PRESQUE ISLE — Seniors Achieving Greater Education (SAGE), based at the University of Maine at Presque Isle, will hold a kick-off celebration for the new term on Friday, March 18, at 10 a.m.
The event will be held in the Campus Center, and signs will direct participants to the exact location. Coffee will be served starting at 9:30 a.m., so those interested may come early to socialize and meet instructors and other members.
Following the talks by instructors presenting new classes, there will be an authors’ coffeehouse from 11 a.m.-12 noon, in which local authors will display, sell, sign and perhaps read from their new works.
SAGE courses begin in April and most classes run for four weeks, meeting once a week for a couple of hours. There are also several one-hour workshops and field excursions listed in the latest brochure, which is available by mail by calling Mary Lawrence at 768-9502 or by visiting www.umpi.edu/sage.
Courses this spring range from storytelling to chess (beginning and advanced), English handbell ringing to the history of astronomy. There are courses addressing the There will be a new course in reader’s theater, an encore of the popular genealogy course, and a hands-on course in simple plumbing and heating repairs, and on the artistic side, introduction to watercolors, turning family photos into exciting videos, coloring for everyone or textile tokens.
Courses that span just a few hours include using herbs, archery 101, create a windowsill herb garden, and the AARP Smart Driver course. Excursions include a maple syrup tour, a deeryard and greenhouse tour and a walking tour of Houlton. And “Let the Games Begin” also returns, with four nights of games to learn and play with friends old and new.
The spring semester membership fee is $17. Participants may sign up for as many classes as they wish. There may be additional lab fees for some courses and excursions. Registration for some courses is limited; early enrollment is urged. Forms are available online at www.umpi.edu/sage or in the brochure.
SAGE welcomes intellectually curious adults 50 and older who desire to learn in the company of people with both shared and different perspectives. All instructors are volunteers. There are no entry requirements, no tests, no pressure
For information, call Lawrence at 768-9502 or via email at mary.l.lawrence@maine.edu.
