Several years later, I had the opportunity to participate in the Kentucky Conference for Community and Justice's diversity and multicultural leadership classes. Wait a minute - education can actually be interesting and fun!
For a small community, we have lots of opportunities for enjoyable lifelong learning right here at home.
Besides the inexpensive evening and weekend classes held by Community Education (of which I am the program director), we have our public library, which holds classes and programs for all ages on a wide variety of subjects, for free or low cost.
We have the Adult Learning Center, also known as the Literacy Council, which provides many free services such as help with getting ready to take the test for a General Equivalency Diploma (GED), brushing up on math and reading skills in order to get a job or move up in the work force, Skills Certificates, job readiness, and English classes for those whose first language is anything other than English.
The Bluegrass Heritage Museum offers changing exhibits and various presentations throughout the year in addition to their regular and always expanding exhibits.
Our public school students present plays and concerts in addition to sports events. The school district's Family Resource and Youth Service Centers provide programs eight times each year, on a variety of topics for parents or guardians that are relevant to helping children break down any barriers to education.
We have the Winchester Center for Biblical Studies, which offers college level courses for those interested in expanding their knowledge of the Bible.
Our newly built campus of the Bluegrass Community and Technical College holds a wealth of educational opportunities for general education classes and some associate's degrees.
The Clark County Health Department has free classes to address various health issues and help us live healthier lives.
The Leeds Center for the Arts has a wide array of musical and dramatic presentations, along with other types of creative art.
The Winchester Fire/EMS Department offers low cost CPR/AED training every other month.
We also have public meetings such as Fiscal Court, the city's Board of Commissioners, the Board of Education, and many committees of these organizations. Attending them can be entertaining as well as enlightening.
Sometimes you just have to get through the basics so you can discover what really interests you and what you want to learn about - the subject matter can make all the difference, and there are educational opportunities for everybody right here in Clark County.
If you are interested in more information on any of these great opportunities, contact the listed agencies directly or call Community Education at 745-3946.
Cora Heffner, the program director for Clark County Community Education, is The Winchester Sun's newest community columnist.
