The continuing education training network will open an adult leisure learning center in the spring targeting people age 50 and older.
For a $75 quarterly fee, participants can attend an unlimited variety of workshops and classes based on availability.
The center is modeled after Northeast Independent School District’s popular Academy for Learning In Retirement.
According to the school district’s Web site, the adult learning program was established in 1991 by Dr. John Lane. It was originally an extension of the University of Texas at San Antonio, but 15 years later, was welcomed to NEISD after learning it would lose its home.
The academy has more than 500 enrolled with 65 volunteer instructors.
Anelia Luna, the general education skills center program manager, visited the ALIR center and was impressed with how it was organized.
She said that ALIR members advised in the planning of the center here.
“They have a better frame of reference of how that center is run,” Luna said.
The ALLC will be located at the continuing education annex in the portable building, between Lewis Street and Belknap Place on West Dewey Place.
The center is still in the planning stage, but Luna said the classes will be offered two or three days a week from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. with a social lunch hour in between two class sessions.
“The ALLC will provide a multitude of seniors to gather and acquire exposure to multiple facets of enhanced learning,” Steven Sparks, continuing education director of operations, said.
Luna said she has instructors already signing up, such as a local gardener who wants to teach others his passion for gardening, a woman who wants to teach line dancing and even a Turkish group interested in setting up a seminar.
Other activities such as poetry reading, arts, crafts and a workshop on “How to Navigate Medicaid” will be offered.
“We have a lot of resources we can draw on in the community,” Sparks said.
The enrollment fee will pay for speaker stipends, registration, materials and even coffee for the community coffeepot.
Luna said they will have a fridge and so they can bring brown bag lunches.
“It doesn’t matter what kind of education you have,” Luna said, “as long as you are inquisitive.”
She said the center would be a place just for seniors. They can attend the workshops and classes and feel proud about it.
“It’s not just coming to classes; it’s getting to know people that they wouldn’t otherwise get to know.”
She remembers teaching an ESL class in which monolingual Spanish-speaking women complained that they couldn’t get out of babysitting grandchildren. She said they didn’t want to miss the class.
Others have nowhere to go, she said. One retiree of the college, who’s excited about the center, said she has no hobbies unless you count grocery shopping.
Although she admitted some might be overwhelmed by the parking traffic here, she thinks that the people who do come will feel better about being retired.
There will be a meeting at 2 p.m. Wednesday in Room 305 of Fletcher Administration Center for volunteers interested in helping to launch the center.
Luna said she is inviting retirees and hopes to organize an advisory board.
Call Luna for more information at 486-0413 or go to her office in Room 305 of Fletcher.
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