Classes for Older Adults   

 In what could be the most enlightening webinar you’ve ever taken, our instructor and professional voice coach will show you how you can actually begin using your speaking voice for commercials, films, videos, and more. Most people go about it the wrong way. In this introductory class, you will learn about a unique, outside the box way to break into this creative, fulfilling, and potentially lucrative industry. Voice-overs can be managed on your own terms, on your own turf, in your own time, and with minimal overhead!  Age range: 18+

Join Jennifer Thaete, Estate Planning and Probate Attorney, as she reviews and discusses the primary legal documents most commonly used in creating an estate plan including: Trusts, Wills, Financial and Health Care Powers of Attorney; She will cover the Pros and Cons of these options; and a general overview of Probate and Conservatorship will be discussed in concert with the above.  All information is in plain English, and handouts will be provided. 

Age range: 18+

Are you interested in taking the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT), living or studying in Japan, or working in the animation and gaming industry? This class is for the academically inclined individual not afraid to take a deep dive into the complicated world of Japanese grammar, reading, and writing. We will cover both hiragana, katakana, and an introduction to Kanji. Let’s study Japanese!    

Instructor Belardino: The instructor is half Japanese, lived in Japan for almost twenty years, is credentialed, and is a certificated language teacher. She is also a member of the American Association of Teachers Japanese and the California Association of Japanese Language Teachers.    

Required Book: GENKI 1 Textbook and Workbook 3rd Edition 

The textbook introduces the Japanese language in a manner that is extremely easy to understand. If you have any sort of disability, please let the instructor know, and she will be more than happy to accommodate your needs.

Age range: 13+

Please note: This is a live remote class. You will meet on zoom during the scheduled days and times. The instructor will email the zoom link and important information before the first class meeting. Any sort of recording, either via Zoom or third party software, is strictly prohibited for this course. Thank you for your understanding. Her goal is to transform the “remote” environment into a safe, engaging, space where students can freely ask questions, and have an enjoyable learning experience. She does request that all students who sign up for her classes turn their cameras on to optimize the virtual learning experience.

Discover the rich natural and cultural heritage of the East Bay Hills and Mount Diablo Range in this California Naturalist course. Through a blend of online classes with guest lectures, and in-person field trips, participants explore the region’s diverse habitats—from oak woodlands and chaparral to serpentine grasslands—while learning about its geology, ecology, and deep cultural significance to Indigenous peoples. Participants who complete the course are certified as UC California Naturalists and are eligible for 4 undergraduate units through UC Davis.   

Within the framework of the UC Environmental Stewards, this course combines science, service and place-based learning.

You will engage in:

• Science curriculum exploring the geology, soils, hydrology, vegetation communities and wildlife of the East Bay Hills and Mount Diablo;

• Field trips and hands-on investigation at local natural areas in the East Bay hills and Mount Diablo to directly observe and document ecological patterns;

• Guest lectures and community science projects that link you to ongoing conservation, restoration and citizen-science efforts in the region;

• Project-based learning that empowers you to design or participate in stewardship activities—whether monitoring a sensitive species, mapping habitat change, or assisting a local land-trust initiative.
   

By the end of the course, you will not only have gained a strong foundation in the natural history and ecology of this unique California landscape, but you will also be prepared to take an active role in natural resource conservation, education, and restoration.

Age range: 14+