Lifelong Learning Institute

Courses

Grow Mushrooms at Home

Learn how to start growing mushrooms at home. The mushroom growing environment, where to find resources, types of mushrooms and how to start the growing process will all be discussed.

Monday, March 9, 2020, VA*VA04

Easter Bunny Woven Wreath

Learn how to weave an Easter wreath that looks like a bunny! This wreath can stay on your front door throughout the spring. Sharon Taylor will instruct you on how to weave two round wreath forms to make the bunny. You will be able to take home the bunny wreath to embellish on your own.

Thursday, March 26, 2020, WDC*D151

Introduction to Laser Engraving

Learn how to use a laser engraver and practice engraving wood, acrylic, paper, cardboard, leather and more. This class will cover creating digital files compatible with a laser cutter. Each student will have the opportunity to create a small project as they learn the laser cutting process from start to finish.

Tuesday, March 3, 2020, TECH*V115
Tuesday, June 2, 2020, TECH*V115

Basic Spanish Conversation

This eight-week course is designed to bring an English speaker to a beginning level of communication in Spanish. This class provides a strong base for you to have fun while you expand your mind.

March 18, 2020 to May 6, 2020, NEC*N101

Turning 65: Medicare Made Easy!

A community educator and licensed insurance representative will discuss Medicare Parts A and B, and Medicare Supplement Plans. Come learn about eligibility, enrollment, and the benefits of Medicare and Medicare Supplements.

Tuesday, April 7, 2020, NEC*N101

Tea Cup Bird Feeder

Create a special place to watch your feathered friends rest and dine in your backyard. You will get to pick a vintage cup and saucer. Then, you'll get to decorate a feeder to hang or display. No skills necessary for this art class. Bring your imagination. All supplies are included.

Tuesday, April 14, 2020, WDC*D151

Truck Easter Painting

Who isn't Red Truck obsessed these days? This painting follows that trend only in purple for Easter and with an Easter bunny and flowers. Painters will be given step-by-step instructions to make this their own masterpiece. Beginners are welcomed, no skills required. Supplies and a 9x12 canvas will be provided.

Monday, March 23, 2020, WDC*D151

Spring Red Truck Painting

Let Patti Shidler help you create a red truck full of colorful flowers to welcome in spring! Painters will be given step-by-step instructions to make this their own masterpiece. Beginners are welcomed, no skills required. Supplies and a 9x12 canvas will be provided.

Monday, April 6, 2020, WDC*D151

An Introduction to Voiceovers

In this introductory class, you'll learn about different types of voiceovers and the tools you need to find success. The facilitator is a working voice actor who will take notes as you read a real script, and offer some coaching to improve your delivery

Tuesday, May 5, 2020, WDC*D123

Current Event Discussion Group/Federal Goverment

Discussion of current events in a relaxed setting between individuals from diverse walks of life with the purpose of understanding what is happening in our country.

April 8, 2020 to June 10, 2020, NEC*N114

Make Your Own Succulent Book Planter

This course will cover helpful tips on plant selection, proper building techniques, picking the right container with tricks for planting, maintaining and displaying within your home or office.

This course contains no sessions
Click here to be notified about the next scheduled program.

Air Plants

Air plants are some of the easiest plants to grow. They use their roots to anchor themselves to an object that allows them to grow in a variety of locations. Come create an air plant arrangement to decorate your home or office!

This course contains no sessions
Click here to be notified about the next scheduled program.

Civil War Claims Against Britain

This course will cover the destruction of U.S. shipping by the CSS Alabama and other Confederate ships.

This course contains no sessions
Click here to be notified about the next scheduled program.

Herbs for Tea

In this workshop, you'll learn about the best herbs for teas and how to grow them on your own.

This course contains no sessions
Click here to be notified about the next scheduled program.

Beethoven and the Beatles: Hearing The Connection

What do the finale of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony and the Beatles song "Hey Jude" have in common? For one thing, the scope of each work is unprecedented: a vast choral movement and a seven-minute song marked radical breakthroughs for both symphonic music and popular music. Even more outsized is the spiritual message shared by these pieces: it it the grand vision of shared humanity, of boundless compassion and communal wonder, which binds the two works together across time and stylistic difference.

Wednesday, May 27, 2020, ATEC*T205

Five Turning Points in American History

In the relatively short history of the United States, there have been many turning points and landmark movements that irrevocably altered the direction of the nation and signaled the dramatic start of a new historical reality. Some took the form of groundbreaking political and philosophical concepts; some were dramatic military victories and defeats. Still others were nationwide social and religious movements, or technological and scientific innovations.

Thursday, July 9, 2020, ATEC*T205

Powerful Money: Hedge Funds, Leverage and Risk

Finance is often viewed as an intimidating subject laden with jargon and mathematics that can mask the beauty and practicality of the subject. The truth is that finance is based on a few principles that are easy to understand and fun to apply. This class will introduce some of these principles - arbitrage, leverage, risk and return - using a popular institutional trading strategy as an illustrative vehicle.

Thursday, July 9, 2020, ATEC*T205

The Artistic Genius of Leonardo Da Vinci and Michelango

This lecture will explore how this great rivalry between Leonardo and Michelangelo - who were dissimilar in temperament and beliefs, as well as the manner in which they worked - contributed to the creation of some of the most famous and influential artworks the world has ever seen.

Wednesday, June 3, 2020, ATEC*T205

The Beatles, the 60's and Popular Culture

We shall talk about Beatles songs, the culture of the times, and America and England of the Fifties and Sixties. We shall see filmed interviews with John, Paul, George, and Ringo, and we shall listen closely to some of their greatest songs. This multi-media experience will leave you more knowledgeable about the most volatile decade of the twentieth century and more enthusiastic about the music of the Beatles than ever before.

Wednesday, May 27, 2020, ATEC*T205

The Restless Genius of Benjamin Franklin

Franklin's genius is a puzzle. Born the tenth and youngest son of a decidedly humble family of puritan candle-makers in Boston in 1706, Franklin's rise to the front ranks of science, engineering, and invention was as unexpected as it was meteoric. Here is a man with only two years of proper schooling who later received honorary degrees from Harvard, Yale, Oxford, and St. Andrews as well as the eighteenth-century equivalent of a Nobel Prize for Physics.

Tuesday, June 16, 2020, ATEC*T205

Update on Illinois K-12 Public Education

In this session, Assistant Regional superintendent for Iroquois and Kankakee Counties, Frank Petkunas will provide an overview to changes and updates that have taken place in K-12 public education in Illinois over the past several years. We will discuss everything from school funding, curriculum, state testing, accountability, leadership changes at the state and local levels and much more.

Tuesday, April 7, 2020, WDC*D124

What The Founding Fathers Were Really Like

Most of us know that America's Founding Fathers attended the Constitutional Convention of 1787 in Philadelphia and drafted the Constitution of the United States. The delegates decided to replace the Articles of Confederation with a document that strengthened the federal government, with the most contentious issue being legislative representation. Eventually, a compromise established the bicameral Congress to ensure both equal and proportional representation. But a lot more happened as well - much of it under-reported or misunderstood. That's the focus of this insider's look at the birth of American Government as we know it today.

Tuesday, June 16, 2020, ATEC*T205

All Occasion Wreath

Make a 14 inch burlap wreath in this two-hour class. You will be able to choose from some interchangeable decorations to make this the perfect year-round decoration. No skill necessary for this class. Bring your imagination. Supplies are included.

This course contains no sessions
Click here to be notified about the next scheduled program.

What We Know About the Universe and What We Don't

We can watch stars being born, living out their lives, and then dying in spectacular explosions that produce the elements from which we are made as well as neutron stars and black holes. We can watch how galaxies form and grow by gobbling up their neighbors. And we can map the nearest million galaxies and trace them back to the tiny fluctuations in the early Universe from which they emerged. Replete with colliding galaxies and a fly-through of the Universe set to the Blue Danube waltz, this lecture provides one-stop shopping for a comprehensive tour of all of space and time - or at least of the whole 4% we actually understand.

Monday, June 29, 2020, ATEC*T205

WWII: Stories You Never Heard in History Class

The chronology is well known, but during a war this complex and lengthy, there are many surprising and sometimes shocking incidents that occurred that are less well known - especially during the final chaotic days of the conflict. This lecture will explore the desperate and bizarre actions of the Nazis at the end of the war and the challenges confronting the allies in rescuing Holocaust prisoners, as well as the difficulties historians face in uncovering and making sense of such stories and the role of government in declassifying war documents.

Tuesday, June 23, 2020, ATEC*T205

Antebellum Abolitionists

James Paul explores the relationships among the Bourbonnais Grove French-Canadians, Quaker Thomas Durham (Perry Farm pioneer) and the Fugitive Slave Law of 1850. Class participation will be encouraged through role playing and the class will be videotaped to promote local history investigations in the future.

Friday, April 17, 2020, WDC*D123

Bourbonnais History in Four Walking Tours

Dr. James Paul will be our tour guide to Bourbonnais Historical sites from the 1800's to today's in efforts to rebuild the original Log School house. Travel through time in Bourbonnais Grove! The class will be videotaped to promote local history investigations in the future.

Friday, May 1, 2020, WDC*D124

Case Study - The Big Bad Wolf

By taking part in this case-study style presentation, participants will examine the ramifications of the reintroduction of the gray wolf to North America. We will discuss predator/prey relationships and the roles they play in maintaining a naturally occurring and stable ecosystem.. This mini-lesson will introduce participants to the ecological concept of "trophic cascade" and the impact predators can have not only on the biological environment but also on the physical environment as well.

Wednesday, May 6, 2020, WDC*D124

Cinco de Mayo

Phil Angelo will celebrate our Hispanic roots in the history surrounding this important North American Holiday celebration.

Tuesday, May 5, 2020, WDC*D123

Group Guitar

This is an introductory course to playing guitar in a group setting, intended for students without prior knowledge of the instrument. You'll learn music notation and tablature for guitar, fingering for basic open chords, interpreting basic chord symbols, right hand strumming techniques and styles, playing simple song melodies, use of chords as accompaniment, and right hand picking technique.

This course contains no sessions
Click here to be notified about the next scheduled program.

Family and Friends CPR

The Family & Friends CPR course is intended for anyone who wants to learn CPR and prefers to learn in an Instructor-led or facilitated group environment. This course is for people who do not need a course completion card for a job or other requirements.

Tuesday, April 14, 2020, WDC*D123

Fossils of Illinois

The rocks below our feet are filled with thousands of species of fossils of ancient life that are now extinct. We will explore examples of the fascinating creatures that lives on the land and swam in the seas that once covered our state.

Wednesday, April 15, 2020, WDC*D151

Introduction to Golf

This course is designed for people who have an interest in golf but may have never played the game. Participants will be exposed to the layout of the course, rules and etiquette of playing golf, receive instruction and have an opportunity to practice. Individuals of any experience and ability are encouraged to come out for a FUN afternoon.

Wednesday, May 20, 2020

Movie Music III

If you enjoyed the first two presentations in this lyrical film history series, you'll love the songs and surprises in Movie Music Romance III. Join John LeGear for another magical stroll down memory lane as he showcases some of the most beautifully conceived performances in the history of cinema. Behind-the-scenes stories will enhance your appreciation of the genuine geniuses who've combined their talents to bring about what many regard as the most magnificent art form ever conceived?the movies.

Wednesday, June 10, 2020, ATEC*T205

Our Rich Veteran Heritage

Phil Angelo highlights the contributions of local veterans and their sacrifices in this special presentation. Local Veterans will be encourage to share their stories in anticipation of the upcoming Memorial Day celebrations.

Tuesday, May 12, 2020, ATEC*T205

Potawatomi Peril

Ponder the fate of the Bourbonnais Grove natives leading to their eventual removal west of the Mississippi. role playing will include local French trader noel LeVasseur. The class will ve videotaped to promote local history investigations in the future.

Friday, April 3, 2020, WDC*D123

Share a Book: Historical Fiction

Is there a historical fiction book (or book series) that has made an impact on you? Please join us as we share historical fiction authors and books that helped us learn about our world. Enjoy a discussion and go home with a new list of authors and books to enjoy.

Tuesday, May 19, 2020, WDC*D124

The Wuhan Coronavirus

Please join us for a discussion of the Wuhan Coronavirus, currently classified as an epidemic by the CDC. What is this virus and what makes it so virulent? Where did it come from? Is there a vaccine on the horizon? How is it different from the common flu? What precautions should you take to protect yourself and how is it treated? Will it become a pandemic like the Spanish flu? We will include a foundational discussion of viruses and infection disease as an introduction so this presentation will be applicable to all knowledge levels.

Friday, May 8, 2020, WDC*D123

Watching and Feeding Backyard Birds

Feeding birds is important for the survival of feathered friends especially migrants. A wide range of birds will be covered focusing on both seed eaters and neo-tropical insectivores.

Wednesday, May 27, 2020, WDC*D124

Waterfalls of Illinois

Waterfalls have attracted humans for as long as we have been on our planet. Their mesmerizing effect, sheer beauty and raw power draw us to them. Illinois has a large number of waterfalls, many of which are easily accessible on public land.

Monday, April 13, 2020, WDC*D124