1. No category

Spring 2015
a rare map with images of fantastic sea
creatures, mermaids and battles at sea;
and a demonstration about how early
sailors used compasses, sextants, and
astrolabes to find their way to ports of
call.
Recommended reading: J.N. Wilford, The
Mapmakers, revised, (Alfred A. Knopf), 2000.
HISTORY
Find out how maps shaped historical
events from the time sailors realized the
Earth was not flat, to the point where we
will follow our cars’ GPS systems to the
ends of the same Earth. Local and
international guest speakers and map
enthusiasts will share their passions and
personal collections of original maps,
atlases, scientific instruments used in
navigation and exploration, and
information about satellite imaging. The
traveling exhibit will include an 18thcentury map depicting George
Washington’s great victories and defeats,
Dr. Lorraine Sherry is Secretary/ Webmaster
and Director of the Rocky Mountain Map Society
(www.RMmaps.org). Her personal collection of
antique maps focuses on the geography of
Eastern Europe, Lithuania and Russia in the 16th
to 19th centuries. Various speakers are members
of the Rocky Mountain Map Society,a nonprofit
organization dedicated to the study and
appreciation of maps and other items of
cartographic interest.
Over 900 years, from Republic through
Imperial Rome, Roman history shaped
Western culture as we know it, but
how? This story contains military genius,
democratic failure, economic power,
gravitas, hedonism, justice and cruelty.
What forces changed an insulated
republic into a great empire? Explore the
dynamic changes in governments, social
structures, politics, religion, architecture,
and war. The history of Rome is a
compelling and enlightening story.
Shellie Hochstadt taught world history,
government and economics until her retirement in
2010. She combines her interests in history,
travel and reading into her teaching, where she
endeavors to bring a thoughtful global
perspective.
Class members will discuss and vote for
the five best and worst presidents. The
“winners” in each category will be
discussed in the following five sessions.
On the last day of class, members will
vote again to see if we still feel the same.
Listening is welcome just as much as
vociferous participation.
Recommended reading: Read up a little on any
Presidents you wish to nominate, whether they’re
the good ones or the bad ones.
Retired Admiral, lawyer, and political leader, Dick
Young has taught courses on Pearl Harbor, the
Pacific War, and American history at various
Elderhostels and continuing education programs
of several universities.
Classes meet at
Orchard Road Christian Center
8081 E. Orchard Rd.
(just west of I-25)
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Chuck Shannon has been a division director for
DRCOG, a vice president for Mile High United
Way, a senior fellow at United Way of America,
fellow at the Kennedy School at Harvard
University, and trainer with the Asset-Based
Community Development Institute at
Northwestern University.
The Cold War was a conflict between
antithetical political and economic
systems. It emerged during World War II.
Prof. Conroy will analyze evolving
scholarship on the Cold War, the
differences between the political and
economic systems of the U. S. and the
USSR, and how the Cold War was fueled
during World War II. Check the Academy
Website for suggested readings, and look
forward to up-to-the-minute information.
Recommended Readings: Robert J. McMahon
and Thomas G. Paterson, eds., Problems in
American Civilization: The Origins of the Cold
War, Fourth Edition, (Houghton Mifflin) 1999.
World expert on late imperial Russia, Dr. Mary
Schaeffer Conroy has given numerous lectures
in the USSR. She has published several books
and is an emeritus Professor at the University of
Colorado, Denver.
What does community development
mean? We will examine the historical
framework of city and metropolitan
development focusing on programs for
low-income communities, and their
degrees of success, failure and
controversy. Theories of community
development have been tested through a
complementary, and sometimes
competing, mix of programs and
initiatives of non-profit organizations,
foundations, businesses and civic
groups, as well as government. The
growth of suburbs and slums (barrios,
ghettos) after World War II reveals two
divergent paths of development. We will
conclude with discussion of community
development for selected Denver metroarea neighborhoods using data compiled
by the Piton Foundation.
For much of the western world, the
hopeful “Arab Spring” has seemed to
become the “Arab Winter” dominated by
fundamentalists. The all-purpose cry
of “Islam is the answer” may well be a
phrase encapsulating the beliefs or
ideals guiding extremists—even some
rebels. But was an Islam state the point
of the original demonstrations and
protests? Crucial questions remain.
Guest speakers, experts in their fields,
will address vital subjects such as: How
individual nations affect and are affected
by the conflicts; The right and
responsibility of the U.S. and the world to
intervene; and Rebels—freedom fighters
or extremists. Our class will explore past
and present, the intricacies of the people
and culture of the Middle East and North
Africa, in order to try to understand the
conflicts raging in this embattled area.
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Retired public school teacher and Academy
Board President Sherma Erholm holds a
Master’s in Communication Theory and
Psychology. As a learning junkie, she has
facilitated adult courses in such diverse subjects
as futurism, Egypt, Iran, evolution, and the U.N.
Get a guided tour of a hypothetical
murder case. Explore the constitutional
and legal concepts involved in criminal
law and procedure. Discuss the Fourth
Amendment (search and seizure), Fifth
Amendment (self-incrimination, due
process, double jeopardy), Sixth
Amendment (right to counsel), and the
Eighth Amendment (cruel and unusual
punishment). Learn legal concepts such
as conspiracy and attempt, and
evidentiary questions, such as hearsay
and the use of forensic evidence.
Judge Steven Bernard served as a prosecutor
for 28 years and now presides on the Colorado
Court of Appeals, getting up-close and personal
with the Constitution.
Invite a friend to register for
your class. What a nice way
to spend a day!
Think again about challenging
contemporary issues from local experts,
who are well informed and hold opinions
on each week’s specific topic:
Separation of church and state, elections
and voting rights related to the
Fourteenth Amendment, a gender
perspective on the Middle East, views on
capital punishment, issues in our
changing public schools and their impact
on Academy members, and hate crimes
five years after the passage of the
Shepard-Byrd Hate Crimes Prevention
Act. All classes will include presentation
and discussion. These compelling issues
will make for good conversation and are
sure to generate new information, ideas
and perhaps new realities.
Rosalie Goldman, a semi-retired special
education teacher and community volunteer, has
a life-long interest in current events,
especially civil and human rights.
Ghandi stated: “An eye for an eye only
ends up making the whole world blind.”
Use both of your eyes to look deeper
than the headlines we are subjected to
every time we hear about the most
current world crisis. Deconstruct the
elements that create and maintain
prejudice, discover what it takes to move
emotion into action, debunk old myths,
explore unintended consequences for
both victims and perpetrators, and learn
about the positive advances that bode
well for our future from both institutions
and individuals. We will learn more
about our own responses to culturally
accepted ideas and beliefs at
the beginning of the term. At the end we
will have an opportunity to evaluate if
what we have learned has changed our
ways of reacting.
Required Reading: Zak Ebrahim, The Terrorist’s
Son: A Story of Choice, (Simon & Schuster/
TED) 2014.
Sheila Porter, PhD, has been called the
Academy’s patron saint of solemn subjects
because of her interest in the “darker” human
emotions. She combines an art history degree
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with over 30 years’ experience as a clinical and
forensic psychologist. Sheila chairs the
Academy’s Curriculum Committee and volunteers
with projects in Cambodia and Africa.
Recommended Reading:
http://ourcourtscolorado.org/
Author, teacher, and educator, Dr. Ellie
Greenberg developed and led University Without
Walls in the 1970s, the start of a 40-year career
in providing “access to opportunity” for adults.
The Our Courts program has won national
awards and has been presented to about 14,500
Coloradans.
page chapter in the Great Decisions
Briefing Book places the issues in
historical context and provides
background, current policies, and
alternative options. Discussion questions,
annotated reading suggestions, and
resources, including websites, are
provided. Videos featuring renowned
experts in the field provide additional
food for thought. Registration is required
by Feb. 1, so books may be sent.
Required Reading: Great Decisions Briefing
Book, which will be distributed in advance.
If what you know about our judicial
system depends largely on the media
coverage of sensational cases, you are in
for an eye-opener. Taught by attorneys
and judges with first-hand courtroom
experience, this course was designed by
the Colorado Bar Association and the
Colorado Judicial Institute’s Our Courts
program to explain how State and
Federal courts actually work—and how
judicial procedures help keep the law fair
and impartial. Topics include: The
selection and evaluation of federal and
state judges, differences between
practices followed in criminal and civil
cases, bankruptcy basics, divorce and
family law, our rapidly changing
immigration law, and how Abraham
Lincoln’s commitment to equality and
liberty transformed our system.
Sara Marsden became interested in world affairs
through her mother Catherine’s dynamic world
view. She studied at the University of Colorado
and received Masters degrees from CSU and
UCLA. Her interest resulted in a two-year stint in
the Peace Corps in the Phillipines.
The Great Decisions Discussion Groups
are part of a nationwide program
developed by the Foreign Policy
Association. Each year, thousands of
Americans discuss and formulate their
opinions on eight vital foreign policy
issues. The 2015 topics include: Russia
and the Near Abroad, Privacy in the
Digital Age, Sectarianism in the Middle
East, India Changes Course, US Policy
Toward Africa, Syria’s Refugee Crisis,
Human Trafficking in the 21st Century,
and Brazil’s Metamorphosis. Each 15-
Our economic recovery from the 2008
credit contraction and recession has
been the slowest of the past half century,
causing prolonged human suffering. The
Federal Reserve Board estimates that
our slower-than-expected recovery has
already cost over $17 trillion in foregone
national income and has doubled our
national debt. The standard fiscal and
monetary responses have not worked,
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causing some to suggest that the causes
are structural and secular rather than
cyclical. Revisit and update what we
learned in class in fall 2013, when we
examined Northwestern University
Professor Robert Gordon’s provocative
theories. New to the hot seat will be
Harvard Professor Larry Summers’
contested 21st century version of Alvin
Hansen’s secular stagnation theory.
Critical Econ devotees and newcomers
alike will enjoy the clear and interesting
explanations.
After a career in financial management, Jim
Kneser has turned his attention to educating
adults about the workings of complicated
economic principles in the real world. In the past
seventeen years he’s taught courses in
microeconomics, macroeconomics, globalization
and public policy to over 5,000 participants in
over 60 courses.
Since its launch almost 19 years ago, the
Hubble space telescope has brought
visions of space and better
understanding of our universe into our
living rooms. About 2018, as Hubble
continues, its far infrared successor, the
James Webb Space Telescope (JWST)
will be launched. Learn about the
research and engineering that went into
developing this giant leap in technology,
which will provide 100-fold improvement
in our views and allows for the study of
the earliest structure and evolution of the
visible universe. Lectures include an intro
to beginner’s physics and astronomy
concepts, and examples and discussion
on how the JWST technology will
contribute to our knowledge about the
origins of the universe, including Big
Bang/first light, galaxy formation and
solar system development.
Required Reading: Search for popular articles
on your favorite internet search engine with the
words, "James Webb Space Telescope."
Recommended Reading:
Before the Beginning, Martin Rees, Persus
Books, 1997.
Jim Eraker received a Ph.D. in Physics at the
University of Chicago in experimental
astrophysics in 1981, where he studied with
astrophysicists Chandrasekhar, Parker, Schramm
and Simpson. He recently completed a 25-year
career as a Ball Staff Consultant, where he
provided technical leadership to design, build,
and test the ultra-cold electronics for the JWST.
Here in Colorado, we are fortunate to
have a premier medical research
institution in our backyard: Anschutz
Medical Campus. Join us as these
researchers present some of the exciting
research that is happening in our own
neighborhood. Talks will cover stem cell
and regenerative medicine, updates on
cancer research, research on Aging and
Exercise, and more. Try your hand at
CPR or simulated surgery when the class
visits the medical state-of-the-art WELLS
Simulation Center.
Dr. Woody Emlen was Professor of Medicine
and Immunology at University of Washington and
CU Health Sciences Center with a practice in
Internal Medicine and Rheumatology. From 2004
to 2011 he co-founded and ran his own Denverbased biotechnology company.
From Anschutz Medical Campus: Dr. Andrew
Thorburn, Professor of Cancer Research;
Patrick Gaines, Executive Director, Gates
Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell
Biology; Dr. Christina Aquilante, Associate
Professor of Personalized Medicine and
Pharmacogenomics; Dr. Tai Lockspeiser,
Assistant Professor doing research in Medical
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Education; Veronica Baiamonte, Coordinator of
the WELLS Simulation Center; and Dr. Wendy
Kohrt, Professor of Geriatric Medicine.
If neutrinos, a fundamental component of
matter, did not exist, the sun would not
shine, and we would not be here. While
billions of them pass through every
square inch of our bodies every second,
they are hard to find and study. These
elusive particles have been known since
1930, but poorly understood until
recently, studied today through exotic
experiments in Antarctica, deep gold
mines, and the Mediterranean Sea. The
science around neutrinos is at the
forefront of particle physics research and
dark matter. Two Americans earned
Nobel Prizes for their work, but others
aren’t so revered—one defected and the
other disappeared. The final week of
class includes guest speaker Prof. Alysia
Marino from CU, Boulder.
Required Reading: Ray Jayawardhana, Neutrino
Hunters -The Thrilling Chase for a Ghostly
Particle to Unlock the Secrets of the
Universe (Scientific American/FSG, New York),
2013.
Recommended Reading: Christine Sutton,
Spaceship Neutrino, (Cambridge), 1992.
After 30 years in technical sales and support in
the computer industry, John Anderson resumed
an undergraduate interest in physics and the
history of science in retirement and has taught
several science based courses at the Academy.
Recent research breakthoughs make a
compelling case for the power of optimal
nutrition to reduce the risk of numerous
diseases and enhance the quality and
length of our lives. But there are many
areas of controversy. This course will
present data summaries and expert
opinion on both sides of major issues.
We will cover macronutrients
(carbohydrates, fats and proteins) and
micronutrients (vitamins, minerals,
antioxidants, etc.). The science
presented will be clearly explained and
illustrated by examples of familiar
products. Many resources for further
study will be offered.
Richard Pflugfelder has a Ph.D. in Food
Science and a passionate interest in nutrition and
related health issues.
This is a repeat and update of last term’s
class, guided by our very own physics
and astronomy expert. We’ll explore
various aspects of this complex and often
controversial topic, such as the causes of
global warming (some say population
and affluence might be underlying
factors) and how to mitigate its effects.
We will look at the geological record;
enjoy images from space; explore the
arguments made by skeptics; and learn
lessons from our two closest planetary
neighbors, Mars and Venus. A highlight
will be a visit to the National Ice Core
Laboratory at the Denver Federal Center.
Dr. Jonathan Ormes is a Physics Research
Professor at DU. He was the Director of Space
Sciences at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight
Center. His research career involved studies of
the origin and characteristics of the relativistic
particles that pervade our galaxy.
Academy Course Leaders are enthusiastic volunteers who research and present
courses on topics of great interest to them. The materials and opinions they and
their guest speakers present are their own and not necessarily those of the
Academy for Lifelong Learning.
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Fieger, Psychiatry; Dr. Bob Contiguglia,
Nephrology; and Dr. Michael Schiff, Arthritis.
Hear from a different physician specialist
each week to explore the effects of aging
on the body and for an overview of
medical issues relevant to our population.
Areas to be covered this semester
include: General Geriatric medical
issues, Arthritis, Psychiatry,
Dermatology, Cardiology/Exercise, and
Ophthalmology. This course is not
intended to address individuals’ medical
problems or provide specific medical
advice, but to cover relevant, interesting
and timely topics in the medical field.
Dr. Woody Emlen was Professor of Medicine
and Immunology at University of Washington and
CU Health Sciences Center with a practice in
Internal Medicine and Rheumatology. From 2004
to 2011, he co-founded his own Denver-based
biotechnology company. Now retired from a
career in teaching and medical practice, Dr.
George Ho, Jr. focused his special expertise on
the areas of internal medicine, arthritis treatment
and palliative end-of-life care.
Speakers are practicing physicians from the
greater Denver area and include Dr. John Scott,
Geriatrics; Dr. Meg Lemon, Dermatology; Dr.
Joel Goldsmith, Ophthalmology; Dr. Alan
We will all die one day, but we need not
make a graceless exit. Instead, we can
prepare for death in a personalized and
unique way, by developing our own
sense of what end-of-life can and should
look like, and sharing those decisions
with our family and friends. We’ll consider
the options we have, the choices we face
and the wishes we want to pass on. This
is not a “how-to” course or a substitute
for medical or legal advice. It’s an
opportunity to appreciate the nuances of
the dying process, to consider the
difficulties surrounding end-of-life issues,
and to develop new perspectives by
sharing our concerns in a safe setting.
Required Reading: End-of-Life Notebook.
Now retired from a career in teaching and
medical practice, Dr. George Ho, Jr. focused his
special expertise on the areas of internal
medicine, arthritis treatment and palliative end-oflife care.
This class is a continuation of Fall 2014’s
History of American Religion (but you
need not have attended to register for
this one). We will review religion from
1865 to the present. Issues examined
include the rise of health-oriented
religious groups, the social gospel, mass
immigration of Catholics, Jews and now
Moslems, and the religious impact of the
‘50s and ‘60s. We will look into the
present-day, post-denominational mega
churches, influences of Eastern
spirituality, and the rise of women to
leadership positions in religious life.
Recommended Reading: Martin Marty, Pilgrims
in their Own Land, (Penguin 1984).
Ted Stainman earned a master’s in Hebrew
Letters from the Hebrew Union College, NYC,
and attended the Hebrew University in
Jerusalem, Israel 1964-65 as a special overseas
student. He taught American Religion, at Wesley
College after retirement from 23 years as an Air
Force chaplain.
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6 Wednesdays, Feb. 25-April 1
10-noon
$50
Reading, Discussion
I think that I shall never see/A poem
lovely as a tree… But what is poetry? Are
there “right” and “wrong” interpretations
of poems? Does a poem mean whatever
a reader wants it to mean? Why are
“great” poems (the ones you read in
English classes) “great?” Why did the
poet Ezra Pound say “poets are the
antennae of the race?” Ponder these
questions that philosophers, critics, and
readers of poetry have asked—ever
since Aristotle’s Poetics. Read, discuss,
and debate different poetic art works.
Bring your sense of humor and
communality to this class, which will
deepen and broaden your appreciation of
this often misunderstood, undervalued,
and mistaught form of expression.
After earning advanced degrees in literature, Dr.
Rex Brown taught at the University of Iowa,
Heidelberg College, and the University of Denver,
from which he retired in 2010. He has a lifelong
interest in literature, philosophy, art and their
intersections in our culture and our lives.
Recommended Reading: Any poetry from any
source.
Haiku is a poetic form deeply rooted in
Japanese culture—but it’s so much more
than 5-7-5. Its exquisite simplicity opens
us to the bright surprise of now. Read
and study the work of haiku masters and
consider haiku’s intimate connection to
nature and the seasons. Each of us will
find our own voice, our own way of
appreciating and writing haiku. Come
prepared to share work (anonymously),
and to read and appreciate the work of
others. This is a repeat course with an
additional facilitator from Spring 2014.
Required reading: Robert Hass, The Essential
Haiku, (The Eco Press), 1994.
Ginny Hoyle’s poems have appeared in literary
journals and been featured in major art exhibits.
She kept a daily haiku journal from 2000 – 2003.
She is a member of Lighthouse Writers
Workshop. Art Elser retired after 20 years as an
Air Force pilot and 30 as a technical writer. His
poetry been published in Owen Wister
Review, High Plains Register, Harp Strings
Poetry Journal, Emerging Voices, The Avocet,
Open Window Review, and A Bird in the Hand:
Risk and Flight. His chapbook, We Leave the
Safety of the Sea, received the Colorado Authors'
League Poetry award for 2014.
As an American author of contemporary horror, suspense, science fiction,
and fantasy, Stephen King’s favorite
book-to-movie adaptations include Stand
By Me and Shawshank Redemption.
Read, discuss and analyze these two
novellas from Stephen King’s short fiction
collection, Different Seasons. Examine
each work’s story line and plot,
symbolism, characters and writing style.
Each story will culminate with a viewing
and discussion of the Academy Award
nominated films Stand By Me, (1986)
and Shawshank Redemption, (1994).
Reguired Reading: Stephen King, Different
Seasons: Shawshank Redemption, Stand by Me,
(Viking Press), 1982.
Paul Turelli, a retired middle school teacher and
administrator from Littleton Public Schools has a
vast interest in literature and history and finds
Stephen King incredibly talented, even beyond
his suspense/fright novels.
You’re invited to our Back-to-School Lecture,
Thursday Feb. 12 , 1-3 p.m. Find out more at
www.academyll.org.
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Whether you’re 19 or 90, you have
stories to tell and wisdom to share. Learn
how to begin compiling a collection of
your life experiences to share with friends
and family—or simply to read later at
leisure. Spark your memory with
innovative and engaging activities
designed to bring to mind long-forgotten
scenes from your past and to help you
start getting them down on paper. Pick
up your pen and open a new chapter on
your life in the supportive atmosphere of
this popular class. Limited to 13
participants. This is a repeat of a Fall
2014 workshop and earlier courses.
Kathy Boyer, a retired teacher, has conducted
Life Stories workshops for libraries, summer
camps, churches, community centers, and the
Academy. She offers inspiration and ideas to
people who want to begin a written collection of
their own short stories.
“Anyone who physically and emotionally
outlasts childhood has something to write
about forever,” offers author Lou Willett
Stanek. You’ll agree once you discover
the rich vein of topics in your past and
experience the joy of preserving these
treasured tales. We’ll share and
encourage each other in class and tackle
some writing at home. Reading your
stories aloud will prove a powerful
affirmation, and listening to others as
they share theirs is an effective way to
improve your own writing. Join this group,
capped at 12, to learn how to transform
your cherished memories into memoirs.
Recommended reading: Lou Willett Stanek,
Writing Your Life (Collins) 1996, and Frank
Thomas, How to Write the Story of Your Life
(Writers’ Digest Books), 1989.
you will appreciate the artistry that goes
into the creation of the short prose found
in The Best American Short Stories 2012,
edited by Tom Perrotta. Each week, the
class examines one or two memorable
stories, teasing out the meanings of each
story and building a greater understanding of the short story as an art form.
Because the short stories are written by
contemporary authors, their subject
matter and dilemmas cannot fail to stir
great questions and evoke new insights
about the world in which we live.
Required Reading: Tom Perrotta, ed., The Best
American Short Stories 2012, (Mariner Books)
2012.
Dr. Paulette Wasserstein, career teacher of
English and education consultant, loves the
exchange of ideas and sharing “a good read.”
Patricia Cox has taught writing for the Denver
Public Schools and Cherry Creek School District.
She has published three books, the most recent
is I'm Sorry...What Was the Question?
Explore fascinating stories with
scintillating participation-friendly
discussions. If you love great literature,
Everyone knows Rossini as the
composer of The Barber of Seville and
the William Tell overture, but he wrote 39
operas in all! Some of his little-known
works are having a renaissance because
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of great singers like Juan Diego
Flórez and Joyce DiDonato. For the first
time in its history, the Metropolitan Opera
will broadcast a live performance in
movie theaters of Rossini’s La Donna del
Lago, based on Sir Walter Scott’s
poem The Lady of the Lake. Prepare for
the screening on March 14 with a short
overview of the history of opera, with
emphasis on the Italian opera business
in the 19th century, and the influence of
Rossini, bel canto, and La Donna del
Lago. Learn about the importance of
Romanticism in Scott’s poem and the
opera, and compare different
performances. Opera neophytes and
superfans are welcome.
There are no formal plans for class members to
attend the performance, but they can see it in
several movie theaters in Colorado, including the
Greenwood Plaza theatres at 10:55 a.m. on
March 14, with a repeat scheduled on March 18
at 6:30 p.m. in most venues.
Linda Bjelland retired from a career in software
development for the travel industry, and is now
enjoying a second career traveling around the
world to see opera. She has seen 13 of Rossini’s
operas. Charles Jernigan is a life-long opera
fan, and particularly a fan of Rossini and bel
canto. He publishes essays and reviews in
“Jernigan’s Opera Journal” in collaboration with
Colorado’s Opera Pronto, www.operapronto.info.
Classes meet at
Orchard Road Christian Center
8081 E. Orchard Rd.
(just west of I-25)
Hear a lot of great singing and enjoy an
introduction to a wider range of 20th
Century performers, some of whom
added realism to the opera stage, faced
the challenges of racial or religious
discrimination, and used personal charm,
determination, and strength of will to
overcome all barriers to success. While
you may have missed the original Great
Voices in Opera class, Caruso through
Callas, last semester, you are welcomed
and encouraged to start learning about
this cultural art form now.
Don Culp was in sales and sales management
and also managed The Magic Castle in
Hollywood. He has studied singers and the art of
singing since 1970.
Jazz has always owed its vitality to many
more Greats than the household names
like Armstrong, Goodman, Miller etc. This
class profiles influential musicians who
played, recorded and wrote in exciting
new ways, moving this unique music
forward throughout the century of its
existence. Come hear and watch players
in action, while learning what their music
was all about and how their careers
intersected. Tapping toes and snapping
fingers are welcome!
Lorenz Rychner worked as a professional
musician in Australia for 15 years before moving
to LA to study orchestration and conducting and
head the music synthesis program at the Grove
School of Music.
The origins of the Baroque Period began
with Gioseffo Zarlino, who categorized
and formulated major and minor scales.
Class lecture topics include early opera,
vocal chamber music, the establishment
of the Baroque keyboard and orchestral
suite, and the rise of instrumental music.
Other topics comprise cantata, church
music and oratorio, and the great
musicianship of Rameau, Bach, Vivaldi,
Alessandro Scarlatti, Domenico Scarlatti,
Handel and more.
Concert pianist Robin McNeil taught at the
University of Illinois and the University of South
Dakota, in addition to serving as executive
director of the Denver Philharmonic Orchestra.
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Sheila Porter, PhD, combines an art history
degree with over 30 years’ experience as a
clinical and forensic psychologist. Sheila chairs
the Academy’s Curriculum Committee and
volunteers with projects in Cambodia and Africa.
Bebe Telles is a proud native Texan now living in
Colorado because she loves the climate. Her
husband’s career as a geophysicist for a major oil
company gave them the opportunity to live in the
Connecticut/NY area, Denver and Lima, Peru.
Bebe has found various occupations and
volunteer opportunities to satisfy her personally
and professionally with every move.
Join us and be let in on the secrets and
talents from the local arts scene.
Speakers from various groups will
present their efforts to keep the arts alive,
fresh, and responsive to the interests of
the ever-changing Denver demographic.
If we are lucky, a mini performance or
two might happen.
The list of topics includes the answers to
the following questions:
Do you know:
-Denver has multiple cross-cultural
theater groups?
-The Colorado Ballet and the DAM have
programs for several special-needs
groups?
-How the RiNo (River North) district and
its gallery world came into being?
-About the Museo de Las Americas or
the theater group Phamaly?
-Denver has a nonprofit group of
business leaders that look at the impact
of the arts on the economics of the
community?
Holland in the 17th century was home to
a remarkable concentration of artistic
talent and accomplishment. To this day,
these compelling pictures take our breath
away--an unrivaled heritage of images of
Dutch life that continue to grace many
museums. Why are our eyes
mesmerized by the glistening stream
issuing from the pitcher in Vermeer's The
Milkmaid? How does our understanding
deepen when we look at the revealing
details of his Woman Holding a Balance?
Dutch Masters, Part 2: Unrivaled
Heritage, is the second part of a threecourse series that features a DVD and
lecture about Dutch artists Jan Steen
Pieter de Hooch and Johannes Vermeer
and Dutch still life and landscape
painting. The first week of this course will
serve as a review for past and new
members.
After living in Washington, DC, for over 30 years
and teaching high school modern world history,
Dr. Billie Day received a Fullbright-Hays
scholarship to the Netherlands to study the art,
history, and culture of that country. She has a
PhD in education from New York University.
This hands-on course will take you stepby-step through a process that will unlock
your ability to draw anything, accurately.
In a class filled with fun and laughter,
you’ll discover a way of seeing that will
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surprise you in its simplicity. Your
instructor is an artist who has taught
thousands over the past 20 years and
can still state, “I have never met anyone
who can’t learn to draw.” As he attests,
it’s great to travel to new places to be
inspired, but even greater to find the
endless inspiration of seeing your same
old place with new eyes. If you can sign
your name, you have the capacity to
draw as well as Rembrandt.
Chuck Ceraso has been teaching at the Denver
Art Museum for the past 16 years, and is now
teaching at The Art Students League of Denver
and at his studio in Lafayette, Colo. He recently
completed the book, The Art of Color Seeing.
For those who may have missed DAM’s,
“Brilliant-Cartier in the 20th Century,” you
can purchase an optional ticket for just
the first date of DAM Great Art or just
enjoy the rest of the four classes as a
stand-alone class this semester. Both the
DAM curator Donna Pierce, and the
conservator, Gina Laurant, join us for the
exhibition "Glitterati" to guide us through
portraits, furniture and jewelry drawn
from the DAM's world-renowned Spanish
Colonial collection. We'll also see Asian
silk robes, Native American beaded
adornment, jewelry and clothing in the
British portraits, sparkling Pre-Columbian
gold, and one of the most exquisite
Tibetan art forms, DAM's unique sand
mandala, all are considered artistic
"gems" in the collection. Also included is
the special exhibition "Miro-The
Experience of Seeing" with Master
Teacher Danielle Stevens.
If Academy members show as much
enthusiasm for this course as in the past,
our generous course leaders have
agreed to put on a repeat session this
term. Get the same four sessions as
above (without Brilliant), and just as
much beauty and fun. Timing will be
determined by the amount of sign-ups.
Art Lovers Extraordinaire: Long-time art
enthusiast Joanne Mendes retired from a career
spent organizing programs in art history in
London and at the DAM. The DAM’s Academy
liaison, Marty Corren, joined the museum as a
volunteer in 2006 and recently received the Cile
Bach Award for outstanding work as a DAM
docent.
Tailored to fit beginners as well as those
with “un poquito de” previous Spanish
language experience, this class will
include the most basic vocabulary,
sentence structures and phrases
essential for travel and casual
conversation. Will you become fluent in
six weeks? No, but you will have fun! The
Academy’s spring term has three
Spanish courses so that you can gain
greater confidence in this musical and
increasingly important language. Class is
limited to 18. Is this class a fit? Llámame
at (303) 912-9988.
Required Reading: Participants must buy their
own book: Dorothy Richmond, Practice Makes
Perfect Spanish Verb Tenses, (McGraw-Hill),
2010. It’s usually under $15.
Susan Blake-Smith grew up in Mexico City and
enjoys sharing her love of the Mexican language,
history and culture. She spent her career in the
travel industry and logged many hours as a
community volunteer.
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year, former director of an English-as-a-secondlanguage school in Mexico City, she’s excited
about working with adults who want to learn.
The Beginning/Intermediate class is for those
who have taken some Spanish, but want to
"brush up" on grammar and vocabulary and
keep building conversational skills. Gain
greater confidence in this musical and
increasingly important language. Participants
should be comfortable with the present
tense, familiar with the past tenses and ready
to sharpen their communication skills through
reading, speaking and listening. Class is
limited to 14. Is this class a fit? Llámame at
(303) 399-8241.
Required Reading: Participants must buy their
own book: Dorothy Richmond, Practice Makes
Perfect Spanish Verb Tenses, (McGraw-Hill),
2010. It’s usually under $15.
An educator for 35 years, Dr. Linda Gordon
retired from being a school principal. As the 10-
Academy Course Leaders
Our course leaders are
enthusiastic volunteers who
research and present courses on
topics of great interest to them.
The materials and opinions they
and their guest speakers present
are their own and not necessarily
those of the Academy for Lifelong
Learning.
¡Continuamos la conversación! The class will
be conducted primarily in Spanish, with
pauses to look at some important grammar.
Themed conversations will build vocabulary
and the confidence to speak in complete
sentences in real-life situations. Si tú puedes
pedir una margarita, describir las cosas que
más te gustan, y preguntar como llegar al
museo and want to dust it off and trot it out—
and have a lot of fun doing it—esta es la
clase para ti. Limited to 12 participants. To
see if this class is a fit for you llámame at
(303) 708-9716. Unlike the other Spanish
classes, this one will run for eight weeks.
Required Reading: Participants must buy their
own book: Dorothy Richmond, Practice Makes
Perfect Spanish Verb Tenses, (McGraw-Hill),
2010. It’s usually under $15.
Sandy Stolar taught Spanish for 25 years in
middle school, high school and community
college. She has traveled extensively in Mexico,
Spain and South America.
Global and personal economic storms
are hard to avoid but you can improve
your chances of survival. Use current,
practical tools to audit your own financial
situation and perform exercises to help
you improve results. Get the basics, but
also delve into advanced money
management techniques about the
psychology of money, cash flow, inflation,
investing and safe withdrawal rates.
Evaluate and establish medical and
financial directives and communicate
your end-of-life plans in case of cognitive
decline. Remember what Will Rogers
said: “Even though you’re on the right
track, you’ll get run over if you just sit
there.”
®,
Eileen Sharkey, CFP has a practical and global
view of finance and an easy-to-understand
approach to the changing principles of money
management. In 2010, Wealth Manager honored
her as one of the nation’s 50 most influential
women in finance.
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There are hundreds of choices when it
comes to phones. What features should
you look for that fits you and your
lifestyle? We will discuss flip phones,
iPhones, Samsung and Android-based
phones. We will also discuss cell phone
company options.
This is a free class even if you are not
signed up for the entire Tech Series.
Scott will go over basic computer
terminology and troubleshooting your
equipment, and talk about when to buy a
new computer and when to fix one. Then,
he will spend the last 30 minutes
highlighting what will be covered in the
other classes this semester.
How to use Facebook to keep in touch
with your friends and family on your
computer or smartphone!
Now where did I put that file? Demystify
attachments from emails and downloads.
Learn where to put them so you can find
them easily. Then, see how Dropbox.com
works to share files between other
people and even your phone for free.
Bring the outside world into your home
easily! Pandora lets you play music from
millions of songs for free. Skype lets you
see your family and friends with a
webcam. Amazon lets you shop
hundreds of stores for a single product in
seconds.
Bring any question and have Scott
answer in lecture format in front of the
class. Bring your phone, laptop or
gadget, and another teacher will help you
with small questions up to 10 minutes in
another part of the room!
.
The title says it all. You bought it. Now,
what can you do with it? Bring your
iPhone for this informative class on how
to get started with the iPhone and its
features!
The title says it all. You bought it. Now,
what can you do with it? Bring your iPad
for this informative class on how to get
started with the iPad and its features!
Onsite Consulting owner, Scott Henke, has been
a consultant for 32 years. His company, Onsite
Consulting, offers PC consulting, network
troubleshooting, repair, virus and
spyware solutions, free off-site backup, remote
emergency help and many other computer
services. The company received the Business of
the Year Award. He is available for free advice
via email [email protected]
Make the most of the cards you’re
dealt—a continuation from Fall 2014.
Review techniques covered last fall, and
then examine more techniques for
playing the cards as described in the
second half of the book. Each session
will include one hour of lecture, followed
by one hour of playing pre-set hands,
with numerous opportunities to decide
which techniques are the most
appropriate and effective. Weekly
reading is required. Advanced beginners
and intermediate players are welcome.
This is NOT a class for NEVER-EVERS.
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Required Reading: Audrey Grant, Play of the
Hand in the 21st Century, (American Contract
Bridge League), 2007.
camera that he used back then. He is now doing
digital work and has two film scanners so he can
use pictures taken in the past. He has selfpublished two of his own books.
Everyone’s favorite bridge instructor, Sally
Kneser takes her passion for bridge to the
classroom with humor, patience and clarity. She
is a member of two book clubs, a grandma and
the former Director of The Academy.
and prevention and understand the deep
need for supporting research so that in
the future we can prevent these
outbreaks before they happen!
Virologist Dr. Eric Poeschla, formerly of the
Mayo Clinic and now Head of the Division of
Infectious Diseases at CU's School of Medicine
and epidemiologist Dr. Michelle Barron, Medical
Director of Infection, Control and Prevention, at
the University of Colorado Hospital.
A great morning outing for you and a
friend! Find out more about classes from
various course leaders, hear
presentations, grab a bite and learn to
print your registration form on the
computer. NO RSVP necessary.
Had a Kodak (or iPhone) moment
lately? Take good pictures, from your first
look through a viewfinder to the final
printed image. Discuss basic theory and
technical aspects of photography, and
learn how to use a camera properly, tell a
story visually, and edit and print pictures
so they reflect what you see in your
mind’s eye. Participants will take photos
prior to the start of class and each week
thereafter, which will be gently critiqued.
Recommended Reading: Jay Dickman and Jay
Kinghorn, eds., National Geographic Complete
Photography and Perfect Digital Photography
(National Geographic) 2011.
Bob Adelstein, a licensed psychotherapist in
private practice, has been taking pictures since
he was 12 years old and still owns the box
Finished?
Is a “new normal” of scary infections
upon us? Ebola - the disease, the
science, the epidemic and the challenges
it presents to the health care system.
Get the facts on how Ebola causes
disease, where it comes from, how
epidemics are managed, the value of
quarantines, updates on Ebola treatment
Now share the course descriptions
with a friend or neighbor— you’ll
both be glad you did!
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