We need your class feedback!

We are receiving some wonderful feedback about our spring courses, but we need more participation. Your course evaluations help us so much in planning what works and what doesn’t for our members. Please do fill out those survey forms! An email with the survey link is sent to you on the last day of the class. You can also find the evaluation form on your course web page on our website.

The spring semester will wrap up with our last class on May 15. We have continued to offer classes in a variety of formats to include hybrid, virtual, in-person and recorded. Our goal is to make our Encore Learning courses accessible, convenient and enjoyable for all our valued members.

Don’t forget that thirteen courses are being recorded this term and will be available for registered participants to view online until July 31. Check out the list of recorded courses here.

Thank you to our Academic Programs Committee: Tom Adams, Jutta Bauman, Susan Bornstein, Mary Kay Davis, Peter French, Keith Klein, Jeanne LaBella, Catherine McCormick, Geerten Michielse, Ed Rader, Deb Spero and Wendy Swanson for all their hard work putting together a phenomenal selection of Spring courses! Here are just a few snapshots below:

On April 16, Brenda Cox, the church historian at LOMAX AME Zion Church; shared the history and pivotal role of Lomax AME Zion Church in Arlington’s Black community from its founding in the late 19th century to today. Members in the course Roots, Resistance, and Resilience: Black History & Community in Arlington learned about the church’s origins in Green Valley as a spiritual home for newly freed African-Americans, its leading role in Arlington civil rights activism and how the church nurtured leadership, education, and community.

Tessa Klein Harber leads a discussion in Creative Age: Classic vs. Contemporary Plays. Class members read, discuss and analyze one classic and one contemporary play, comparing how each reflects its time and society.

We are fortunate that dedicated improv teacher Steve Pilloff was available to repeat his popular course Never Too Old To Play, An Introduction to Improvisation (Improv). He is also teaching Never Too Old to Play Some More for those more experienced in improv, or those who took his intro course in the Fall. Members gather in a safe, encouraging and supportive environment to play and explore. You’ll be able to witness what they’ve learned at the annual meeting.

Visit Class Web Pages for Zoom Links,

Class Materials and Recordings

All Zoom login information, class locations, class recordings and other class materials, can be found on the Class Page on our website. You do not need to login to your Encore Learning member account to access your class web page. The Class Page link and password is shared in the course reminder email sent two business days prior to the first class session. Please make note of the class page password so you can access all class information. All class sessions use the same Zoom link each week. See the image below that shows where you can find the link to all class pages on the homepage of our website.

We are fortunate to have a wonderful partnership with the Schar School of Policy and Government at GMU. This semester four graduate students at the school, Drew Duggins – Political Warfare and Grey Zone, Stephen Gailliot – Foreign Policy and Iran, Neelam Shukla – AI Regulations vs Innovation and Kimberly Yee-Kwon Ma – Biosecurity 101 kindly volunteered to teach for us.

Please click the title link to read the recent article highlighting this partnership: Students Teaching Students: Schar School Graduate Scholars Step to the Front of the Classroom at Encore Learning.

Pictured right are students in Political Warfare class and instructor Dru Duggins.

Thank you to some Wonderful Encore Learning Members!

Why? It’s April, which is Volunteer Appreciation month, and we have over 150 members who are helping Encore Learning grow, and are having fun at the same time!

If you are newly retired, retired but bored, or just searching for a reason to look forward to the day, volunteering might be a great avenue to explore.

Why Volunteer?

1. Make new friends and explore new activities that really interest you.

2. Learn new skills, increase your confidence and keep abreast of current happenings.

3. Great reason to stay healthy and might even help you sleep better.

4. Keep your mind sharp as you experience new adventures.

5. Pay your life skills forward or enjoy learning through a new experience.

6. So many other reasons… stay tuned!

Encore Learning can put your skills and energies to good use with your fellow members, and you can benefit at the same time.

Consider volunteering:

–For an event

–For a class

–For a committee

We welcome your time, talents, and smile! Come join us.

And thank you again to those who are already helping make Encore Learning great! — Jane Nagy, Volunteer Committee Chair

To learn more visit our Volunteer page on our website. You’ll find a Volunteer Application you may complete or contact info@encorelearning.net to volunteer. Photo – recent Class Aides discuss best practices at a Class Aide debrief coffee in January.

On Tuesday, April 28th, all current Encore Learning members should have received an emailed notice of election and link to the board election electronic ballot. Encore Learning must achieve a quorum of members to vote to have a valid election.

The Encore Learning Board of Directors is composed of Officers and Committee Chairs. You must be a current member to vote, check your membership status by logging into My Account and scrolling below your contact information to find your expiration date. If you did not receive an email on April 28th with the ballot, contact info@encorelearning.net to update your membership.

Late March and April have brought us varied and very interesting events and learning opportunities:

• March 31 – We toured the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) headquarters with its newly restored rooms and the wonderful collection in the DAR museum.
• April 21 – We visited the Inventors Hall of Fame in Alexandria. This interesting museum, in the Patent and Trade Office, celebrates over 600 inductees ranging from Abraham Lincoln, the only president to take out a patent, to Sara Blakely who invented Spandex.
• April 27 – “Encore Learning Presents” our Monday Zoom program, featured Jeremy Baskin who developed a love of horserace handicapping while in law school. He shared his knowledge about the sport, the horses, and, of course, considerations in handicapping a race. He even handicapped the upcoming Kentucky Derby on May 2. You can access Jeremy’s recorded presentation including his Derby picks here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yYV4CvHQA8U.
• April 29 – Due to popular demand, we hosted our second tour this year of the Octagon House, the oldest private residence in Washington and the current home of the Architects Foundation.

Encore Learning members enjoyed wonderful tours of the DAR Headquarters (above); and the Inventors Hall of Fame (right).

For May, our special events team has uncovered more interesting experiences:

• Monday, May 4, Rosenwald film screening at the Arlington Central Library (doors open 2:00 and the film will start at 2:30) This documentary is about Julius Rosenwald, early and successful president of Sears, Roebuck, who invested in giving African American children in the early 1900’s an education by building over 5,000 Rosenwald schools throughout the South including the original school in Arlington where the Langston school stands today. The filmmaker, Aviva Kempner, will attend and share insights into the making of the film and answer questions. Saundra Green, longtime Arlington resident who grew up in Hall’s Hill and attended Langston Elementary School, will also share her experiences and thoughts.
• Thursday, May 7, Tour of the Milken Center for Advancing the American Dream in the beautiful former Riggs Bank building. Our tour will highlight many versions of the American Dream and ways to achieve it.
• Tuesday, May 12, Garden Tour at Hillwood Estate, Museum and Gardens featuring the spectacular gardens that captured the vision of Marjorie Merriweather Post when building the estate in the 1950s.
• Monday, May 18, Encore Learning Presents a hybrid presentation by Jay Stanley of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), who will discuss privacy, surveillance technology and how police departments and federal agencies are seeking to use technology. In-person at GMU Arlington campus or online via Zoom.
• Thursday May 21, we have a “double feature:
• Our annual meeting at 10:30am in person at the Arlington Central Library – we will elect officers and conduct business but also have some fun. Some members of our Improvisation classes (Encore Learning Improvisers) will entertain us with their improv talents and the Heritage Harmonizers, an a cappella group featuring Encore Learning members, will provide a lively musical performance.
• A group of us will attend the Nationals-Mets game at 4:05pm at Nat’s Stadium. We will bring them luck!

To view details and register for any of these upcoming special events, click here https://encorelearning.asapconnected.com/#CourseGroupID=23348

Thanks for all your support in attending our Encore Learning Presents presentations and in-person events and tours. Our committee enjoys uncovering interesting topics and “hidden gems” in our area and discovering limited-time exhibits.

Many of our tours have limited capacity so please do not sign up if it is unlikely that you will be able to attend. If, at the last minute, you cannot make it, please do let the Encore Learning office know. If a tour fills up, we will look into having an additional tour.

Thanks,

Louise Kenny, Tom Underwood, Jan Burchard, Tom Kilfoyle and Nancy Kilpatrick, the Special Events Committee.

Member volunteers will be representing Encore Learning at two community events in May. We hope to see you there!

May 9 – Arlington HistoryFest 250 at Kenmore Middle School. The Arlington Historical Society is organizing this free, one-day outdoor festival commemorating the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution. Please visit https://arlhist.org/event/arlington-historyfest-250/ for details.

May 20 – 55+ Fitness Day and Health Fair at Lubber Run Community Center, 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM. Join us to celebrate National Senior Health and Fitness Day! This is a free event open to all.

Please email the Encore Learning office if you are interested in joining any of our clubs or would like more information. You may also visit our Clubs page on our website for details and a full list of our clubs.

Please note: Clubs are maintained by Encore Learning as a benefit to our members. If you’re not a member or have let your membership lapse, please go to our membership page for how to join or renew. Thank you!

Chamber Music Club

The Chamber Music club continues to enjoy free, Friday Morning Music Club chamber concerts the first and second Friday of the month, through May. Upcoming concerts will be on May 1 and May 8.

After the May concerts there will be a 4-month summer hiatus. We’ll reconvene in October when the Friday Morning Music Club begins its 2026-2027 chamber music season.All performances start at noon.

Location: St. George’s Episcopal Church, 915 N. Oakland St, adjacent to the Virginia Square Metro. For those who drive, the church has a small parking lot. On-street parking is available as well. Please contact the office if you wish to join. – Rhoda Ritzenberg, Coordinator

Cinema Club

The Encore Learning Cinema Club meets monthly to see a current film, usually at Cinema Arts Theater in Fairfax. Recent movies have included The Christophers, Calle Malaga, Oscar Nominated Live Shorts, and Blue Moon. We talk about the movie over lunch at a nearby restaurant, and the discussions are usually interesting and animated. The number of attendees range from 8 to about 15. Join us for a movie and a discussion over lunch nearby. Our next meeting dates are May 18 and June 18. –Caroline Wooden and Dru Dowdy.

Global Lunch Club

The global lunch club met at Royal Nepal on Mt. Vernon Ave on April 23 for delicious Nepalese cuisine and conversation.

The club meets once per month to enjoy the area’s great international cuisine. Suggestions welcome for future meetings. -Jan Rothstein, Coordinator

Kayak Club

The Kayak Club was able to resume activities this month on the Potomac River. We go out on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of the month, and although we did have a bit of rain, 4/22 turned out to be a good day on the river. The water was calm, the temperature was comfortable, and we saw lots of birds. As usual there were loads of cormorants, but we also saw quite a few Great Blue Herons, mallards, and even a wood duck.

Afterwards we had an enjoyable lunch at the Olive Garden. Hope to see more of you as the weather warms up. -Janice Yeadon and Diana Warmann – Kayak Club co-Coordinators. Photo from a previous Kayak Club season.

Nonfiction Book Club

The Encore Learning Nonfiction Book Club will meet next on May 11 in the Arlington Central Library, Bluemont Room, at 1:30pm. We’ll be discussing An Unfinished Love Story: A Personal History of the 1960s by Doris Kearns Goodwin. The author takes you along on the emotional journey she and her husband, Richard (Dick) Goodwin, embarked upon in the last years of his life by artfully weaving together biography, memoir, and history. New members are welcome. Please feel free to join us. If you’d like your name added to the mailing list, please let the office know.  – Ed Rader and Pat Chatten, co-coordinators.

Travel Club

Our April presentation was given by Janet Glendenning on her travels in Sri Lanka.

The Travel Club meeting for May 2026 will be on Friday, May 15 at the usual time of 3:30 PM on Zoom. It will be presented by Craig Wulf. Craig will discuss the trip that he and his wife, Diana Warmann, took in June 2023 to Grand Teton National Park and the southwest portion of Yellowstone National Park. Having flown in and out of Salt Lake City, he will also discuss a few stops they made to and from the parks. Lots of fantastic scenery and great hikes. (The trip was originally planned for June 2020, but unfortunately the pandemic intervened.)

The Encore Learning Travel Club meets once a month, usually on the 3rd Friday of the month at 3:30 PM on Zoom. To become a member of the club and receive the club announcements, send an email to the office. We hope to see you virtually on Zoom! -Charlie Hallahan, co-coordinator. Photos courtesy of Craig Wulf.

A New Pilot Microtransit Program

may be in your neighborhood. Get 6 free rides until May 13.

ART Microtransit (Via): Is an on‑demand, shared‑ride public transportation pilot providing flexible trips within designated areas of Arlington as a supplement to fixed‑route bus service.

• How it works: Riders book trips through a mobile app or by phone and may share rides with others traveling in similar directions.
• Key destinations: Connects riders to Metro stations, healthcare facilities, community centers, schools, and shopping within the service zones.
• Accessible & affordable: Wheelchair‑accessible vehicles are available, with reduced fares for seniors, people with disabilities, and K–12 students.
• Program goal: Expands mobility options in areas with limited transit while helping the County evaluate future transit solutions.

Visit https://city.ridewithvia.com/art to find out more.

May 5 – 7:00 PM. Energy and the Real Cost of War with Iran.

Join the Hayden Center for a timely discussion that goes beyond headlines to unpack the real economic stakes and what it all means for policymakers, industry leaders, and the public. The panel includes Distinguished Visiting Professor and Co-Director of the Center for Energy Science and Policy at the Schar School, former Ambassador Richard Kauzlarich. Ambassador Kauzlarich is a frequent Encore Learning instructor/contributor.

Please register to attend or to view the livestream.

University Life at GMU Mason Square has numerous fun events planned. Please click on the images below to see what’s coming up this Spring.

April was one of our busiest months as we are in the midst of the Spring Semester, hosting many great special events, and our clubs are active. A highlight this month was meeting a group of new members over coffee. We met members who have joined over the past six months and discovered some were longtime Arlingtonians recently retired and others recently moved here. Several signed up for clubs or volunteered after the event. It’s wonderful to meet new people excited about Encore Learning and getting them more involved.

You read it above, but we will restate that it is so important to complete your course evaluations. Please take less than three minutes of your time to give the instructor and us your feedback. We take the response rate very seriously and its important to hear from each of you. Find the link to the survey on your class webpage.

I hope to see many of you at our Annual Meeting on May 21st. It’s hard to believe it’s been 7 years since we last held this meeting in person! Please remember to vote by 9:00 AM on May 20th.

April is also National Volunteer Month and its a great time to say thank you! We appreciate each of you who create, host, teach, aide, promote, edit, analyze, greet, inform, and lead in so many ways. You have many talents and we are glad you share them with us. We would not be standing strong with 1250 members without your ongoing support and leadership.

~ Lora 

Lora Pollari-Welbes

Executive Director

During March 2026, we welcomed the following new members and look forward to having them become active participants in Encore Learning. Please introduce yourself to them if you meet them in a class, club or event.

Thank you to the following for referring friends who became members of Encore Learning! Goodwin at Home, Gene Chiang, Dru Dowdy, Natalie Hall, Donna Walker James, Carol Maxwell, Julie Rosenberg, Mary Rousselot, and Nancy White.

If you’d like to bring Encore Learning to your community (residential building or neighborhood) to share information about membership, please let us know.

Encore Learning is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Any donation is a charitable contribution deductible from income tax to the full extent permitted by law. Members, friends and organizations wishing to support Encore Learning may direct contributions to our General Fund to support our sustainability or to the Arthur W. Gosling Youth Scholarship Fund. If you wish to designate a charitable gift in someone’s honor or memory, please email us indicating how the gift should be recognized. If you would like to discuss tax benefits of charitable giving and charitable remainder trusts, please view our Donate page or contact the office.

We hope you enjoyed this edition of The Inside Scoop. If you would like to submit an article or share some photos of members participating in Encore Learning activities, please email us at info@encorelearning.net.

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