Learning Is A Lifestyle

By: Wanda Campbell

It is hard to imagine that it is only 4 more days until Christmas and 11 days until the new year. They say the older you get the quicker time flies. Truth is, the busier you are, the more time flies.

At Athens State University’s Center for Lifelong Learning, we have been very busy preparing classes for the Winter/Spring Semester. We will have classes for all ages. Watch the website — www.athens.edu/CLL — and our Facebook page for updates and more information.

The Center will be closed from December 14 through January 1, but we will start back right away with classes and events. Our first class is Painting for Beginners which starts January 7, at the Alabama Center for the Arts in Decatur. This class will guide the student step-by-step to complete three paintings using acrylic paints. Students will learn about strokes, mixing paints, balance, and more. If there is time, a fourth painting will be a free-style painting of the student’s choice.

January 18, the Curtis Coleman Center for Religious Studies and Ethics and the Center for Lifelong Learning will sponsor a “commUNITY Breakfast”. The event is free and everyone is welcome. Dr. Carolyn McKinstry, from Birmingham, will be the featured speaker.

For the professionals in the community, there will be several courses to help you get ahead. Watch for information about the Time Management class that will come late January, or perhaps, you need an update on the Microsoft Business applications. There will be classes in Excel, Project, PowerPoint, Word, and Publisher. If you are in the food service industry, we offer Servsafe Food Protection Manager Certification Courses and Exam on the second Monday of the month in Athens and on the fourth Monday of the month in Decatur.

For the computer novice, we offer Computers for Beginners as a group class or a one-on-one class. This course is available for the students who wants to know how to work with computers or for students who have specific applications. This year we will offer a Smartphone Savvy class for people who need to know how to work their Smartphones.

If you are looking for a fun class, remember, we don’t require an application and you don’t have to take tests or write reports. We also have Pottery classes at the Alabama Center for the Arts. The Handbuilding Class is on Monday, starting February 11 at 5:30 p.m. The Wheel Throwing Class is also on Monday, starting April 1, at 5:30 p.m. And we will have a 3-D Art Class later in the year.

Don’t forget there is a free Yoga class in Carter Gym on the Athens State University Campus. Class is held Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday from 11:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. Classes will begin on January 7.

We also have classes for children and teens. For infants and toddlers, and 3-5 year olds, we have Musikgarten starting in February. Musikgarten is a weekly class where you can bond with your child through music and watch them grow into a confident young person.

For teens, we have ACT Test Strategies and Tutoring to help prepare for the exam. Learn effective strategies that will help you understand the questions and choose the correct responses. Learn your strengths and weaknesses in specific ACT subject areas. Learn how to take advantage of the knowledge you have already gained and how to apply it to the ACT to achieve your highest possible test scores. The course includes ACT Test strategies, pre-test in subject area(s), tutoring in subject area concentrations, post-test in subject area(s), and a copy of ACT Prep Plus 2019.

Save the date for the 4th Annual Women’s Leadership Symposium on April 10. Remember to register early. We keep our class sizes small to ensure quality instruction. Have a Merry Christmas and a wonderful New Year from all of us at the Center for Lifelong Learning.
By: Wanda Campbell
Center for Lifelong Learning – 121 South Marion Street, Athens, AL 35611 – 256-233-8262