The Balancing Act: Making Time for Play

By JoAnn Hawkins



According to the old saying, "All work and no play makes Jack or Jill a dull person." That's not true for the more than 3,000 adults who take advantage of more than 600 noncredit classes offered year-round to add pleasure and personal enrichment to their after-work lives. Whether it's learning how to travel smarter, relax through meditation, exercise with water jogging or make wine, students do "get there" from Howard Community College (HCC).

"Quality of life" is one of the reasons businesses choose to locate in Howard County. Keeping that in mind, the Division of Continuing Education and Workforce Development programs a variety of classes and enrolls students from ages 7 to 98. While many residents take classes for workforce development and professional advancement, just as many take them to enrich their personal lives.

The faculty as well as the courses themselves attracts students. Most of the language instructors are fluent, native speakers, and many have lived and worked abroad. Many faculty members have other professions but teach to share their extracurricular interests or life experiences.



Sharing Personal Expertise

The backgrounds of HCC's instructors are as varied as the courses they teach.

By day William Nichols is a scientist for the Environmental Protection Agency, but at night he can be found teaching the college's Beer Appreciation course. Beginning Italian instructor Ray LaVerghetta actually began his formal training with the noncredit Italian course and became fluent enough to teach. Alejandra Conte improved her English fluency through HCC classes and is now a popular Spanish instructor. Eugene Speck was a math instructor with a passion for the French language and his classes reflect it. He received recognition as one of Continuing Education's outstanding adjunct faculty.

David Foulk suffered injuries in an accident that left him almost totally immobile and unable to function until he became involved with T'ai Chi, which he now teaches. Maly Moses survived the Holocaust, served as a dental assistant and homemaker, and now teaches Polish. Fascinating experts like these abound in Continuing Education classes.

Some courses have received regional recognition. In his feature article on the Beer Appreciation course, Baltimore Sun columnist Kevin Cowherd commented, "If there were classes like this back when I was in college, I would have never left."



Outside Recognition

WBAL TV featured the class "Ms. Fix-It: Secrets of Home Repair for Women," and in introducing the news segment, anchorwoman Donna Hamilton commented, "If you're tired of having to rely on the man in your house ... maybe it's time you became Ms. Fix-It." She described the women in the course as "taking charge "and "conquering their fears." She also commented on the "hands-on approach" and instructor Patrick Boyer's desire for his students to "talk the talk" so they were better able to do repairs themselves or hire the appropriate people.

Most of the students have projects around the house they want to complete but student Kris Holmes wanted to improve her drywall skills for her fifth trip to the Gulf Coast where members of her church are helping to rebuild after Hurricane Katrina.

Looking at enrollments for spring courses, Coordinator Marge Cangiano observed, "Our students want to stay in shape physically and emotionally [water jogging/swimming/yoga classes]. They want to learn to speak Italian in order to travel to Italy [Italian for Travelers] and they want to learn how to travel cheaply [Travel the World for Practically Nothing]. When they return, the women want to improve their homes themselves [Ms. Fix-It]."

New courses for spring illustrate the ongoing variety. They include: Art of France, Art of Venice; Sustainable and Thrifty Living - Living Green and Saving Green; Board Room Presence for Women; Genealogy: The African American Family; Upholstery 102; Modern Greek; Escape the Rat Race: Live, Work, Retire Abroad; Internet Safety for Children; Healing Relaxation Techniques; and The Ordeal: The Presidential Terms of Washington and Adams.



HCC Rider

For those Howard Countians who want some excitement in their leisure time, HCC offers The Rider School (www.riderschool.org), which provides four levels of motorcycle safety courses: two basic courses for beginners who want to get a license; an experienced course for those riders who want to get better; and for the first time this spring, the Total Control Advanced Rider Clinic for experienced riders who want to become experts.

"We're beginning our third year and we're already training 10% of the students in the state who take the basic course," said Jim Schmidt, director of Motor Vehicle Safety Programs. "In our first year of operation, we became the second largest training provider for motorcycle safety. The Motor Vehicle Administration has now asked us to train instructors who will teach these courses across the state."

Brochures come out four times a year with new and popular choices in arts, crafts and hobbies; finance and investment; history and culture; home and garden; languages; sports and outdoor activities; wellness, including body, mind and spirit; and writing. Residents can choose locations, dates and times that meet their needs and even take some of these courses online. Those who need professional or career updates can choose from an equally wide selection of courses, and businesses can turn to HCC for customized training, either on-site or at the college, for their employees.