NOTE: The Kingsport Alliance for Continued Learning spring classes described in this news release have been cancelled due to the new coronavirus.
KINGSPORT (March 11, 2020) – Beginning Tuesday, March 17, the Kingsport Alliance for Continued Learning (KACL) will offer a series of informal classes this spring through a partnership with East Tennessee State University at Kingsport.
The non-credit courses with no homework, grades or tests are open to anyone. Classes will continue through Friday, April 24, and most will be held at the Kingsport Center for Higher Education, 300 W. Market St., aside from three field trips. The cost of participation is $25, which covers all regular classes for the spring 2020 term. Some events, such as field trips, require additional fees. Those not familiar with KACL may attend any one class free of charge.
The spring series kicks off March 17 at 10 a.m. Dr. Bethany Flora, president of Northeast State Community College, will discuss the role of Northeast State in the region and its relationship with local institutions. Coffee and muffins will be available at 9:30 a.m. before class begins.
The Tuesday lecture lineup continues with lectures focusing on travel and photography, such as “Exploring Alaska” with Belinda Bridwell on March 24 and “Exploring Ireland” with Dr. Ron Zucker on March 31. Other lectures will explore philosophy and psychology. Russell Miles, president of Appalachian Dharma and Meditation Center, will share a brief history of meditation and Buddhism and explain different types of meditation on April 14. On April 21, Angie Hyche, professional organizer and owner of Shipshape Solutions, will present “Living Clutter-Free.”
Wednesday morning classes start March 25 at 10 a.m. with “The Sound of Hope: Music as Solace, Resistance and Salvation in the Camps of Auschwitz and Terezín” by Dr. Kellie Brown, chair of the Department of Music at Milligan College. Brown will share how the Nazis formed slave orchestras in concentration camps that served to demoralize prisoners or entertain the SS at their request. She will also play some of the music passed down from the orchestras. Another noteworthy class is “Appalachian Poetry and Prose – The Path to Publication” presented by Rita Quillen, retired associate professor of English at ETSU, on April 1.
Wednesday afternoon courses begin March 18 at 1:30 p.m. and will cover international issues and interests in “Great Decisions,” a program co-sponsored by the Kingsport Public Library. These courses will continue through April 22 covering such topics as climate change, artificial intelligence, India and Pakistan, modern slavery and human trafficking, and more. A $22 information manual (not included in the KACL membership fee) is required for these lectures and can be purchased at the library with registration.
Thursday morning classes April 2-23 will focus on a series on historic tragedies called “What You Don’t Know Can Kill You” led by Leslie Lynch, retired trial attorney. Afternoon programs begin at 1:30 p.m. On April 9, Dr. Aruna Kilaru, an associate professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at ETSU, will give an introduction to synthetic biology and discuss how plants perceive and respond to environmental stress.
Friday courses start March 27 at 10 a.m. and cover such topics as “Music and Instruments of the Celtic World” by Tammie Davis and “Erase, Replace and Embrace – Voter Suppression and Apathy in the United States” presented by Dr. Brenda White Wright and Sharon Petke.
KACL will also host three field trips this semester. The first is a tour of the Kingsport Area Transit System (KATS) on Tuesday, April 7, at 9:15 a.m., followed by a tour of the ETSU Department of Appalachian Studies on Friday, April 17, at 9:15 a.m. on main campus. The last field trip of the term will be a play, “Driving Miss Daisy,” at Barter Theatre on Thursday, April 23, at 2 p.m. Tickets are $21 each.
KACL was established in 1993 to provide adults, regardless of educational background or age, opportunities to attend stimulating courses, lectures and special events. To register and pay the $25 participation fee, or for more information, including a full list of spring 2020 classes, call 423-354-5200 or visit www.kingsportlearning.org.
For disability accommodations, call the ETSU at Kingsport Downtown at 423-354-5200.