The Ever Scholar program is a series of free courses designed to engage and connect lifelong learners in the greater Kingston community and beyond by providing an enriching and accessible learning experience.
Developed by the Faculty of Education in collaboration with subject-matter experts, the interactive courses are taught by qualified instructors who care deeply about sharing their knowledge and expertise with the community. Designed as a lifelong-learning program for all ages, Ever Scholar provides opportunities to explore topics in art, science, and the humanities.
While there is no cost to attend Ever Scholar programs, a voluntary donation to the Ever Scholar Fund is strongly encouraged in lieu of payment. With your support, we can continue to enrich our community by ensuring this program remains free and accessible to lifelong learners.
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Upcoming Programs
Urban Agriculture 101
Tuesday April 4, 11, 18, 25, 2023
3 pm - 5 pm EST each day
This course focuses on vignettes of personal experiences building urban agriculture at a residential and community scale. Students will engage in a project-based learning approach. Lecture dialogue discussions will include built examples: 1) how would a professional solve the issue, 2) the design process, in sketch and or model format, 3) to apply design and build. Examples may include practical examples such as raised beds, raised planters, community gardens and rooftop agriculture.
Growing your own food makes a positive contribution to limiting climate change. For some participants this may be your introduction to planning and designing a vegetable garden. You may be curious about designing different types of vegetable gardens. This may be first time to considering planting and nurturing seeds, transplanting vegetables, harvesting produce and experiencing the wonderful flavour of fresh tomatoes and green beans.
I am passionate about urban agriculture and social justice. This is a project-based learning opportunity where everyone is welcome. We will discuss my site visits to urban farms in WI, project experience with community urban farms in DE and ON. Alternative techniques for harvesting water, watering and maintaining vegetable gardens will be discussed.
As a landscape architect I’ve been part of hands-on teaching projects along with design teams such as the Adam Joseph Center for Environmental Studies, Oberlin College, Oberlin, OH. This is a national model for green building, sustainable landscape design and promotes hands-on learning opportunities for students at Oberlin College.
The Golden Age of Hollywood
May 9, 16, 23, 30, 2023
3 - 5 pm EST each day
Explore the history of Classical Hollywood from the end of the silent era through to the collapse of the studio system and the emergence of The New Hollywood in this expansive course on the industrial, technological, aesthetic, and ideological developments throughout cinema’s most infamous and influential period. In spite of the oppressive parameters of studio control, the Classical Hollywood era was also a time of great and prolific artistry as filmmakers took advantage of their resources and found ways to make aesthetically meaningful work. Learn about key figures and movies from the era, the development of film style, the formation and evolution of popular genres such as the musical, the western and film noir, and the rise and fall of Classical Hollywood.
Session 1 – The 1930s: From Silent to Sound
Session 2 – The 1940s: Crisis & Change
Session 3 – The 1950s: CinemaScope vs. Television
Session 4 – The 1960s: End of an Era and The New Hollywood
Adam Cook is a film critic, curator and scholar currently enrolled in the Screen Cultures & Curatorial Studies PhD program at Queen's University.
Wellness through Mindfulness
Thursday May 11, 18, 25, June 1, 2023
4:15 pm - 6:15 pm EST each day
This virtual, four-week course will focus on cultivating wellness through the practice of mindfulness. Each week will begin and end with a short meditation or breathwork practice. All of the practices and strategies discussed in the four weeks are tips and tricks you can incorporate into your daily routine.
The sessions will be as follows:
Week 1: Introduction to Mindfulness
Week 2: Self-Compassion/Loving Kindness
Week 3: The Myth of Multitasking
Week 4: Mindful Movement
Hi! I’m Sarrah Beemer and I will be your Instructor for this course. I am passionate about teaching; I can't imagine being in any other profession. Through the pandemic, I trained to be both a Yoga Instructor and Meditation Teacher.
With over 16.5 years as an educator, I am currently working as a K-12 Curriculum Leader, focusing on Accessibility and Ableism. Previous to this, I worked at a rural high school teaching English and Indigenous Studies.
I focus on integrating inclusivity into the curriculum, by utilizing my background by incorporating diverse perspectives. Much of my classroom experience was influenced by time spent as the department head of Special Education. I believe that the holistic wellness of each student is integral to learning and a life well-lived. For that reason, I also support student mental health with my social work training and model a healthy lifestyle, fostering a love of fitness, yoga, and meditation training for my own wellness.
I am an avid traveler and enjoy spending time with my husband, and the rest of my family. I also enjoy the fun and excitement our two dogs, Rogue and Alice, bring to our home. I love being active and am a keen reader. I have a lifelong passion for leading educational change. I am so excited to share this learning experience with you.