on a Skyscraper, Horse in Motion and Dovima With Elephants – these are just a few of the images from photo history that have made deep and resonating impacts on viewers. Some pictures changed the course of history, while others were documenting history as it was unfolding. Beautiful, stunning, shocking, life-changing and honest. Learn the stories behind these images and about the amazing photographers behind the lenses. We will visually travel through time as we discuss 30 + of these most iconic photographic images – well, and probably a few more than those 30 +.... Join us! ... [ more ]

Thursdays, April 6 - May 11, 2023 | 02:40 PM - 04:00 PM [VIA ZOOM]
There will be no poetry or iambic pentameter in this class, I promise! There will be a fun, quirky and surprising look at Shakespeare, the man and his world. In this course we will look at the times in which he lived and the events that shaped him and his world. Recent archaeological finds shed light on how Shakespeare worked as an actor, businessman and playwright. We will also piece together the tantalizing clues to his life as a friend, husband and father. England’s growth as a world power is also part of this story as are the politics of the day which could be dangerous and deadly, even for popular playwrights… ... [ more ]

Thursdays, April 6 - May 11, 2023 | 02:40 PM - 04:00 PM [IN PERSON]
The course will consist of a broad overview of the world of commercial aviation.  We will include sessions on the history and development of the aviation community.  These will include aircraft theory, air traffic control systems, weather effects, lessons learned and future concepts.  In all, a brief but content dense answer to the idiom, "If people were meant to fly..." ... [ more ]

Thursdays, April 6 - May 11, 2023 | 02:40 PM - 03:40 PM [IN PERSON]
This class provides a low impact exercise opportunity for seniors. Irish Dance offers many health benefits including but not limited to improving balance, sharpening the memory and strengthening muscles around the joints to assist with arthritis and overall fitness.  All are welcome and no experience is necessary. The class will cover various styles of Irish Dance from “old style” to “Irish Ceili” (social dance) and basic steps of traditional Irish step dance that are used in Ceili Dance.

Sean Nos (Old Style) Irish Dance
Sean Nos is the oldest form of Irish Step dance characterized by a relaxed upper body and steps danced close to the floor. It is very different from modern style Irish Dance. In Sean Nos arms move freely with the natural rhythm of the dance steps and the steps are typically confined to a small space. The steps interpret the music. There are many similarities to tap dance and clogging.

Ceili Dance (Social Dance)
Ceili dances can be danced with partners or in small groups in an informal setting such as a party or social gathering. Ceili dance uses very basic Irish dance steps allowing all to participate. Everyone can do it! ... [ more ]

Thursdays, April 13 - April 27, 2023 | 06:30 PM - 09:10 PM [IN PERSON]
Alfred Hitchcock was the Master of Suspense long before he came to America in 1939.  With such movies as The Lodger, The 39 Steps and The Lady Vanishes, he practically invented the British film industry in the 20s and 30s.  We will view three of Hitchcock’s best films from this era, each of which will be introduced with a behind-the-scenes video presentation.  After each screening, we will share our reactions.  And yes, the famous Hitchcock cameos begin with these movies ... [ more ]