Spring 2025

Midday Yoga

Use your lunch hour as a time to unwind and reset your mind with Midday Yoga! Yoga is proven to benefit mental and physical health. Midday Yoga is a course designed to accommodate the needs of beginning yoga students as well as experienced practitioners. Participants will practice physical postures that stretch and open the body. All levels of experience are welcome. Wear comfortable clothing and bring a yoga mat. Register today!

• Instructor: Ali Griffith
• Date: Thu., March 20-April 10, 2025
• Time: Noon-1 p.m.
• Location: Trutter Center, Room 1116
• Ages: 19 and over
• Cost: $59
• Course code: CEW 802-001

Spring 2025

Beginning Watercolor

For inquisitive folks who want to try something new. We will cover all the basics of watercolor painting. 

• Instructor: Carolyn Owen Sommer
• Date: Tue., Feb. 4-25, 2025
• Time: 6:30-8:30 p.m.
• Location: Trutter Center, Room 1114
• Ages: 19 and over
• Cost: $79
• Course code: CEW 103-001

Mixed Media With Watercolor

Using a watercolor base, create mixed media paintings with stencil, gesso, surface alterations and collage. Students should bring mixed media paper and brushes. Collage papers, acrylic medium and additional supplies will be provided.  

• Instructor: Carolyn Owen Sommer
• Date: Mon., March 3-31, 2025
• Time: 6:30-8:30 p.m.
• Location: Trutter Center, Room 1114
• Ages: 19 and over
• Cost: $79
• Course code: CEW 103-003

Watercolor Mediation

Watercolor meditation offers a peaceful space for creative relaxation. Participants will focus on the painting as a soulful activity. A brief secular meditation and light stretches will help clear our minds and connect with our inner artist, encouraging relaxation and personal expression. Using simple watercolor techniques, we will let go of judgment and focus on nature and putting marks on paper. This can help reduce stress, encourage self-reflection and cultivate a sense of inner peace.

Please wear comfortable clothing, and bring paints and brushes you may have, a water container and watercolor paper or a watercolor journal … also, a sack lunch. If you don’t have paints or paper, some will be provided.

• Instructor: Carolyn Owen Sommer
• Date: Sat., Jan. 25, 2025
• Time: 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
• Location: Trutter Center, Room 1116
• Ages: 19 and over
• Cost: $59
• Course code: CEW 103-004

Basket Weaving: Love Is in the Air Basket

“Love is in the Air” is a charming basket for your door for spring and summer. The basket is woven on a “quick weave” handle. Just slide the spokes in and weave!  Techniques include “stop/start” weaving and the use of overlays. The accent colors are moss green and celery green. A rusty bunny and hearts adorn the front of the basket.  You can easily tie on a different seasonal embellishment on the “back” of the basket and just flip it over when the seasons change! Basket dimensions: 12” H x 12” L x 2” W (wall or door basket)

• Instructor: Carolyn Owen Sommer
• Date: Sat., March 22, 2025
• Time: 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
• Location: Trutter Center, Room 1116
• Ages: 19 and over
• Cost: $69
• Course code: CEW 103-005
   

CPR classes are taught by LLCC Emergency Services Programs staff. Certification is through the American Heart Association and covers adult, child and infant CPR in addition to AED usage and choking care for all ages. No first aid or other health care treatment is addressed within the course.

Classes are $60 and includes course materials, required student manual and CPR card. Registration deadline is one week prior to class date.

All CPR classes take place from 6-10 p.m. in the Trutter Center, room 1116 on the LLCC-Springfield campus unless otherwise noted.

Spring 2025

• Thu., Jan. 16. Course code CEW 107-001
• Tue., Feb. 4. Course code CEW 107-002
• Wed., Feb. 19. Course code CEW 107-003
• Mon., March 3. Course code CEW 107-004
• Thu., March 20. Course Code CEW 107-005
• Tue., April 8. Course Code CEW 107-006
• Wed., April 23. Course Code CEW 107-007
• Mon., May 5. Course Code CEW 107-008

Summer 2025

• Thu., May 22. Course Code CEW 107-009

LLCC Community Education offers fun, educational, non-credit culinary experiences! These include hands-on enrichment classes, demonstrations, dinners, special nights out, team building and youth programs. 

View Culinary Offerings

Class offerings are updated throughout the year. Check back again soon!

Spring 2025

Retirement Planning Today

Retirement Planning Today® is an education course for pre-retirees (50-65) looking for an unbiased and comprehensive perspective on important retirement planning concerns. Topics include life planning for retirement, retirement needs and expenses, retirement roadblocks and mistakes, retirement income sources, retirement plan distributions, investments, risk management and asset protection, estate planning.

Textbook included. Registration is required and space is limited. Included: illustrated textbook.

When registering two, the fee for first person is $59 and the second person is $0. Both must register at the same time.

• Instructor: Mark Kluemke
• Date: Sat., Jan. 25 and Feb. 1
• Time: 9 a.m.-noon
• Location: Kreher Agriculture Center, Room 1115/1117
• Ages: 50 and over
• Cost: $59 for first person, $0 for second person
• Course code: First person CEW 105-001, second person CEW 105-002

• Instructor: Mark Kluemke
• Date: Tue, Jan. 28 and Feb. 4
• Time: 6:30-9:30 p.m.
• Location: Kreher Agriculture Center, Room 1115/1117
• Ages: 50 and over
• Cost: $59 for first person, $0 for second person
• Course code: First person CEW 105-003, second person CEW 105-004
   

Spring 2025

Advanced Floral Design

Learn advanced floral design techniques in a fun, creative, hands-on course. Make designs of varying function using elements and principles of design to build on methods covered in Introduction to Floral Design, and explore creative design concepts with emphasis on conceptualization and design execution. Students will create a minimum of eight different advanced designs guided by an experienced floral designer. Students should bring one pair of scissors and one pair of clippers/pruners for the purpose of cutting stems, tape and wires. A supply fee of $150 is payable to the instructor on the first day of class to cover the costs of floral foam, floral frogs, wire, clay, forms, containers/vases and fresh flowers for the eight designs. Prerequisite: Introduction to Floral Design or in-depth knowledge of floral design concepts, elements and principles of design. 

• Instructor: Tabitha Becker
• Date: Wed., Feb. 5-Apr. 2, 2025 (no class Wed., March 12)
• Time: 5-7 p.m.
• Location: Sangamon Hall, Room 2209
• Ages: 19 and over
• Cost: $149
• Course code: CEW 103-002

Seed Starting for Beginners

Ready to grow your dream garden from the ground up? Join us for a seed starting class, and learn the essential techniques to successfully start your plants indoors before the growing season begins. We'll cover everything from selecting the right seeds to creating the perfect soil mix and providing the ideal light and moisture for strong, healthy seedlings. Walk away with the confidence to grow your own vegetables, herbs and flowers, plus tips for transplanting your starts into the garden. Don't miss out — let’s plant the seeds for a beautiful season ahead!

• Instructor: Lindee Hall-Pratt
• Date: Sat., Feb. 22, 2025
• Time: 9 a.m.-noon
• Location: Trutter Center, Room 1114
• Ages: 19 and over
• Cost: $39
• Course code: CEW 106-002
   

Spring 2025

American Sign Language (ASL) Level 2

Students will continue to focus on fingerspelling, numbers, facial grammar and sentence structure. Students will also further develop the conversational and cultural behaviors necessary to hold a beginning level conversation. Challenging examples of Deaf humor will be presented as well as additional cultural information to aid development of awareness and appreciation for the unique language and culture among the Deaf and hard of hearing ASL users. Students should first take ASL 101 as a pre-requisite before enrolling in this class. Textbook is required and may be purchased from the LLCC Bookstore:  Learning American Sign Language 0-205-27553-2   

• Instructor: Doni Cosby-Stricklen
• Date: Wed., Jan. 22-April 16, 2025 (no class March 12)
• Time: 6:30-8:30 p.m.
• Location: Menard Hall, Room 1179
• Ages: 19 and over
• Cost: $199
• Course code: CEW 401-001

Conversational Spanish Level 1

For people with no experience with Spanish, this course is designed to encourage you to start learning the second most spoken language in the U.S. (about 45 million speak it). Starting with the alphabet and numbers, you’ll be exploring what it is like speaking and understanding Spanish from the very beginning of the class. A textbook is required and may be purchased from the LLCC Bookstore: "Get Started in Spanish: Absolute Beginner Course" ISBN: 978-1444174922   

• Instructor: Nelson Lara
• Date: Mon., Jan. 27-March 24, 2025 (no class March 10)
• Time: 7-9 p.m.
• Location: Menard Hall, Room 1177
• Ages: 19 and over
• Cost: $149
• Course code: CEW 401-002

Conversational Spanish Level 2

Designed for those with some experience with the Spanish language, class begins with a review of the basics. Using games, role-playing, reading and drills, participants are encouraged to express themselves in Spanish, utilizing structures and vocabulary needed in everyday situations. A textbook is required and may be purchased from the LLCC Bookstore: “Complete Latin American Spanish…” ISBN: 978-1444192643   

• Instructor: Nelson Lara
• Date: Tue., Jan. 21-March 18, 2025 (no class Wed., March 11)
• Time: 7-9 p.m.
• Location: Menard Hall, Room 1177
• Ages: 19 and over
• Cost: $149
• Course code: CEW 401-003

Conversational Spanish Level 3

This course was created for those Spanish learners who already attended Spanish Level 2, or for those who already have an advanced-beginner level of Spanish: knowing to conjugate the present tense of some Spanish regular and irregular verbs; being familiar with the difference between the use of “ser” and “estar.” We will continue using the same book used in Spanish Level 2 (Complete Latin American Spanish), starting with Chapter 3. On the first day of the course, we will do a review of ser and estar, which are the two verbs Chapters 1 and 2 cover. In addition to using the book in the class, we’ll be doing web exercises on reading passages and on grammar issues covered in the book. Although we’ll pay attention to Spanish grammar, the main focus of the course is conversation, as its title suggests. If in doubt as to whether this is the course for you, please contact us to speak with the instructor. A textbook is required and may be purchased from the LLCC Bookstore: “Complete Latin American Spanish…” ISBN: 978-1444192643  

• Instructor: Nelson Lara
• Date: Wed., Jan. 29-March 26, 2025 (no class Thurs., March 12)
• Time: 7-9 p.m.
• Location: Menard Hall, Room 1177
• Ages: 19 and over
• Cost: $149
• Course code: CEW 401-004

Beginning Arabic

Arabic is a beautiful language. This class is for anyone wanting to learn how to read, write and understand Arabic. You can start here! A textbook is required: Mastering Arabic 1. ISBN-13: 9780781814225

• Instructor: Suha Snober
• Date: Thu., April 10-May 22, 2025
• Time: 6-7:30 p.m.
• Location: Millennium Center, Room 2203
• Ages: 19 and over
• Cost: $109
• Course code: CEW 401-005
  
   

Class offerings are updated throughout the year. Check back again soon!

Spring 2025

Side Hustle Success

Discover how to turn your passion into a profitable side hustle! Learn to identify viable business ideas, create a solid plan and effectively market your venture using proven strategies. Ideal for anyone who wants to create a secondary income stream, this course offers practical guidance and actionable steps to launch and grow your side hustle successfully.

• Instructor: Amy Figueroa
• Date: Tue., April 8, 2025 
• Time: 6-7 p.m.
• Location: Trutter Center, Room 1114
• Ages: 19 and over
• Cost: $29
• Course code: CEW 105-005

Introduction to Voice Overs

“Wow, you have a great voice!” How many times have you heard that? Or maybe you listen to your favorite audiobooks, commercials or cartoon characters and think, “I could do that!” Want to earn income using your talents from the comfort of your home? Explore the growing remote voiceover industry with your instructor, a professional, working voice actor from Voices For All. Discover the current trends in the industry and how easy and affordable it can be to learn, set up and work from home. You’ll learn about different types of voiceovers and the tools you’ll need to find success. Your instructor will take notes as you read a real script in this one-on-one video chat setting and offer some coaching to improve your delivery. You’ll receive a professional voiceover evaluation later in a follow-up call. This is a one-time, 90- minute, introductory class for ages 18 and over. Learn more at http://www.voicesforall.com/ooo. You owe it to yourself to finally explore the possibilities of this fun and rewarding field! Upon registration you will be contacted by VFA to schedule your class for a day and time of your convenience.

• Instructor: LLCC Staff
• Date and Time: Call 217-786-2432 to schedule your one-on-one session.
• Ages: 19 and over
• Cost: $49
• Location: Online

Ghost Hunting 101

Join us for our “Dead of Winter” Ghost Hunting 101 class.  Whether you are a true believer or a skeptic with an open mind, gain a deeper insight into the world of the paranormal. Learn best practices for ghost hunting, investigating and reviewing evidence as respected investigators guide you through the essential characteristics and scientific methodology of paranormal investigation.

• Instructor: Loren Hamilton
• Date: Tue., Jan. 21-28, 2025 
• Time: 6-9 p.m.
• Location: Trutter Center, Room 1105
• Ages: 19 and over
• Cost: $59
• Course code: CEW 112-001
   

Introduction to Black Classical Composers & Musicians

"What do a champion fencer, an autistic savant, a nun and a Navy sailor have in common? They are all classical music composers and musicians who also happen to be of African descent. Currently, there are over 300 classical composers and musicians of African descent both deceased and alive! This class will discuss the contributions of African American composers/musicians who have made significant contributions and achievements in classical music from the late 18th century to the 20th century.  We will explore the extramusical influences affecting these musicians such as racism, chattel slavery and segregation, and examine whether these influences played a role in the music of these composers/musicians. By the end of the class, the student will be inspired by the strength, courage, giftedness and outstanding contributions and achievements of these amazing human beings.

• Instructor: Chenoa Murphy
• Date: Tue., Feb. 24-25, 2025 
• Time: 6-7:30 p.m.
• Location: Menard Hall, Room 1175
• Ages: 19 and over
• Cost: $59
• Course code: CEW 112-002

Beginning Bee Keeping

Examine honeybee biology, basic colony management techniques and common problems. Emphasis is on the beekeeper's first year, covering topics of equipment, colony cycles and honey crop production. Please bring a notebook. Textbook: “Honey Bees and Beekeeping; A Year in the Life of an Apiary” by Keith Delaplane is available for $25 from the instructors at the first class.  

• Instructor: Fred Gerberding & Dale Brooks
• Date: Wed., Feb. 26-April 23, 2025 (no class Thurs., March 12)
• Time: 6-8 p.m.
• Location: Kreher Center, Room 1115/1117
• Ages: 19 and over
• Cost: $55
• Course code: CEW 106-001

Introduction to Ghost & the Paranormal - Level 1

An introduction to ghosts, ghost hunting and the paranormal investigation. Whether you are a true believer or a skeptic with an open mind, gain a deeper insight into the world of the paranormal. Learn best practices for ghost hunting, investigating and reviewing evidence as respected investigators guide you through the essential characteristics and scientific methodology of paranormal investigation.

• Instructor: Carl Jones
• Date: Wed., April 2-23, 2025 
• Time: 6-8 p.m.
• Location: Millennium Center, Room 2203
• Ages: 19 and over
• Cost: $49
• Course code: CEW 112-003

Spring 2025

Photoshop

Review Photoshop’s powerful tools and learn techniques such as basic editing, cropping, adjusting colors, converting images to black and white, layering, adding text, specialty tool usage and more! Bring your own laptop with Photoshop installed or use a computer in our Mac lab.  

• Instructor: Tabith Bock-Matlock
• Date: Wed., Feb. 12-March 5, 2025
• Time: 6-8 p.m.
• Location: Menard Hall, Room 2274
• Ages: 19 and over
• Cost: $149
• Course code: CEW 104-001

Photography for Beginners

Learn the history of where photography came from to where it is now, as well as the basic functions of your camera and what each symbol means. Learn the difference between JPEG, RAW and TIFF files in addition to the best ways to capture the images you are wanting. Upon completion of this course, you will leave with the knowledge and understanding of how your own personal camera functions to capture those moments. Please bring your camera with your specific manual.  

• Instructor: Tabith Bock-Matlock
• Date: Tue., April 1-29, 2025
• Time: 6-8 p.m.
• Location: Millennium Center, Room 2237
• Ages: 19 and over
• Cost: $149
• Course code: CEW 104-002

Becoming a Professional Photographer

Start making money on your passion! Join Tabitha Bock-Matlock as she takes you through the ins and outs of conducting a business and getting taken seriously. As a professional wedding and studio photographer herself, she will give you the tips, tricks and secrets to marketing yourself as a professional. Please bring a camera or phone.  

• Instructor: Tabith Bock-Matlock
• Date: Tue., May 6, 2025
• Time: 6-8 p.m.
• Location: Millennium Center, Room 2237
• Ages: 19 and over
• Cost: $45
• Course code: CEW 104-003

General Portraiture

Go beyond “Hey get together for a photo!” and get those photos you always wanted. Say goodbye to awkward family photos and hello to framers! In this course, Tabitha will offer tips and tricks to taking photos you will actually want to print. Couple, family and senior portraiture will be covered. Within these units, lighting and technique will also be demonstrated. Please bring your camera.

• Instructor: Tabith Bock-Matlock
• Date: Wed., May 7-28, 2025
• Time: 6-7 p.m.
• Location: Millennium Center, Room 2203
• Ages: 19 and over
• Cost: $65
• Course code: CEW 104-004

Spring 2025

Intro to Generative AI

Dive into the exciting world of generative AI, where technology creates images, text, and more. This beginner-friendly course introduces the basic concepts of AI and how it can generate creative content. You'll explore simple examples, understand how AI tools work and see how they are used in everyday life. No technical background is needed, just bring your curiosity and imagination! Please note, it is recommended to bring your smart phone, tablet or laptop to participate in active learning exercises. 

• Instructor: Whitney Brandenburg
• Date: Thu., March 27, 2025
• Time: 5-6:30 p.m.
• Location: Millennium Center, Room 2203
• Ages: 19 and over
• Cost: $29
• Course code: CEW 101-001