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Mt. Desert Island Adult & Community Education



Lifelong Learning

Ukulele for Beginners

$79

with Duncan Perry

Calendar May 13, 2025 at 6 pm, runs for 4 weeks

This is a live, online class.

Learn to play the ukulele! It has never been more popular and you don't even need to know how to read music! On the uke you can knock out folk music, rock, blues, jazz, pop, country, tunes old and new -- even classical music. Duncan Perry, who has taught more than 700 students of all ages, will introduce you to essential chords and playing skills using familiar songs. There are lots of laughs along the way and learning to play an instrument is good for your brain!

You will need a playable ukulele and an electronic tuner or a tuner app. And when folks hear you play this happy instrument, well, they just have to smile! If you don’t own a ukulele, please contact us (uketime24@gmail.com) for information. What are you waiting for? Grab a uke and get ready for a musical adventure, then spread the joy!

Biography

Duncan is an experienced multi-instrumentalist who has been performing and teaching folks how to play the ukulele for the last 14 years. Having served as a volunteer music therapist in medical and hospice settings, he quickly came to understand that music is medicine and that learning to play an instrument not only sharpens the brain but helps reduce stress. It also brings joy to those who play the uke and to their audiences. Duncan has taught in a variety of Maine communities and did not let the COVID-19 epidemic stop him. He simply moved from teaching in person to an online format and now reaches students all over Maine, New Hampshire and beyond.

Nature Photography

$35

with Steve McGrath

Calendar May 13, 2025 at 7:30 pm, runs for 2 weeks

This is a live, online course.

In this Nature Photography online class, we will go over camera settings and compositions and how to get great images of Nature's best like moose, birds, seals and other subjects! We will also learn how to set up a blind to get great images, the best lenses for this type of photography and tripods to get the best stability for your images!

Steve McGrath is a professional freelance Photographer and Photography Teacher who has been creating images for 30 years. Steve began his career by shooting sports photography for local high schools before adding weddings and stock agencies to his repertoire. His love of the outdoors has since led him to focus more on his true passion — nature photography. Many of his images have been published in school text books. His favorite places to shoot are Acadia National Park in Maine, the Green Mountains of Vermont, and the Cape Cod National Seashore.

Farmer’s Market Basket

$120

with Jessica Steele

Calendar Jun 8, 2025 at 9 am, runs for 1 week

This is an in-person, classroom-based course at Mount Desert Island High School.

Here is a basket that you can take to the market to grab your fresh produce and bakery items. Everyone is welcome to join this class. If you have never weaved before I will be doing step by step directions. You will walk away with a finished basket.

This basket will have two straps that can be worn on the shoulder or carried. Multiple color options on strap. The material of the basket is flat and half round quality reed. We will also add color reed in the basket if desired from blue, purple, red, green, and brown.

Wood Thrush Wilderness is an outdoor guiding and educational business that helps people connect more deeply with themselves and the natural world. As Licensed Recreation Maine Guides, we offer guided canoe expeditions throughout the state of Maine. We also offer classes and training in outdoor education, wilderness medicine, and traditional crafts such as basketry. 

To ensure adequate number of students and to gauge material requirements, registrations will close on May 20.  

Will run

Lighthouse Photography Workshop

$180

with Steve McGrath

Calendar Jul 10, 2025 at 5:30 pm, runs for 3 weeks

This is a hybrid class with live, online instruction and in-person photography on location.  Read the full course description for details.

In the first online class, we'll start by learning camera settings, aperture, shutter, ISO, white balance and other compositional techniques critical to lighthouse photography. The following Saturday during the cruise, we’ll focus on photographing wildlife and lighthouses, sharing techniques and approaches. Finally, we’ll meet online the third week to share, learn and critique our images. Limited to 15 students. This workshop is for beginner and intermediate photographers.

Students must purchase their own 3-hour Bar Harbor Whale Watch cruise ticket in addition to the course fee.  

July 10 Online Class 7:30-9:00pm

July 13  On the Cruise out of Bar Harbor at 9:00am. Students must buy

their Tickets

July 17 Online Critique Class 7:30-9:00pm

Steve McGrath is a professional freelance Photographer and Photography Teacher who has been creating images for 30 years. Steve began his career by shooting sports photography for local high schools before adding weddings and stock agencies to his repertoire. His love of the outdoors has since led him to focus more on his true passion — nature photography. Many of his images have been published in school text books. His favorite places to shoot are Acadia National Park in Maine, the Green Mountains of Vermont, and the Cape Cod National Seashore.

Conquer Your Photos App Chaos: Tame Your Mac Images

$35

with BoomerTECH Adventures

This is a self-paced, online course.

Many people have 1000 or more images stored in their Mac desktop/laptop Photos App. Frustration sets in when one tries to locate a picture or a video among the multitude of saved images. Understanding the built-in organization of the Mac Photos app is the first thing you will learn in this course. Next comes organizing your images and videos into albums and folders in order to develop your own management system. Plus, you will also learn how to tag people in photos and create shared albums that you can invite friends and family to view. 

BoomerTECH Adventures helps Boomers and Seniors create, connect, and contribute using today’s technology. These courses are fully asynchronous, online courses that students complete on their own time and at your own speed. Each course is a PDF booklet with information about the class, instructions on using the class, and the content of the class (videos and articles). The instructors provide personalized support for the class via email and/or online chat.

Cooking with BoomerTECH Adventures

$35

with BoomerTECH Adventures

This is a self-paced, online course.

In this course, BoomerTECH Adventures guides (Chris, Jill, and Ed) share their love of cooking and enjoyment for lots of different types of foods. You will learn how to prepare several tasty stir fries using traditional Chinese flavorings, make fresh pasta, turn leftover sweet potato into gnocchi, stir up a great fried rice, and give ramen soup a delicious upgrade.

In addition, discover an easy way to make your own pita pockets, flat breads, and tortillas. Plus, you will see a way to combine the benefits of cooking on cast iron with your love of grilling. We haven’t forgotten dessert! Who can resist a delectable chocolate, brownie torte or apple pie?

Open Enrollment - take it when you want! These classes are online/videos, on demand so once you register for it, you can watch it as much as you'd like!

BoomerTECH Adventures helps Boomers and Seniors create, connect, and contribute using today’s technology. These courses are fully asynchronous, online courses that students complete on their own time and at your own speed. Each course is a PDF booklet with information about the class, instructions on using the class, and the content of the class (videos and articles). The instructors provide personalized support for the class via email and/or online chat.

Create and Deliver Online Zoom Courses

$35

with BoomerTECH Adventures

This is a self-paced, online course.

This course is designed for those who want to develop an online course using Zoom, a video conferencing platform. This guide consists of step-by-step videos that explain and demonstrate how to use Zoom as well as appropriate instructional tips to build an engaging online course in any subject. You will learn everything you need to know about Zoom—tools, settings, security, instructional strategies, building community, Zoom tips for instructors and students, and much more.

Open Enrollment - take it when you want! These classes are online/videos, on demand so once you register for it, you can watch it as much as you'd like!

BoomerTECH Adventures helps Boomers and Seniors create, connect, and contribute using today’s technology. These courses are fully asynchronous, online courses that students complete on their own time and at your own speed. Each course is a PDF booklet with information about the class, instructions on using the class, and the content of the class (videos and articles). The instructors provide personalized support for the class via email and/or online chat.

Digital Tools for the Beginning Memoir Writer

$35

with BoomerTECH Adventures

This is a self-paced, online course.

Everyone has a story to tell. Writing your memoir helps you reflect on the varied experiences that impacted your life and helped shape who you are today. This course looks at a variety of digital tools, available through any digital device, that make the process of memoir writing more fun and a little less daunting. You will explore several unique approaches to research, learn strategies for gathering and storing materials in one easily accessible place, and delve into ways to illustrate your memoir even if you are not an artist. Polishing your work for publication and presenting it in a public format are other video topics. You will leave the course well equipped to begin your writing adventure.

Open Enrollment - take it when you want! These classes are online/videos, on demand so once you register for it, you can watch it as much as you'd like!

BoomerTECH Adventures helps Boomers and Seniors create, connect, and contribute using today’s technology. These courses are fully asynchronous, online courses that students complete on their own time and at your own speed. Each course is a PDF booklet with information about the class, instructions on using the class, and the content of the class (videos and articles). The instructors provide personalized support for the class via email and/or online chat.





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