Check Out Our Current Courses:
Monday (Margaret Sturges’) Book Club
March 19, 2024 | 1:00PM - 2:00PM
This group meets the third Monday of each month at locations chosen by the group. Your contact information will be sent to our facilitator, Laura Sloane, so that you can be added to the list of participants.
Cost: no cost to enroll. Members are responsible for the cost of their books.
To participate in the Margaret Sturges Book Club, you must have a current SPARK membership.
Thursday Book Club
March 21, 2024 | 12:00PM - 1:00PM
This group meets the fourth Thursday of each month, except for November and December. Those interested often meet for lunch afterward. Please contact the facilitator, Sue Habiger, at 816-616-2636, or shabiger22@gmail.com so that you can be added to the list of participants.
Cost: no cost to enroll. Members are responsible for the cost of their books.
To participate in the Thursday Sturges Book Club, you must have a current SPARK membership.
Let’s Eat Out Club-In Person Outings
March 22, 2024 | 11:30AM
This lively group has long met for lunch on Thursdays or Fridays at local restaurants. We look forward to getting together for patio dining as the the weather warms up. Your contact information will be sent to our facilitator, Lynn Lieberman, so that you can be added to the list of participants.
Cost: no cost to enroll. Members are responsible for the cost of their lunch.
To participate in the Eat Out Club, you must have a current SPARK membership.
Tai Chi – Advanced Beginners
March 25, 2024 | 11:00AM - 12:00PM
Mondays and Wednesdays – in person only
NOTE: Each part of the class will be held two times per week for one hour each day. Students should attend both classes each week for the Part in which they are enrolled, not just one day per week. Students will learn better by practicing twice a week. For this interactive class, you should wear comfortable clothes and flat-bottom, non-slip shoes.
This class is for people who have some experience with Tai Chi. We will continue learning how to apply Tai Chi principles, deepening our understanding of the Part One form. We will also learn Tai Chi for Arthritis and Fall Prevention Part 2. As skills progress, we will learn other forms such as: Yang 10, Yang 24, Yang 40, and Sun 73
Tai Chi originates from ancient China and is now practiced throughout the world as a highly effective exercise for health. The Tai Chi for Arthritis (TCA) Program, which this class is based on, is an effective and safe exercise program designed by Dr. Paul Lam in conjunction with a team of medical experts and Tai Chi masters. It is safe, easy to learn, and effective program for anyone with arthritis, similar chronic pain or who want to maintain balance. TCA has been approved by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as an evidence-based fall prevention program.
Instructor: Sarah Stanmorr is certified by Dr. Paul Lam’s Tai Chi for Health Institute to teach Tai Chi for arthritis. She worked as a nurse serving people with mental illness for over 40 years. When not doing Tai Chi, Sarah enjoys knitting for her church, walking her 3 dogs, and training her blind dog in scent work.
Cost: $40.00
Hyphenated Rock
March 25, 2024 | 1:30PM - 3:30PM
Mondays from March 25 - April 29
After Rhythm and Blues, Country, and Western music became Rock and Roll, subgenres started to appear: Rockabilly; Soul; Prog Rock; Motown, etc. In this course we will explore the origins, impact, and influence of each, illustrated with many examples. Please join the conversation.
Note – while this class is available to participate in remotely, we strongly recommend in-person participation.
Steve Lopes – educator, MS in Education Psychology
Cost: $40.00
Tai Chi for Beginners
March 25, 2024 | 10:00AM - 11:00AM
March 25 - May 1 | Mondays and Wednesdays
NOTE: Each part of the class will be held two times per week for one hour each day. Students should attend both classes each week for the Part in which they are enrolled, not just one day per week. Students will learn better by practicing twice a week. For this interactive class, you should wear comfortable clothes and flat-bottom, non-slip shoes.
This class is for those people who are new to Tai Chi. We will learn the Tai Chi for Arthritis and Fall Prevention Part 1 form. This form is easy to learn and can be done standing or seated in a chair. Everyone can benefit from this class-you do not have to have Arthritis.
Tai Chi originates from ancient China and is now practiced throughout the world as a highly effective exercise for health. The Tai Chi for Arthritis (TCA) Program, which this class is based on, is an effective and safe exercise program designed by Dr. Paul Lam in conjunction with a team of medical experts and Tai Chi masters. It is safe, easy to learn, and effective program for anyone with arthritis, similar chronic pain or who want to maintain balance. TCA has been approved by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as an evidence-based fall prevention program.
Instructor: Sarah Stanmorr is certified by Dr. Paul Lam’s Tai Chi for Health Institute to teach Tai Chi for arthritis. She worked as a nurse serving people with mental illness for over 40 years. When not doing Tai Chi, Sarah enjoys knitting for her church, walking her 3 dogs, and training her blind dog in scent work.
Cost: $40.00
Kansas City GEMS Week 1: Siblings: Bullying, Betrayal, and Bonding Across the Lifespan
March 26, 2024 | 1:30PM - 3:00PM
Kansas City GEMS classes last 60 to 120 minutes depending on the topic and presenter.
Sibling relationships are one of the longest bonds we experience. Whether it’s a profound irreplaceable connection or one fraught with hurt and pain, it can significantly affect us over the course of our lifetime. Sibling bullying has been around since the beginning of time – think Cain and Abel – but this highly toxic subject has never received the attention it deserved, like the more common peer bullying that exists in schools.
SuEllen Fried – Long time bullying prevention activist, author, and educator.
Cost: $10.00
Kansas City GEMS Bundle - All Six Sessions
March 26, 2024 | 1:30PM - 3:00PM
Enjoy all 6 KC Gems classes at a reduced price!
March 26 – April 30 at 1:30 pm
Kansas City GEMS classes last 60 to 120 minutes depending on the topic and presenter.
Cost: $40.00
American History Through Art
March 26. 2024 | 10:00AM - 12:00PM
Tuesdays | March 26 – Apr 30
Our instructor, Doug Sheer will join us via Zoom from Long Island, NY. Watch from home or at SPARK.
We will discuss important events that set the course of U.S. history as well as artworks that depicted the time period. The artwork from those years will be used to bring historical events alive and as a means of discussing the artists and how they portrayed America. Doug will suggest books and articles about the periods covered in the course.
Doug Sheer – educator, SUNY New Paltz
Cost: $40.00
Western Civilization with Carol - Hybrid
March 27, 2024 | 10:00AM - 12:00PM
Wednesdays | March 27 - May 1
Carol McCavitt continues the journey through Western Civilization with her popular classes. The on-going course will cover the formation of Europe in the Middle Ages and its rise to dominance in the Renaissance. The class series uses R.R. Palmer’s textbook A History of the Modern World.
Students will need to purchase an older edition of RR Palmer’s A HISTORY OF THE MODERN WORLD. The instructor recommends editions 8th to 11th. Each week you will be assigned a section in the textbook of approximately 5-8 pages. The section will provide background and make the lesson more meaningful.
You will find copies on Ebay, Amazon, Abe’s Books and many other used textbook sites. The instructor recommends that you don’t spend more than $15-$20.
You can also borrow a digital copy using the site archive.org. Sign up is free and easy. The site gives you access to 65+ million free and borrowable books, movies, audio, images, software, and more!
Carol McCavitt has been teaching for SPARK since 2009. She taught high school Advanced Placement European History for 20 years. Educated as an undergraduate at SUNY at Stony Brook, Carol completed her Master’s Degree at Queens College in NYC and did her doctoral work at Carnegie-Mellon University in Pittsburgh
Cost: $40.00
History of the Vietnam War 1945 - 1975
March 27, 2024 | 2:00PM - 4:00PM
Wednesdays | March 27 - May 1
This course will examine the origins, events, and consequences of the Vietnam War including the political, military, diplomatic, and social dimensions. The class also explores the war from the “other side” – the Vietnamese communists’ perspective. The course will address the significant issues related to this seminal and controversial conflict.
Martin Clemis – PhD, Temple University, Associate Professor of Military History – U.S. Army Command and General Staff College
Cost: $40.00
Thursday Afternoon Classes Bundle
March 28, 2024 | 10:00AM - 12:00PM
Thursdays | March 28, April 4, April 11
U.S. Presidential Libraries & Museums are important structures that are repositories of valuable presidential records and artifacts. What role do these institutions play in how and what we remember? This series delves into the who, what, when, where, and why of the 13 current museums. The classes will focus on the artifacts and stories found in the museums.
Anita Tebbe – Retired Director, Legal Studies Department and Professor of Law at Johnson County Community College
Cost: $40.00
The Evolution of Civil Rights in America, Part IX: The Modern Civil Rights Period
March 28, 2024 | 10:00AM - 12:00PM
Thursdays | March 28 - May 2
David Jeter continues his well-regarded and in-depth series on The Evolution of Civil Rights in America. This semester resumes the study of the Modern Civil Rights Period during the 1960s with the actions of African Americans in their quest for equal rights as American citizens. Don’t hesitate to sign up even if you haven’t attended any of the previous classes in the series.
David Jeter – Attorney; Docent, Harry S. Truman Library and Museum
Cost: $40.00
U.S. Presidents' Museums
March 28, 2024 | 10:00AM - 12:00PM
Thursdays | March 28, April 4, April 11
U.S. Presidential Libraries & Museums are important structures that are repositories of valuable presidential records and artifacts. What role do these institutions play in how and what we remember? This series delves into the who, what, when, where, and why of the 13 current museums. The classes will focus on the artifacts and stories found in the museums.
Anita Tebbe – Retired Director, Legal Studies Department and Professor of Law at Johnson County Community College
Cost: $30.00
B.A.C. Music Tour
March 29, 2024 | 1:30PM - 2:30PM
1219 Lydia Avenue – one block west of The Paseo
In 2004, Best American Craftsmen (B.A.C) Music was founded to make handmade brass instruments. This full-facility tour of B.A.C. will include the warehousing, repair and manufacturing of musical instruments.
In 1990, Mike Corrigan envisioned a company that could produce NEW instruments that would meet the demands of modern professionals, yet be comparable to the acoustical pallet of vintage American-made instruments.
This is an encore tour to provide an opportunity for those who missed the tour last year because of excessive heat, to attend during more favorable weather.
Chacko Finn – Marketing Director and tour guide.
Parking is available on Lydia and in a parking lot on the south side of the building. 1219 Lydia Ave is accessible from one-way eastbound 12th Street or one-way westbound 14th St.
Cost: $10.00
Let's Play Mah Jongg!
March 29, 2024 | 10:00AM - 12:00PM
Fridays | March 29 - May 3
All are welcome to our on-going Mah Jongg game gathering. We have an instructor for those of you who have never played before. Or come instead for a refresher on the mechanics, or just to share in the game with other fun SPARK members.
While Mah Jongg origins are complicated, it is generally thought to have begun in Shanghai, China in the mid-to-late 1800s. Brought to America in the 1920s, it evolved significantly after WW II and was a non-threatening way to build friendships across diverse cultural barriers.
Mah Jongg is played ideally with four players, but can be modified for three. 152 carved tiles similar to Dominos are divided into three suits: Dots, Bamboos and Chinese Characters (or Craks). Colorful picture tiles include Winds, Dragons, Flowers and the ever-versatile Jokers. A game consists of acquiring a predesignated series of 14 related tiles which complete your Mah Jongg hand. The games are created by the National Mah Jongg League in New York and are changed once a year.
Instructor: Carol Wells has been playing Mah Jongg for 11 years with a group of 12 who meet once a week. Retired from her work as a free-lance calligrapher and sign painter, she keeps busy with gardening, collecting Oriental porcelain, etc., and teaching dog obedience. She competes with her Dalmatians and has many American Kennel Club conformation and performance titles.
Cost: $40.00
Kansas City GEMS Week 2: "April Showers" and Weather Safety
April 2, 2024 | 1:30PM - 3:00PM
Kansas City GEMS classes last 60 to 120 minutes depending on the topic and presenter.
Explore the nuances and excitement of spring weather in Kansas and Missouri. Led by a meteorologist from the National Weather Service, learn the science behind thunderstorms and the hazards they bring, including tornadoes. Learn how to prepare and respond so you can keep yourself safe this spring
Jonathan Kurtz – Senior Meteorologist NWS, MS Creighton University Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology
Cost: $10.00
Beethoven's Piano Sonatas
April 2, 2024 | 10:00AM - 12:00PM
Tuesdays - in person only | April 2, April 9, April 23, April 30, May 7
Location: Diastole Scholars’ Center, 2501 Holmes St. KCMO 64108
(There is a free parking lot behind the Diastole Center. Enter the parking lot through the gate on Holmes.)
For this quarter, Dr. Savage continues and expands his series on Beethoven’s life and piano sonatas. This series will be five weeks to allow two of his students to perform for us also, so we may experience all five of Beethoven’s late, unique sonatas that Dr. Savage will discuss.
Dr. Jeffrey Savage – MS and PhD, the Julliard School, UMKC faculty
Cost: $40.00
Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts Tour
April 5, 2024 | 1:00PM - 2:30PM
Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts | 1601 Broadway, KCMO
Self parking is available in the valet drop-off drive on the south side of the building at no cost for the tour. Enter the drive from Broadway.
The Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts has changed Kansas City’s skyline. Our tour will provide an in-depth look at the facility’s architectural highlights and an opportunity to explore the Kauffman’s Center’s performance spaces, Helzberg Hall and the Muriel Kauffman Theatre, which combine sophisticated aesthetics, acoustics and technology.
We will learn about the Center’s history and artistic details throughout the facility. The tour will be followed with a Q & A session.
Cost: $10.00
Kansas City GEMS Week 3: New Aviation Director for KCI Airport
April 9, 2024 | 1:30PM - 3:00PM
Kansas City GEMS classes last 60 to 120 minutes depending on the topic and presenter.
Meet Melissa Cooper, named first female Aviation Director of KCI Airport in November 2023 following a nationwide search. As Deputy Director of Aviation over Properties & Commercial Development, she helped launch Kansas City’s $1.5 billion new airport terminal. Through her career of more than 25 years, she worked her way UP through her field and the Aviation Department.
Melissa Cooper – MS Aviation Safety, BS Aviation Technology University of Central Missouri
Cost: $10.00
UMKC Innovation Studio Tour
April 12, 2024 | 1:30PM - 3:00PM
801 E 51st Street, Kansas City, MO on the UMKC campus
See what’s going on in one of the newest buildings on the UMKC campus, the Robert W. Plaster Free Enterprise and Research Center. This is the home of the Innovation Studio, a hub of advanced product design, technology and business innovation. The Studio contains the AVR Showroom where they demonstrate the newest in augmented and virtual reality, and 3D design and development software. The Studio houses the 3D Printing Lab with metal, polymer, elastomer, and thermoplastic printers. It also provides the Fabrication Shop with a large variety of woodworking and metalworking equipment. The innovation Studio partners with the UMKC School of Science and Engineering to provide professional classes and events.
Parking: Parking with a UMKC parking permit is available in the parking garage at 52nd and Rockhill Road, one block south of the building.
Cost: $10.00
Kansas City GEMS Week 4: "The Marble Lady"
April 16, 2024 | 1:30PM - 3:00PM
Kansas City GEMS classes last 60 to 120 minutes depending on the topic and presenter.
Cathy Svacina has researched, collected, played and refereed tournaments ever since she started playing marbles as a child. She has credits in many marble books and has travelled throughout the world teaching, appraising and researching marbles. Cathy has appeared on the PBS series REFRESH QUEST…”GONE MARBLIN” featuring her marble collection, one of the most complete in the world with over a million marbles.
Cathy Svacina – Author, world-class collector
Cost: $10.00
The Big Picture: Contemporary Non-Fiction Articles
April 18, 2024 | 1;30PM - 3:30PM
Thursdays | April 18, April 25, May 2
NOTE – This 3-week class will be in-person only with no Zoom component to provide for class discussions.
Besides sound bites and the flood of fake news online, the long-form, non-fiction article is enduring in reputable periodicals such as The New Yorker, The Atlantic, Harpers, etc. This class is for those who would like to explore a variety of topics and respectfully consider different points of view. Timely articles will be selected in advance for each session.
Class coordinators: Judy Kirk, Barbara Dooley, Linda Landes
Cost: $30.00
Kansas City GEMS Week 5: Janssen Place - Still on Parade After 125 Years
April 23, 2024 | 1:30PM - 3:00PM
Kansas City GEMS classes last 60 to 120 minutes depending on the topic and presenter.
Janssen Place is a unique, one street neighborhood in Kansas City, developed by Arthur E. Stilwell, a railroad magnate. Designed in 1897, it is the setting for a well-preserved enclave with 19 gorgeous mansions constructed between 1900 and 1917. Steve Mitchell, a resident since 1985, and Bruce Mathews, photographer, will share their new book and the history of this special place.
Steve Mitchell – Attorney, Columbia University; historian, preservationist and author
Bruce Mathews – Professional photographer, author, historian
Consider enrolling in the related walking tour of Janssen Place on April 26th.
Cost: $10.00
Janssen Place Walking Tour
April 26, 2024 | 1:00PM - 2:30PM
Experience the beauty of this historic neighborhood as Steve Mitchell shares the stories of the community leaders who once called this home. We’ll see 19 beautiful mansions built in the early 1900s and restored with such critical attention to architectural integrity that they almost feel like time has stood still.
Entrance on 36th Street between Locust and Holmes. Abundant parking available.
Consider adding the April 23 KC Gems Class: Janssen Place – Still on Parade After 125 Years
Cost: $10.00
Kansas City GEMS Week 6: Hannah Barlow & the Royal Doulton Company
April 30, 2024 | 1:30PM - 3:00PM
Kansas City GEMS classes last 60 to 120 minutes depending on the topic and presenter.
Michele Fricke will give a talk on the mostly unknown artist, Hannah Barlow. Unless you lived in London in the late 19th Century and made a special study of ceramics, you probably never heard of her. She has been virtually forgotten, except in the archives of the Royal Doulton Company and some antiques journals. The talk will discuss this remarkable woman, her accomplishments and the context of the art world of her time.
Michele Fricke – Retired Professor of Art History, Kansas City Art Institute
Cost: $10.00