Senior Learning Network

Register for these programs: by phone (507-664-3700), in person at FiftyNorth, or by clicking on the title of the class

Please pre-register and check-in for all classes no matter your membership levels. It is also important to check-in at the front desk when you arrive for your class.  We use attendance data for grant applications, insurance reimbursement, space planning and determining whether or not to cancel a class.
Scholarships are available to help defray the cost of classes for those who find the cost a financial hardship.
If you are interested in teaching a Lifelong Learning class or if you have an idea for a new class offering, please contact Patty Ciernia at 664-3709

SLN – FORT FREDERICA: HISTORY COMES ALIVE ON BEAUTIFUL ST SIMONS ISLAND!

Tuesday, October 3
1:00-2:00pm

Three years after founding Georgia in 1733, Gen. James Edward Oglethorpe established Fort Frederica to defend the fledgling colony against Spanish attack from Florida. The first settlers in Georgia arrived in 1733. Sailing up the Savannah River, they established a settlement on a defensible bluff that General Oglethorpe selected for that reason. He would spend the next ten years working to make the colony succeed. Georgia’s fate was decided in 1742 when Spanish and British forces clashed on St. Simons Island. Fort Frederica’s troops defeated the Spanish, ensuring Georgia’s future as a British colony. Today, the archeological remnants of Frederica are protected by the National Park Service. Join us as we learn about this beautiful island that is both a popular vacation spot as well as an important time and place in US History.

Presenter: Senior Learning Network
Capacity:  20
Cost: $9 nonmbr, $7 mbr, $0 platinum
Space:  103

SLN – MUSIC OF THE SEA AT THE MYSTIC!

Tuesday, October 10
1:00-2:00pm

“What shall we do with a drunken sailor?”  Join us with one of our favorite partners, The Mystic Seaport Museum as we listen and learn!  We will hear all about the history of sea chanteys and their use, as we listen along in interactive songs with a live musician!
Sing along with one of the museum’s renowned musician educators, as the chantey staff can make sailors’ work come alive with stories told through music. We will join with crew members as they sing a chorus, picture the events in a ballad or use a chantey as a tool to help accomplish hard work like raising the sail or swabbing the deck!

Presenter: Senior Learning Network
Capacity:  20
Cost: $9 nonmbr, $7 mbr, $0 platinum
Space:  103

SLN – AMERICAN HISTORY, ALIVE IN STONE: MT RUSHMORE!

Tuesday, October 17
1:00-2:00pm

Majestic figures of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln, surrounded by the beauty of the Black Hills of South Dakota, tell the story of the birth, growth, development and preservation of The United States. From the history of the first inhabitants to the diversity of America today, Mount Rushmore brings visitors face to face with the rich heritage we all share. Join us as we discover the carving history and current conditions of Mount Rushmore National Memorial.

Presenter: Senior Learning Network
Capacity:  20
Cost: $9 nonmbr, $7 mbr, $0 platinum
Space:  103

SLN – WIND CAVE NATIONAL PARK: DISCOVER TWO PARKS IN ONE!

Tuesday, October 24
1:00-2:00pm

Wind Cave National Park protects two very different worlds – one deep within the earth, the other a sunlit world of many resources. Bison, elk, and other wildlife roam the rolling prairie grasslands and forested hillsides of one of America’s oldest national parks. Below the remnant island of intact prairie sits Wind Cave, one of the longest and most complex caves in the world. Join us as we learn more about this beautiful national park!

Presenter: Senior Learning Network
Capacity:  20
Cost: $9 nonmbr, $7 mbr, $0 platinum
Space:  103

SLN – EISENHOWER BIRTHPLACE HISTORIC SITE: From Humble Roots

Tuesday, November 7
1:00-2:00pm

Dwight David “Ike” Eisenhower was born in the bedroom of the two-story house in Denison, TX. on Oct. 14, 1890. He was the only one of David and Ida Eisenhower’s seven children born in Texas.
Eisenhower was always the pride of Denison. The community acquired the Birthplace home in 1946 and he was hailed as a hometown hero when he came back to visit that year. He returned again on a presidential campaign trip in 1952, and Eisenhower Birthplace became a state park while he was president in 1958. He made his final visit in 1965 to dedicate the Eisenhower Auditorium at Denison High School (now Scott Middle School).

Presenter: Senior Learning Network
Capacity:  20
Cost: $9 nonmbr, $7 mbr, $0 platinum
Space:  103

SLN – ACADIA NATIONAL PARK: What Makes Acadia, Acadia?

Tuesday, November 14
1:00-2:00pm

Acadia National Park is mostly located on Mount Desert Island, the largest island off the coast of Maine. The park stretches across about half of the island, roughly divided by Somes Sound to create east and west sides.  Join us as we showcase the diverse resources protected in Acadia National Park. From the mountains to the sea and everything in between, our park ranger will lead us through the beauty and importance of the park, as well as our own connections to the natural world.

Presenter: Senior Learning Network
Capacity:  20
Cost: $9 nonmbr, $7 mbr, $0 platinum
Space:  103

SLN – LEWIS AND CLARK NATIONAL HISTORIC TRAIL

Tuesday, November 21
1:00-2:00pm

The Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail winds nearly 4,900 miles through the homelands of more than 60 Tribal nations! It follows the historic outbound and inbound routes of the Lewis and Clark Expedition of 1803-1806 from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to the Pacific Ocean. Follow the trail to find the people, places, and stories that make up the complex legacy of the expedition as our ranger leads us on this historic trail!  Our program will cover information about the Lewis and Clark expedition, the hardships of the journey, and members of the legendary Corps of Discovery. Please join us as we go on an adventure into history!

Presenter: Senior Learning Network
Capacity:  20
Cost: $9 nonmbr, $7 mbr, $0 platinum
Space:  103

SLN – MARTIN LUTHER KING NATIONAL MEMORIAL (DC)

Tuesday, November 28
1:00-2:00pm

Dr. King’s memorial is the first to honor an African American individual on the National Mall. This space is a place to contemplate Martin Luther King, Jr.’s legacy: a non-violent philosophy striving for freedom, justice, and equality.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was a Baptist minister and social activist who became a notable figure during the U.S. civil rights movement from the mid-1950s until he was assassinated in 1968. He played a pivotal role in ending the legal segregation of African American citizens in the U.S., influencing the creation of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. He received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964, among other honors. Join us as we take a virtual tour of the monument, and remember the man.

Presenter: Senior Learning Network
Capacity:  20
Cost: $9 nonmbr, $7 mbr, $0 platinum
Space:  103