By Laurie Mueller, Program Coordinator for Community Education, Heartland Community College
As a new year starts, have you thought about making the most of it by learning something new? An engaged mind leads to a healthy brain, and lifelong learning is one of the best ways to stay young and active. Research shows that an active brain can form new connections, even as you get older. Social interactions and meeting new people also help you stay young. There are many enrichment classes offered at Heartland Community College throughout the year that provide these opportunities. We want to help you take care of your whole self — body, mind, and spirit.
Take an EDventure
Some of our most popular classes are the EDventures series. We plan day trips to events, sites, theatres, etc. We do all the work, and you come for a day of fun. Our spring EDventures include trips to see Peter Pan at the Fireside Theatre in Wisconsin, and to Chicago for the Flower & Garden Show, the Driehaus Museum to see Dressing Downton Abbey, and a taping of the NPR show, Wait, Wait…Don’t Tell Me.
Become Tech Savvy
Is your eight-year-old more tech savvy than you? Our Getting Started with Social Media series will help you understand the different platforms such as Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter to stay connected, and how to use them. We can also help you learn how to use your computer, and all the programs it comes with. Microsoft launched its new Windows 10 operating system, and we can help you learn all the new tricks and tips it offers.
Make the Most of Retirement
Many of us over 55 are looking at retirement and all that comes with this new path. It can seem overwhelming. Estate Planning: Leaving a Legacy, Medicare Basics and Advanced Social Security Planning are some of the classes that can help you navigate the retirement maze.
Whether you choose to retire from full–time employment or to pursue an encore career, the autumn of your life can be a season filled with engagement and purpose. Autumn Harvest: Cultivating Happiness & Meaning for Retirement offers a practical model, based on current research, for using your talents, interests, and values to create new opportunities and positive challenges.
Take Up a Hobby
Winter is a good time to start a new hobby or expand a current one, like bird watching and photography, antiquing or Genealogy. Thinking of traveling? Learn French, Spanish, German, or Russian. Or maybe you’ll stay in Illinois, where there’s a rich Civil War history. We have a passionate instructor who shares her knowledge of the politics, traditions, and people of the time.
We also offer many craft classes, if you develop a yen for yarn, or want to explore the mystery of the potter’s wheel, and develop fundamental pot-throwing techniques in a ceramics class. Losing weight and getting fit is always a popular new year’s resolution, and we offer many classes to fit the bill.
Classes for Youth
We offer youth classes all year round. Classes this winter are held on President’s Day, Monday, February 15. With no school in session, encourage your child to sign up for a class where they can make something with a 3-D printer. We also offer week-long spring break classes in March.
Community Education at Heartland Community College is dedicated to lifelong learning. They have something to offer students of every age. To see a complete list of classes, schedules, and prices, and to register, please visit www.heartland.edu/communityEd.
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