Welcome to The Inside Scoop, our electronic newsletter. Please enjoy this issue and share your feedback by email. We always look forward to hearing from you. This is the January 2025 edition of The Inside Scoop.
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Spring 2025 Semester Fast Approaching!
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We are so excited about the upcoming spring semester! Spring 2025 offers our members 36 compelling courses, with 19 in-person classes, 13 virtual and 4 hybrid offerings available for both in-person and virtual participation simultaneously. Nine courses will also be recorded.
Browse the catalog here. If you’d like an easy way to see all the courses by day, check out the calendar view. All of our listings clearly state whether a class is virtual, in-person, hybrid or being recorded.
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Thank you to the Academic Programs Committee for all their work arranging these wonderful courses!
Please join us for the Spring Course Preview on Thursday, January 30 at 9:30 AM.
Course registration begins at 10:00 AM Monday, February 3.
Know that you can register anytime after 10:00 AM on February 3 but some courses do fill-up early. Login before registration is open and make sure your username and password are ready to go.
With both in-person and virtual courses being offered, we encourage you to select which format you feel is most comfortable and beneficial for you.
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Prepare for Registration on February 3rd
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Be ready for registration on Monday, February 3.
- Be sure you can login to your Member Account, and that your username and password are working. Ask to reset your password if you are not able to login. Login to your account here: https://encorelearning.asapconnected.com/MyAccount
- Check that your membership is up to date. The member expiration date is on that screen below your contact information. If your membership expires before your class ends, then you will need to renew your membership.
- If you need to renew your membership or join, click here: https://encorelearning.asapconnected.com/#Memberships
Doing this ahead of time will help make your registration go smoothly!
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Thank you to all our volunteer Instructors who share their time, knowledge and expertise with our members. We are truly grateful!
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27 New Courses Offered this Spring!
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Spring is a season of renewal, and what better way to embrace it than by diving into Encore Learning’s Spring 2025 term? With an incredible lineup of courses—including 27 brand-new offerings and 9 debut instructors—this term promises to be as enriching as it is exciting. Whether you prefer in-person learning, virtual engagement, or the flexibility of hybrid options, there’s something for everyone. Plus, 9 courses will be recorded, giving you the freedom to learn on your schedule.
Here’s a sneak peek at seven standout new courses:
1002: Ballet: Seeing More, Enjoying More
Instructor Isla Bush brings the grace of ballet to life with this in-person course at GMU. Explore ballet’s evolution from its courtly origins to contemporary expressions, delve into its choreography, storytelling, and stagecraft, and enjoy rich discussions enhanced by photos and videos.
2025: Understanding Happiness in Our Encore Years
With Tony Arciero and Peter Joyce leading this hybrid class, discover how to navigate life’s later stages with purpose and joy. This interactive course blends expert insights, guest speakers, and thought-provoking activities to explore happiness through social connections, lifelong learning, and mindfulness.
3080: Arlington County and Metro-Urban Development, 1975-2025
Join Mike Bush in-person at GMU to trace Arlington’s transformation over five decades, from parking lots to a vibrant urban landscape. This course explores pivotal moments in the county’s development, its relationship with Metrorail, and the dynamic forces that shaped its future.
3081: Voices of Resilience: Arlington’s Black Community from Enslavement through Jim Crow
This in-person course, led by multiple instructors, brings Arlington’s Black history, from enslavement through the 1960s, to life. Visit local historical sites, meet descendants of key figures, and examine the community’s resilience in the face of systemic challenges.
3079: History of Journalism in the United States
Offered virtually by Charles Self, this course will explore how change has unfolded by examining the history of journalism and public debate. From the Revolutionary press to the challenges of the 21st century, discover how journalism has navigated the tension between individual freedom and community obligations.
5060: Ekphrastic Poetry: Poems about Paintings
Gerry Hendershot invites you to explore the intersection of visual art and poetry in this virtual course. Learn about ekphrastic poetry while reflecting on masterpieces by Rembrandt, Hopper, and others. Participants can even craft and share their own poems inspired by great works of art.
6038: Understanding Climate Change and Solutions
Climate change is one of the most pressing challenges of our time, but there is hope. In this virtual course, Susan Perz delves into the science behind climate change and its far-reaching impacts on communities, ecosystems, and health. From understanding causes and effects to exploring innovative solutions and global success stories, this course highlights how we can all play a role in creating a sustainable future.
Don’t miss your chance to explore, learn and connect, and grow with Encore Learning this spring. View the full line-up of 36 inspiring courses in our online catalog, and get ready to make Spring 2025 a season of discovery!
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Get More Out of Your Class
Be a Class Aide!
Have you ever wondered how our classes run so smoothly, both in-person and virtually? It’s because of our amazing Class Aides!
Won’t you consider becoming one? Some of the benefits to you are:
- Credit for one free course (for virtual Class Aides)
- Free parking (for in-person Class Aides)
- Meet new people
- Learn new technology
- Contribute to a great nonprofit
All Class Aides receive full training and are guaranteed enrollment in the class they are assisting. We have several openings for the spring semester, and if a class you wish to be an aide for is already filled we can add your name to the list for the fall. Email courses@encorelearning.net for more information or to volunteer.
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Fall 2024 Class Aides met for coffee and discussion at Lubber Run Community Center on January 23rd.
Thank you to all our volunteer Class Aides!
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It’s a New Year, and new challenges. Change is in the air but where will it take us? We at Encore
Learning cannot provide a crystal ball, but can provide opportunities to explore where we –
individuals, organizations, neighborhoods, country — are right now, and perhaps even
provide insights to assist in how we might learn, and even determine, where we might be headed.
I hope you all have been able to look over the new catalog—either the printed or online version—to see our Spring offerings. Of the 36 courses, 27 are new this semester. Some classes will be available from your favorite home armchair (i.e., virtually), the majority are in person.
I hope you will find a class, or two or three, that pique your interest. Should your choices bring you to participate with others in “real time,” I hope you will also discover how much you can learn from new people, exploring together. Connecting with and learning from and about others is an extra benefit of our classes.
Someone said ‘you don’t know what you don’t know.’ But we try to find out. In these fast-moving and interesting times, I am reminded of, and inspired by, a quote from Margaret Mead:
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”
-Marilyn Marton, Board President
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Meet Raul Matos, APS Coordinator of the Janice Gentry Scholarship Fund
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Do you ever wonder who is behind the Arlington Community Learning catalog that shows up in your mail every four months? Meet Raul Matos, the Coordinator of the Career, Technical and Adult Education program that is part of Arlington Public Schools. Raul is the creative powerhouse who oversees and also teaches some of the interesting how-to classes offered by the County.
How do Encore Learning and Mr. Matos intersect? Through the Janice Gentry scholarship fund offered by the Arlington Community Learning program. Encore Learning has been contributing to this fund since 2003.
A little background: As Coordinator of the Career, Technical and Adult Education program, Janice Gentry was one of Encore Learning’s (then Arlington Learning in Retirement) earliest supporters. Sadly, she died soon after our organization came into being. Her family established a scholarship fund in her name, and in Mrs. Gentry’s honor, Encore Learning contributes to it annually.
Raul Matos succeeded Mrs. Gentry as the Coordinator of the Career, Technical and Education program and has overseen the disbursement of 823 scholarships since he took the job. The students needing financial help are mostly low-income adults who are seeking to improve their employment chances. Many are pursuing their GED (high school equivalency degree) while
others these days are working on their computer and tech skills. Access to the Gentry Scholarship Fund is not limited to “future employment” studies, however. Some older adults ask for financial help in order to take art or music classes. In Mr. Matos’ view, the latter students enjoy their classes not only for the subject matter but also for the social interaction that the classes provide. More recently, the Gentry Fund has also been helping young students with classes such as robotics or digital animation. Depending on financial need, the Gentry Fund usually pays up to half of a class fee, and a student may obtain the financial assistance for two classes per year.
What inspires Raul Matos? Knowing that the courses his program offers can really help the students and watching them achieve their goals. He especially likes hearing from the students who persevere to obtain their GED. He is also grateful to Encore Learning for our financial support of the Gentry Fund. Our annual contribution means Raul can say yes to more students when they ask if there is any financial help available. — Mildred Patterson
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Goodwin Living Partnership
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We continue our mutually beneficial partnership with Goodwin Living.
Jean Falvey, Membership Committee Chair, recently spoke to residents and staff at Goodwin Living Alexandria. Jean’s presentation was very well received. Marilyn Marton spoke at Goodwin Living Bailey’s Crossroads. We have happily welcomed a number of new members through this outreach.
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If you enjoy our Special Events, please consider joining the committee to create great events in 2025. We are partnering with the Arlington Public Library to offer some hybrid events (in-person and on Zoom) and will continue to offer Zoom presentations on Mondays. We also continue to plan member tours, both locally in-person and virtually on Zoom.
Want to explore the idea of joining the committee? We’d love to talk to you. Contact Louise Kenny at LKenny1208@gmail.com.
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Encore Learning Presents
We recently were fortunate to have Rep. Don Beyer join us to talk about taking on challenges. This event was recorded and available on our YouTube channel.
We have some exciting Encore Learning Presents coming soon – including our first hybrid event at the Central Library. Please save the dates:
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Other Special Events
As part of its community engagement, the Arlington Philharmonic is partnering with Encore Learning to host a free, in-person concert on Sunday, February 23, at 4:00 PM at Washington-Liberty High School. Encore Learning invites you to attend a pre-concert reception beginning at 3:00 PM, where you can join us in supporting local arts and mingle with fellow lifelong learners and music appreciators. You do not need to be a member to attend. We do ask that you register for this event so we know how many to expect.
Maestro Scott Wood is offering a virtual preview of the concert on Thursday, February 20 at 2:00 PM. He will highlight the music to be performed and give participants some cues of things to listen for at the concert.
We hope you can join us!
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Member Tour: National Portrait Gallery Brilliant Exiles Exhibit
On December 19 a lucky group of members enjoyed a Docent led tour of the National Portrait Gallery special exhibit – Brilliant Exiles: American Women in Paris 1900-1939. Thank you to special events committee member Jan Burchard for organizing this tour.
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We are currently seeking volunteers for a variety of roles:
- Developing strategies to diversify our membership and ensure we are inclusive
- Planning academic courses or Special Events
- Joining a newly forming Public Relations/Marketing committee
- Be a photographer for your class or event
If any of these opportunities are of interest to you, please visit our Volunteer page or send an email to info@encorelearning.net.
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Please email the Encore Learning office if you are interested in joining any of our clubs or would like more information. You can also visit our Clubs page on our website for details about our clubs.
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Breakfast Club
The Breakfast Club met recently online due to snow.
Lee Cooper reports:
We had thirteen people in attendance, three of whom almost never show up in person. Kate said the main benefit of meeting in person is you can hug people. Allen made a lovely bowl from wood he scavenged from a discarded bed frame. There was lots of discussion of retirement communities, including the Jefferson. Sheri just recorded her role in the gorgeous Peabody Library in Baltimore, for her latest feature length film, Ring of Hope. I related three stories from Florida involving Dolphins, Oysters, Velociraptors and Anoles.
The Breakfast Club normally meets weekly at La Madeleine in Bailey’s Crossroads for coffee and conversation. Club Coordinator is Ron Wise.
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Bridge Club
The Bridge Club has reserved a room at Goodwin House, Bailey’s Crossroads, for their annual Happy New Year luncheon and Bridge party scheduled for January 31st. The club had used the Top of the West Room there last year and the staff was happy to let us use it again. The club thanks our Encore Learning staff for being instrumental in building a good relationship with Goodwin Living. Last year we had five tables of Bridge and this year it looks like it’ll be the same. If anyone reading this blurb plays Bridge, let us know if you might want to join us in the future. If interested, contact either Joan Carter (jcarter4609@verizon.net) or Sharon Bisdee (sbisdee@gmail.com).
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Chamber Music Club
The Chamber Music Club meets every first and second Friday of the month, from October through May, to hear chamber concerts sponsored by the Friday Morning Music Club, a venerable institution dating to 1886.
The musicians are superb and the programming, diverse and interesting.
The 1-hour concerts start at noon, making lunch or coffee with other Encore Learning members afterwards attractive. The February concerts are on February 7 and 14. On Friday, February 7 we’ll gather in a room at St. George’s immediately after the concert for cookies and soft drinks. Nothing fancy. Just an
opportunity to connect with people who share your interest in chamber music.
The venue is St. George’s Episcopal Church, 915 N. Oakland St., adjacent to the Virginia Square Metro station. 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
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Cinema Club
The Encore Learning Cinema Club has been active. During the past few months, we’ve gathered to see Tokyo Cowboy, The Outrun, Small Things Like These, and, most recently, The Room Next Door. We’ve had some very interesting discussions at our usual lunch spot, Mamma Lucia, and Chinese food at nearby Chef Yan. Our next two movie dates are February 12 and March 13.
-Caroline Wooden and Dru Dowdy
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Current Issues Discussion Group
The Current Issues Discussion Group meets twice a month (1st and 3rd Wednesdays from 3:20 to 5:00 PM) to discuss recent events in the news. Each session deals with a topic that has been chosen by club members. Discussions are always polite and everyone’s participation is encouraged. The group welcomes new members and all points of view.
Club Coordinator Richard Lawrence requests that you email him at rlawren@hotmail.com if you wish to continue receiving Current Issues Group emails. The email list is quite large and includes a number of members who do not participate. Thank you for your cooperation.
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Electric Vehicle Club
The new EV Club is meeting monthly. The club is aimed at owners of EVs and PHEVs and those thinking about purchasing one.
Club Coordinator Barry Ginsberg will be in touch with future meeting dates.
To join the club contact Barry Ginsberg at btg100@gmail.com.
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Global Lunch Club
The reestablished Global Lunch Club has started out strong. In December 16 members met at T.H.A.I. Shirlington. On January 9, 15 members enjoyed lunch at Panjshir in Falls Church. Subsequent meetings will be on the second Thursday of the month, barring conflicts with other Encore Learning events and classes. Restaurant suggestions welcomed! -Jan Rothstein, Coordinator
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Mindfulness Club
After a two week break for the Holiday period, the Mindfulness Club has resumed meeting every Wednesday at Noon by Zoom. Our meetings always include a guided meditation period of 20 minutes and some discussion of the whys and wherefores of mindfulness practice. We welcome to Club meetings anyone who is interested in beginning, continuing or developing a mindfulness practice, or developing an understanding of the practice. Our meditations attempt to bring participants into the simple present, relax, and carefully observe their bodies, their surroundings, and their thoughts.
The Club sends an email most weeks with information about joining the weekly Wednesday meting, and with something about mindfulness practice. If you wish to receive Club emails contact the Encore Learning office, and they will forward your request to the Club Coordinator. -Dwight Rodgers, Coordinator
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Nonfiction Book Club
The Encore Learning Nonfiction Book Club will meet next on March 10, to discuss The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny and Murder. A brief description from Amazon – #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER From the author of Killers of the Flower Moon, a page-turning story of shipwreck, survival, and savagery, culminating in a court martial that reveals a shocking truth. The powerful narrative reveals the deeper meaning of the events on The Wager, showing that it was not only the captain and crew who ended up on trial, but the very idea of empire.
There are parking problems at the Arlington Central Library due to the temporary closure of the underground parking garage. As a result, we’ve decided to move this meeting to the Lubber Run Community Center, Senior Room – 115. The address is 300 N Park Dr, Arlington, VA 22203. The meeting will begin at 1:30 PM and end not later than 3:00 PM. There is free parking in the adjacent garage for up to 4 hours. New members are welcome and encouraged to attend. If interested, notify the office, and we’ll add your name to the mailing list. – Ed Rader, Co-coordinator
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Tech Hobbyist Club
The next seminar of the Tech-Hobbyist Club will be on February 17 at 10:00 AM on Zoom.
The topic presented will be on Hosting Your Own Website by Iolaire McFadden. All Encore Learning members are invited.
Zoom link (not the same as January)
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87045265665?pwd=RDVCcjJMeFNYb1V2bkRrMVVKZHdaZz09
Meeting ID: 870 4526 5665
Passcode: tech
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Travel Club
On January 17, Lee Cooper presented on her recent trip to England. Lee visited Leicester, Liverpool and London.
The next scheduled meeting will be on Friday, February 21. Judy Ballard will be presenting on her recent Odyssey tour of Iceland. Judy will share all she loved on her trip, including Iceland’s beautiful geological features and their effects.
All meetings are on Zoom starting at 3:30 PM and lasting for about an hour. To get on the club email list, send a request to info@encorelearning.net. We hope to see you virtually on Zoom! -Charlie Hallahan, co-Coordinator
Photo above courtesy of Lee Cooper, photo below courtesy of Judy Ballard
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What’s Happening at Mason Exhibitions
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New Exhibition Celebrating James Baldwin
Join us for the opening of this new exhibition which closely examines the book, Nothing Personal (1964), a collaborative artwork in book form by two legendary American artists, James Baldwin (pictured left), the African American writer, public intellectual, and civil rights activist, and Richard Avedon the Jewish fashion and portrait photographer. “Nothing Personal” is a unique cultural object, presenting images of celebrity and the celebration of exceptionalism alongside depictions of the corrosive effects of capitalism and racism on society. The book remains provocative. We continue to ask the same questions that Baldwin and Avedon were posing in 1964. The opening reception will be held on January 31, 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM. The exhibition runs January 31 to May 3. Mason Exhibitions @ Arlington is located at 3601 Fairfax Drive, just two blocks from Van Metre Hall. Learn more about the exhibit and RSVP here.
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This is an exciting week as we host our Spring Course Preview on Thursday. It is so wonderful to see the work of all the volunteers come together to bring a robust semester of courses.
The photo at left is a bulletin board at a grocery store. There are so many opportunities to learn and connect in the community, yet we stand out for good reasons.
We’ve had more than 20 volunteers delivering catalogs and fliers around the community to let people know about Encore Learning. We hope our new catalog cover design has encouraged more people to pick it up. You can help us spread the word, tell your friends, now is the time to pick your classes and be ready to sign-up on Monday.
In this edition of Inside Scoop you also read about our clubs and Special Events. There are so many ways to meet new people and engage your brain. If something piques your interest, follow-up and get on the mailing list or show-up at the next event.
During these uncertain times, the staff is grateful to work with such outstanding volunteers and members who share an exuberance and passion to learn, connect and explore.
~ Lora
Lora Pollari-Welbes
Executive Director
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Important Date Reminders
Please note that our regular office hours are 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM. If you reach us after 2:00 PM, you may not receive a response until the next business day.
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During December 2024, we welcomed new member Ray Moseley. Thank you to Ann Kaupp for referring friends who became members of Encore Learning! Spread the word and please refer friends and family to Encore Learning. If you’d like to bring Encore Learning into your community (residential building or neighborhood) to share information about membership, let us know.
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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.
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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.
Share on social media. When you simply like our Facebook page or share our Facebook posts and events to your social network, it’s a huge help. Forward our emails to a friend — use the link at the bottom of the email.
And please subscribe to our YouTube channel.
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Lifelong Learning For Those Over 50
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