Highland Senior Center
University Classes

Are you a doodler? Or maybe you’re a bit sketchy. For our Sketching Class you’re perfect. The class is taught by Robert Plasencia. Robert has been involved in art for over 40 years, having taken art classes in high school and college. He enjoys many mediums including sketching, charcoal, and oil painting. He has even received awards for some of his works.

The class will begin with portraits, as it provides the basic foundation that can later be applied to still life and scenery. Students need to bring their own pencils (#2 preferred), a sharpener, as well as a sketch pad. The size of the sketchpad will depend upon a student’s personal preference.

Classes are on Wednesdays and are held in the Game Room from 9 - 10 am.

With the start of a new school year we also have a new teacher. Scott Jensen is our new Computers for Fun instructor, but he is not new to computers. He has been teaching computers for Adult Ed for over 20 years. In addition to teaching for Adult Ed, he also taught at Citrus College, and taught classes at Lockheed when it was out here. While he specializes in Computers he has also taught general ed. Here at the center he will be teaching a Computers for Beginners and Advanced.

For the basic class he tries to expose people to using computers. He wants to show them that it is a tool to use. He focuses on the internet, email, and using Microsoft Office. Three basic things that most people use. For the advanced class he primarily focuses on the internet. He finds out the questions that need to be answered by the students and goes from there. He works on their concerns.

Registration takes place Oct. 3rd and the 8 week session will start the following Thursday. Cost is $8 for members, $10 for non-members.

The internet is the largest computer network in the world, connecting millions of computers. When people think of the internet they think of the World Wide Web. However, it is the actual physical network of computers all over the world. 

The World Wide Web is a virtual network of web sites connected by hyperlinks (or "links"). Web sites are stored on servers on the internet, so the World Wide Web is a part of the internet. But what can you do on the internet? That’s where this class comes in. 

Taught by Kim Scarcella, she can show you how to speak to people overseas via video, for free, find the cheapest price on that item you’ve always wanted and get it shipped to your home from some exotic place, all without leaving your livingroom. And that is only less than 1% of what you can do! She will also be going over the safety do's and don'ts for browsing the internet. To learn what else you can do join her class on Thursdays from 1 - 3 p.m., and see how much small the world has become.

 This month we'd like to shine the light on an old class with a new instructor. Bible Study is one of our oldest classes, but this session it is being taught by some new teachers from Immanuel Baptist Church. Al LeBrun and Tracy Johnson. Together Al and Tracy have a combined 77 years of Bible Study experience. Both are graduates of Bible College and have served as Pastors or Associate Pastors. They both now minsters at Immanuel Baptist Church where they not only teach Bible study there, but Al serves as the Minister of Senior Adults and Tracy serves as the Minister of Evangelical Discipleship.

Whether they teach on Mark, Luke or Paul you are sure to learn a little more. It is taught in a non-denominational atmosphere, and students are encouraged to bring their own version of the Bible. Classes are somewhat structured but if students have questions about other topics they are more than welcome to ask.

They even hand out 3X5 cards for students to write down any Biblical question they have and the class spends the last 5 minutes of class going over them. The class is inclusive to all and the instructors expand on this by getting feedback from students on what the topic should be for the next session. So if you�d like to learn a little more about the Bible, classes are on Fridays from 10:00 - 11:00 a.m. 

 We'd like to shine the light on one of our oldest classes, and one of the oldest art forms. Both watercolor and chalk drawing can be traced back to paleolithic times. Both art forms are tricky as water color can bleed outside of desired areas on paper, and chalk can be easily smudged. 

Our Watercolor/Chalk class is taught by Avon Hall. Avon has no formal instruction as an art teacher, but he does have lots of experience in art. While in the Air Force, and stationed in France 30 years ago, he took some art classes in oil painting and drawing. He did not take up water color until six years ago, when he heard that we had a class and he was curious about it. Has won several prizes for his art, and has even sold some.

The classes are on Tuesdays from 9:00 - 11:00 a.m. in 6 weeks sessions and costs $5 (members) and $10 (non-members) per session. If you think you might want to try your hand on one of the earliest art forms, that is practiced in kindergartens across the country, yet hard to master, come give it a try. 

 This month we'd like to introduce you to the mysterious and mystical world of our Magic Class. There you�ll be taught by Stephen Micklas, a member of the International Brotherhood of Magicians. Come learn basic magic, including misdirection, card magic, and close up magic (coin manipulation).

Students learn inexpensive tricks that grandparents can do, to amaze their friends and family. Students are only required to bring a deck of cards and maybe some rope or string. Most tricks students learn can be done with things found around the house. Stephen will bring in most of the other props needed. You just need to bring a 3 ring binder for notes and handouts.

For those interested in magic you just need to remember a few things. Magic is a bit of misdirection and a lot of acting. If you are going to be a member of the class you will be taught a lot of secrets. Remember, that a Magician never reveals his secrets. You also need to practice to do it well.

So if you�d like to amaze your family and friends, sign up. Summer session is only four weeks long with classes on Mondays from 9-10:30 a.m. The cost is only $8 for members and $10 for non-members for a lifetime of fun. For you who already know a card trick or two, Stephen always has a new trick up his sleeve to teach you. 

 It's only appropriate that we spotlite that one body part people tend to forget about when exercising, the brain. Your brain may not be a muscle but you need to keep it active to keep it healthy. Some of our members take advantage of our university classes, but learning is only a part of exercising your brain. To help you out we have a �Brain Fitness� class. 

The class promotes brain health through fitness, nutrition, and cognitive exercises to boost memory skills, and different activities to stimulate the brain. Adults are living longer and longer, and we need to promote mental as well as physical health. The group does crosswords, puzzles, trivia, discussions, as well as other activities. Everything is designed to get those synapses working.

The class is taught by Lisa Ballard, who has been teaching the class here for over five years. Lisa has a background in geriatrics and health education and was the activity director at community adult day care at Patton for 10 years. There she worked with people who suffered from Alzheimer�s and dementia. When it closed she went to work for the San Bernardino City Unified School District as an adult school teacher specializing in older students. It was there that she was offered a chance to develop a brain fitness class. Our class is the first she taught.

If you want to sharpen your skills and learn new things this group is for you . The group meets on Wednesdays at 1:00 p.m. in the game room and is always full. Make sure to register for class. If you forget to register, you really need to get fit. 

This month we’d like to shine the light on one of our lesser known classes: Table Shuffleboard. The class is taught by Molly Wright.

The game involves sliding or shuffling eight metal weights (red and blue) over a waxed table. The different colored pucks are to distinguish teams or opponents. The object of the game is to outscore your opponent by sliding your weights farther into the scoring area than your opponents weight. This is done by either hitting their weights out of the way or off the table, or passing them. You can also defend your points by blocking your opponent from knocking off your weights. Skill is needed as is strategy. Finesse, not strength. The first player to score 15 points is the winner. When more than three players play, 21 points win.

Newcomers are always welcome and Molly is more than happy to teach. The class remains a small, yet loyal, group of shuffleboard fans who enjoy the class very much. In fact, when the other classes go on break, her class has decided that they want to keep on going. The class is on Fridays beginning at 1:00 p.m.

CREATIVE WRITING IS BACK!! Fill your paper with the breathings of your heart. William Wordsworth Michel Thaler, a French writer, published a 233-page novel without using any verbs. The novel is Le Train de Nulle Part (The Nowhere Train). Thaler said that verbs are like weeds among flowers; the weeds should be removed. 

Now you don’t need to go to that extreme, but there are many ways to be creative when writing. Whether it be the next great American novel, or a short story for friends and loved ones, or a novel with no vowels! If you can think it, instructor Sue Herbert has a class that will help you put pen to paper (or keyboard to hard drive). 

Sue Herbert was a student of the former teacher Mary Reed. She has agreed to take on the writing class for us. Wednesdays at 1:00pm