District 214 Community Education

This course focuses on issues and financial concepts important to pre-retirees. You'll learn how to plan for retirement, organize your finances and develop a personalized plan that empowers you to reach your long-term goals. Prepare for the future by discovering how to save money on taxes, manage investment risks and protect your assets from potential long-term health care expenses.

Learn how to turn your vision for retirement into clear, achievable goals. Whether your 10 or 40 years away from retiring, this seminar explores investment strategies that can help you build the future you want. You'll also learn how to incorporate flexibility into your plan to navigate unexpected events and keep your strategy on track over time.

This sesion will review necessary information about Social Security and Medicare, including eligibility, enrollment periods and key considerations for beneficiaries.

Discover the beauty of sculptural painting and create your own three-dimensional floral artwork using a palette knife. Designed especially for beginners, this hands-on workshop requires no previous artistic experience. You’ll begin with simple practice exercises to learn essential palette knife techniques and how to build texture and dimension, and by the end of the workshop you will leave with a finished piece of art ready to display in your home. All materials are provided.

Looking for a fun night out with the whole family? Join The Theater Lab for an evening of laughter, creativity, and audience-driven entertainment at our Family-Friendly Improv Series! Presented on the second Saturday of each month in October, November, and December, these interactive shows feature quick-thinking performers, hilarious games, and spontaneous scenes inspired by audience suggestions. Perfect for all ages, each performance is unique, ensuring plenty of surprises and laughs every time you attend. Bring your family, friends, and imagination for a memorable evening of live entertainment that's suitable for everyone. Advance registration is recommended. For tickets, you may purchase them through our website or by calling 847-718-7700. To additionally support The Theater Lab, simply add a donation under 'Donation' and click 'Enroll Now'.

You've planted a variety of edible plants and they have produced a bumper crop of sweet, crunch, flavorful fruits and vegetables. You would love to plant them again next year, but you dislike the thought of spending more money on seeds or plants. Why not save the seeds from your existing plants? In the workshop you will learn how to collect, preserve and store those precious seeds to ensure another successful crop next year.

This workshop will help individuals learn how to recognize and react to dangerous situations. Strategies are discussed and practiced to develop awareness along with the use of simple and effective self defense techniques to deter and escape an attack.

Shotokan Karate is a Japanese martial arts system developed as a means of strengthening the mind, body and spirit. Karate training is structured to provide all around strength, coordination and agility for the body along with improving mental discipline and focus. Karate has something for everyone including physical fitness, self-defense, the excitement of sport and personal enrichment. No special equipment or abilities are required.

This educational program is designed to help individuals sharpen their spending and saving strategy. You will set personal financial goals, and then learn how to balance saving, spending and borrowing to achieve those goals. We will also cover strategies for controlling debt and improving credit scores, and practical savings tips to last now through retirement.

Turn your extra sourdough starter into an irresistible sweet and crunchy snack! In this class, you'll learn how to transform sourdough discard into perfectly caramelized candied pecans with just the right touch of sweetness. We'll cover mixing techniques, baking tips, and how sourdough discard enhances both flavor and texture. Whether you're looking for a delicious homemade gift, a charcuterie board addition, or simply a satisfying snack, this easy recipe is a creative way to use your discard while making something truly special.

Learn the art of making sourdough bread from start to finish. This hands-on class will cover maintaining a starter, mixing and shaping dough, fermentation and baking techniques. Students will experience each step in the process including sampling delicious bread baked in class. The cost of the class includes all of the specialty tools needed to prepare your bread, including a proofing basket, dough whisk, scraper and lame. You will also leave with your own sourdough starter, dough to ferment and bake at home, recipes and the confidence to successfully make bread from start to finish.

Welcome to Beginning Two! This class focuses on improving Spanish language skills while learning the irregular and reflexive verbs in the present tense. To enroll, students must have studied the Beginning One class or have knowledge of the regular verb structure and the two verbs, ser and estar (to be) in the present tense. With the increased knowledge of verbs, the students will learn to create the following situational dialogues: to describe one's family, shop for clothes, express love from the heart, buy/rent a residence, explain one's daily routine, plan a vacation and to dine on a matahambre dinner. The book used is Barron's 9th Edition, Spanish Now! Level One.

Sprouts and microgreens are mini vegetable plants that are easy to grow, yet packed with nutrients. In this class you will learn how to grow and use these little powerhouses!

Dating apps have changed the way we connect, but knowing how to protect yourself makes all the difference. This one-hour class covers how to navigate today's most popular dating apps, protect your personal information, and use built-in safety features so you can connect with others confidently and securely.

Tai Chi (Taiji) is an ancient Chinese exercise with numerous health benefits. As a martial art, Tai Chi downplays brute strength and emphasizes learning motor skills and nurturing the body. The mindful movements promote stress relief and relaxation. Physically, this practice is a low-impact exercise that will foster balance, coordination and flexibility while exploring martial intentions.

Tai Chi (Taiji) is an ancient Chinese exercise with numerous health benefits. As a martial art, Tai Chi downplays brute strength and emphasizes learning motor skills and nurturing the body. The mindful movements promote stress relief and relaxation. Physically, this practice is a low-impact exercise that will foster balance, coordination and flexibility while exploring martial intentions.