FREEPORT — Highland Community College Lifelong Learning May classes include Spring Sunrise Painting on Wood, No Bake Turtle Cheesecake, Beekeeping Experience, Beginner’s Guide to Using FREE ChatGPT (AI) for Writers, and Modern Israel: A Historic Perspective. To register online and view the complete Lifelong Learning schedule, visit highland.edu/lifelong. Registration deadline is one week before class start date.
For more information about Lifelong Learning and to find out the latest course offerings, call 815 599-3403 or email lifelonglearning@highland.edu. Register for spring courses at highland.edu/lifelong.
Spring Sunrise on Painting on Wood
Location: Lena Brewing Company, 9426 W. Wagner Road, Lena, Ill.
Registration Deadline: Apr. 25
Class: May 2; 6-8 p.m.
Fee: $45
Instructor: Catherine Urban
Join Catherine from The Urban Art Studio to paint a bright spring inspired sunrise and landscape on a stained wood board. Your admission includes one 12x16” stained wood board, all painting materials, and step by step instruction. This is beginner friendly, with options for experienced painters.
Lena Brewing Company is now located at 9426 W Wagner Rd. Lena, IL. It’s in the same complex it was in before, just right across the parking lot in the big red barn that was once Rafters Restaurant. Class will take place in the Calf-A, a private event space located on the first floor of the barn.
No Bake Turtle Cheesecake
Location: Generations Brewing Company, 1400 S. Adams Avenue, Freeport, Ill.
Registration Deadline: Apr. 29
Class: May 6; 6-8 p.m.
Fee: $47
Instructor: Lynn Kaufman
Who loves Chocolate, caramel & pecans? This tasty recipe combines all three in one delicious pie! Create a delicious chocolate crust, filling and ‘turtle’ topping — a perfect dessert for Mother’s Day & the beginning of the summer season. Guaranteed to be delicious! Gluten free option available too. (Please specify gluten free in the note section of registration.)
Beekeeping Experience
Location: Dry Creek Beekeeping, 489 S. Clark Lane, Elizabeth, Ill.
Registration Deadline: May 2
Class: May 9; 4-5:30 p.m.
Fee: $39
Instructor: Chase Dittmar
Get up close and personal (safely) by wearing a beekeeping suit and visiting a working hive to see the bees at work. Learn all about honeybees, their roles in the hive, and how they make honey. Then, get to taste their liquid gold with a mini-honey tasting. Don’t miss this once in a lifetime experience!
Beginner’s Guide to Using FREE ChatGPT (AI) for Writers
Location: Online (Zoom)
Registration Deadline: May 4
Class: May 11; 2-4 p.m.
Fee: $39
Instructor: LeeAnne Krusemark
ChatGPT (AI) is here to stay and is the future for writers and content creators. Don’t be left behind! No prior AI experience required. Do you want to learn how to incorporate the power of cutting-edge technology to gain ideas and inspiration, write web content, articles, and even novels or scripts? In this beginner-friendly course, you’ll learn how to: register for a FREE ChatGPT account, input effective writing prompts to avoid nonsense responses, build creative content from stories to marketing copy, determine its capabilities and limitations, and understand ethical/legal considerations using ChatGPT.
Modern Israel: A Historic Perspective
Location: Highland Community College, 2998 W. Pearl City Road, Building H, Room 127, Freeport, Ill.
Registration Deadline: May 8
Class: May 15; 6-7:30 p.m.
Fee: $19
Instructor: Mark Peterson
This class explores the geography and history of modern Israel, beginning with Napoleon’s ambitions in the Middle East. It covers key events, including the Protestant and Zionist movements, World War I, the Holocaust, the UN declaration, the Palestinian experience, and pivotal conflicts like the 1948 War of Independence and the 1967 Six-Day War.
Other courses include:
● Basic Birding, HCC, Freeport
● Floral Painting on Wood Slice, Route No. 73 Brew & Chew, Pearl City
● Disc Golf, Generations Brewing Company, Freeport
● Civilian Conservation Corps, White Pines Lodge, Mt. Morris
● Write Your First Novel (In 90 Days), Online
● Beginner’s Guide to Getting Published, Online
● How to Write Your Life Story (For Fun or Profit), Online
● JFK Assassination, Mount Carroll Public Library, Mount Carroll
● Beekeeping Bootcamp, Dry Creek Beekeeping, Elizabeth
● Metal Detecting Basics, Cedarville Historical Museum, Cedarville
