PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — Lifelong learners and friends came together at the University of Maine at Presque Isle on March 22 to officially launch the spring session of Seniors Achieving Greater Education, also known as SAGE.
SAGE is one of 17 senior colleges in Maine that invites adults aged 50 and older to take part in a variety of fun, non-academic classes every fall and spring semester. Local instructors offer courses on a variety of topics such as astronomy, Aroostook County history, genealogy, water fitness, theater appreciation, knitting and fashion modeling.
This year, a volunteer group of 30 instructors are offering over 30 courses for SAGE, a program that has been based at UMPI for 21 years. While most courses take place over many weeks, others happen in just one 2-hour session, and all are held in April and May. There are also special activities and clubs to choose from such as an online book club, a games club that meets at the Sargent Family Community Center in Presque Isle and an outing club in partnership with the Caribou Recreation Center.
“We have over 100 members from central Aroostook as well as some from New Brunswick,” said Susanne Sandusky, member of the SAGE board of directors. “SAGE is a great opportunity for seniors to connect with other people in their age range and gain new friendships.”
On Friday, March 22, members of SAGE gathered at UMPI’s campus center to hear from many of the spring course instructors and to sign up for classes. Unlike academic classes offered through the university, SAGE does not require members to complete assignments or tests for grades. All they need to do is show up and be willing to learn new things.
That was the message that instructor Pam Crawford used to encourage folks to sign up for her two courses: Altered Bowls and Clipboards and Found Object/Junk Box Jewelry. In the first course, students will alter two wooden bowls by painting them using various designs and modify clipboards using materials such as photographs, paint and paper ephemera. The second course offers folks a chance to turn “junk box treasures” such as costume jewelry, game pieces and buttons into unique jewelry pieces.
“You don’t need experience to take these classes. It’s all about playing,” Crawford said.
Members of Seniors Achieving Greater Education listen to instructors talk about their spring courses during a kickoff for SAGE held at UMPI on Friday. (Melissa Lizotte)
One of the most popular SAGE courses over the past decade has been Finding Your Ancestors, taught by experienced genealogy researchers Dick Kimball and Frances Heales. They encouraged students to bring with them any family artifacts or information they already have and a willingness to discover both the good, and possibly bad, long-lost stories and anecdotes about their family’s past.
“We’ll start with what you know and try leading you to what you don’t know,” Kimball said.
Heales noted that all students will receive a laptop, courtesy of UMPI, to learn how to navigate online genealogy records.
“A lot of people have been happy to find out information about their family that they didn’t know was out there,” she said.
SAGE has become a program that many community members look forward to taking part in every semester. Amalia Cox of Caribou has taken classes for four years and said she has most enjoyed Finding Your Ancestors and Let’s Go to the Movies as well as trips to the Presque Isle Police Department and Francis Malcolm Science Center.
“Everybody here is so friendly and nice. These classes give us an opportunity to socialize while learning new things,” Cox said.
Nancy Roe of Presque Isle has been a member of SAGE since the program began 21 years ago. She currently serves on the board of directors and looks forward to seeing both old and new friends in various classes.
“When people get older it can be difficult for them to get out and meet other people,” Roe said. “We’re all lifelong learners and partnering with UMPI allows us to offer all these interesting classes.”
More information about all SAGE courses and how to register is available at https://www.umpi.edu/for-the-community/things-to-do/sage/ or by calling the SAGE office at (207) 768-9501.
