Saving Money Resources and Time
How You Can Retire in Comfort and Style
This workshop is designed for those who are planning to retire or who have already retired. There are two phases of retirement planning: accumulating a portfolio for retirement, and spending portfolio and retirement income wisely. You will learn to calculate net worth, estimate future living expenses and income, develop strategies to fight inflation, make the right investment choices, and get the answers to questions about your retirement issues.
Thursday, 6:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m. $25
October 8 Presenter: Sandra J. Jazwinski, CFP
What is a Deferred Annuity?
Deferred annuities are often the subject of articles in newspapers and magazines. Annuities are used by many in personal investment portfolios and in group retirement plans. A deferred annuity can be an important tool in meeting a variety of your financial planning needs.
Thursday, 6:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m. $25
November 5 Presenter: Sandra J. Jazwinski, CFP
Responsible Home Lawn Care
Let us guide you through the basics of caring for your lawn in a manner that will decrease your impact on the earth. Topics covered will be fertilization, weed control, species selection and soil testing to help you manage your lawn in a responsible way.
Thursday, 7 p.m.-9 p.m. $29
September 10 Presenter: Jeff Fowler, Penn State Co-op
Home Composting
Learn to recycle your kitchen and yard waste to reduce material in landfills. You will not only help to lessen your impact on the earth but will gain the knowledge and skills to be able to produce a rich dark soil that can be used to enhance your gardens and yards.
Thursday, 7 p.m.-9 p.m. $29
September 17 Presenter: Jeff Fowler, Penn State Co-op
Tree Selection to Recycle Carbons (Native plants to northwestern Pennsylvania)
Learn what your carbon footprint is and how to reduce your impact on the environment. By planting trees native to our area you can help to decrease your impact on the Earth.
Thursday, 7 p.m.-9 p.m. $29
September 24 Presenter: Jeff Fowler, Penn State Co-op
Alternative Fuels
Join us in this engaging presentation to learn about the alternative fuels that are being produced for your home, car and the environment. With the information gained in this presentation you can make informed purchasing decisions.
Thursday, 7 p.m.-9 p.m. $29
October 1 Presenter: Jeff Fowler, Penn State Co-op
Water - Taking Care of Ground Water
The water that we drink and use on a daily basis needs our help. Learn how you can help reduce the loss of pure ground water by preventing contamination.
Thursday, 7 p.m.-9 p.m. $29
October 15 Presenter: Jeff Fowler, Penn State Co-op
Time and Information Management
Feeling bombarded with information and junk? Do you have piles of paper taller than a small child? If you answered yes, then this class if for you. De-junk, get organized, and get things done! The workshop teaches you ways to work smarter rather than harder, develop a new mindset, and build a routine out of chaos.
Friday, 9 a.m.-Noon $50
October 2 Presenter: Hope Lineman
Personal Enrichment and Professional Development Courses
Get the Right Shot - Going Digital
This class is designed to give you the information and help needed to become confident with your digital camera.
- Basic Parts of a Digital Camera Explained-Lens, Body, Sensor, Batteries, Memory Cards, Flash, and more
- Choosing Exposure Modes -Automatic, Shutter Priority, Aperture Priority
- Exposure-ISO, Aperture, Shutter Speed, Light Meter
- Taking Pictures in Aperture Priority Mode-Benefits of Aperture Priority
- Controlling Sharpness-Focus, Controlling Depth of Field, Focal Lengths, and more
- Rules of Composition and Framing
- Image File Formats-JPEG, TIFF, and RAW
Using Photoshop® to improve your images-Screen Calibration, Histogram, Levels, Hue and Saturation, Exposure, Curves, Healing Tools, Cropping, Printing and Sharing.
You will need a digital camera that allows the use of Aperture Priority mode. Bring your camera, accessories, and owner's manual, if available, to class. You will have the opportunity to take pictures, edit them, and have them critiqued.
Mondays, 6 p.m.-8 p.m. $99
September 14, 21, 28; October 5
Mondays, 6 p.m.-8 p.m. $99
October 19, 26; November 2, 9
Instructor: Greg Knox
The Next Step in Digital Photography
This course is designed for individuals who have taken Essentials in Digital Photography. It builds upon the principles of Aperture Priority and applies them to more complex settings. You will review Aperture Priority, Sizes and Effects, Depth of Field, Shutter Speed and ISO. In addition, white balance, light quality, time, seasons, as well as bracketing uses and introduction to high dynamic range will be covered. You will also learn to capture motion and elements of night photography. Weekly photo assignments will be given. Photoshop CS3 will be used in certain areas of this class.
Mondays, 6 p.m.-8 p.m. $99
August 3, 10, 17, 24
Mondays, 6 p.m.-8 p.m. $99
November 23, 30; December 7, 14
Instructor: Greg Knox
Capture the Power of the 21st Century Woman
In this interactive presentation you will explore:
- The characteristics of the 21st century woman
- What makes her so different from women of past generations
- Roadblocks to her happiness
- How to capture her power
The purpose of the Capture Your Power presentation is to raise awareness around the areas in women's lives that may be holding them back from success. Brenda Vester, author and motivation speaker, will expand on topics that challenge and affect all women, whether they are working in the home or workplace, are volunteers, wives, students, mothers, daughters, or sisters. The goal is to help strengthen the position of women, increase their confidence and inspire them to take action....bringing them one step closer to Capturing their Power!
Each participant will also receive a free copy of Brenda's book "Capture Your Power." For more about the author, you can visit her website at www.brendavester.com.
Saturday, 9 a.m.-Noon $69
September 12 Presenter: Brenda Vester, author
Performance Evaluations - They Do Count!
In this seminar you will learn:
- Performance appraisal basic do's and don'ts
- How to write a clear performance appraisal that will impact employee performance.
- How to write performance evaluations avoiding the "horn or halo" effect
- How to create a shared need and shared vision with employee performance evaluations
- How to get employee commitment
- How to monitor progress and make change last
This seminar will provide a hands-on opportunity to maximize performance-evaluation writing skills.
Tuesday, 10 a.m.-Noon $45
September 22 Presenter: Pamela Evans-Waters
How to Motivate, Coach and Counsel
Do you know what motivates your employees? Are you an effective leader who knows when to "coach" and when to "counsel"?
In this seminar you will learn:
- Myths about employee motivation
- Five basic principles to motivate others
- How to effectively "coach" for performance results
- How to "counsel" with and without disciplinary action.
This seminar will allow participants to creatively find ways to motivate employees without spending a lot of money. Additionally, participants will learn easy steps to coaching and counseling to optimize employee performance.
Thursday, 10 a.m.-Noon $45
October 22 Presenter: Pamela Evans-Waters
Conflict Management
This seminar will educate you on all aspects of conflict management.
By the end of this course, you will be better able to:
- Recognize different signs and stages of interpersonal conflict
- Understand the triggers to aggressive behavior
- Understand the responses to conflict
- Understand the impact of words/body language
- Stay calm and manage your own responses to conflict
- Feel more confident in dealing with and settling conflicts
This seminar will allow participants the opportunity to practice their newly acquired conflict management skills. They will demonstrate how to understand employee needs, engage in active listening, be optimistic and calm in mediating the conflict of others, and identify warning signs of potentially aggressive behavior.
Thursday, 1 p.m. - 3 p.m. $45
October 22 Presenter: Pamela Evans-Waters
The Basics of Teamwork
"There's no "I" in "team". In this fast-paced seminar, you will earn how to create and develop a high performance team to keep your organization moving forward or achieve a specific goal.
At the end of this course, you will:
- Understand the four stages of team development
- Recognize what kind of team player you are and how to identify other team "personalities"
- Understand the art of negotiation in working with teams
- Know how to evaluate team effectiveness.
This seminar will allow participants already working in a team environment to re-assess their teams and re-energize team focus and activity. For participants new to teamwork concepts in their workplace, this seminar will provide basic information on how to develop, implement and monitor their teams.
Tuesday, 10 a.m.-Noon $45
November 10 Presenter: Pamela Evans-Waters
Putting Your Best Foot Forward: Creating a Professional Portfolio
This course will help you explore career-related topics such as professional image, office etiquette, interpersonal skills, and time and stress management techniques. This course is a must if you are preparing to enter the workforce and need a brief refresher course. Additionally, workplace diversity, teamwork and leadership skills, conflict management, job-seeking and networking strategies, resume and cover letter development, and interview techniques are all covered.
Mondays, 6 p.m.-8 p.m. $149
September 14-October 19 Instructor: Emily Aubele
Communication Skills - Don't Just Talk the Talk
This short course explores behavioral theories and concepts that explain and predict human interaction in the workplace. You will develop writing, speaking, marketing, interpersonal, and leadership skills. Add these skills to your portfolio and land the job that you want.
Mondays, 6:30 p.m.-9 p.m. $149
October 26-November 30 Instructor: Pamela Evans-Waters
History Topics
Battle of Wits: Codes and Codebreaking in World War II
Great Britain and the United States successfully broke and read, without Germany and Japan knowing it, their most secure machine-generated codes and ciphers for most of World War II. Germany also had some successes, too. The ability to read the enemy's secret communications was probably the Allies' greatest single advantage. This four-part course will explain codes and ciphers, the famous Enigma Machine of the Germans, and how the Poles, British, and Americans used brainpower, mathematics, and pure intellectual ability to break into these communications. The course will explain and analyze the role code-breaking played in the ultimate Allied victory.
Wednesdays, 6 p.m.-8 p.m. $25
September 9, 16, 23, 30 Instructor: Dennis Lavery
The American Civil War: Democracy on Trial
The American Civil War graphically illustrates the conflicts within the American democratic experiment and its legacy that continues to challenge Americans today. America's Iliad and Odyssey, the Civil War put to the test the ideals of the Founding Fathers and determined the future course of the nation. This survey will examine the Civil War Era, focusing on the themes of slavery, the collapse of the political system, the leadership of North and South, and military power in an attempt to explain how the Civil War defines the America in which we live.
Wednesdays, 6 p.m.-8 p.m. $25
October 7, 14, 21, 28; November 4 Instructor: Dennis Lavery
Languages
German Conversation
This course is a great way to learn to converse with those who speak German, whether you are in the United States or travel to Germany. This class will teach pronunciation and grammar and will provide you with the ability to converse on all topics and to travel with ease.
Mondays and Wednesdays, 6:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m. $89
August 24-November 2 (No class September 7) Instructor: Swan Daashuur, native of Germany
Sign Language for Adults
You can learn the skills necessary to communicate with the hearing impaired. In just a short period of time you will learn basic words and how to create sentences and phrases. In the last night of this class no verbal language is permitted to get you through an entire evening of a social hour and refreshments.
Tuesdays, 6 p.m.-7:30 p.m. $99
September 15-November 3 Instructor: Patricia Mong
Medical Career Preparation
CPR and AED instruction for Health Care Providers
This one-day training course is designed to give you the skills and confidence to respond in an emergency situation. Instruction is based on the American Heart Association guidelines and offers training in Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation. The proper use of Automated External Defibrillators will also be covered.
Saturday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. $25
October 24 Instructor: Community Ambulance
Anatomy for Medical Office Personnel
Anatomy, including all bones, muscles, body systems, and functions, is taught in this course. This is a great foundation course for working in any medical environment.
Wednesdays, 5:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m. and Saturdays, 9 a.m.-Noon $225
October 21-December 19 (No class November 25, 28) Instructor: Syrena Hutchinson, LPN
Medical Billing and Reimbursement
This online course provides an entry-level study program aimed at providing the most up-to-date information relating to Medicare and third party billing of CPT®, HCPCS, and ICD-9-CM procedural and diagnostic coding. This course is offered in partnership with the American Academy of Professional Coders.
Please call for more information. $875+books
Medical Coding
You can learn the foundation skills for completing the medical coding process from the privacy of your own home in this online training course. You will gain an in-depth understanding and knowledge to select diagnosis and procedure codes for optimal reimbursement. The course is designed to prepare you for national certification. This course is offered in partnership with the American Academy of Professional Coders.
Please call for more information. $875+ books
Medical Terminology
This course is a must if you want to work in the healthcare field. You will learn to break down and identify medical terms used in any medical setting.
Wednesdays, 5:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m.and Saturdays, 9 a.m.-Noon $189
September 2-October 17 (No class October 3) Instructor: Syrena Hutchinson, LPN
Music Courses
Venango Chorus
If you love to sing, then this class is for you. This large vocal ensemble offers you a rich musical experience. The class meets at Good Hope Lutheran Church at 800 Moran Street, Oil City, PA. Good Hope offers scholarships covering 50 percent of the tuition. Applications are available in the office of Venango Campus Continuing Education. There are 12 classes with a dress rehearsal on Saturday, December 5. A concert will be held on Sunday, December 6 at First Presbyterian Church in Oil City.
ACT 48 approved
Mondays, 7:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m. $50
September 14-November 30 Instructor: Beth Orris
(12 classes)
Private Snare Drum and Drum Set Lessons
Private lessons for beginning to advanced students, 10 years of age and up. Weekly half-hour lessons are scheduled and include 11 lessons per quarter. You may begin at any time, as lessons are offered year-round.
Mondays, 3:30 p.m.-6:30 p.m. $165
Instructor: David Perry
Private Piano for Non-Pianists
This class instruction takes a non-classical approach, using basic chords and a single melody line, to teach non-pianists, ages 10 and up, the basics of playing the piano. Weekly half-hour lessons are scheduled and include six lessons. You may begin at any time, as lessons are offered year-round.
Mondays, 6:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m. $90
Instructor: David Perry
