Online-Zoom Courses   

Terry McAteer leads a two-hour discussion about what to be watching in these early stages of the 2026 mid-term elections. He will provide you with websites, polling, and data to make this election season easier to follow.

You’ve heard of Ancestry.com and FamilySearch.org, but there are so many more websites that will help you find information on your ancestors and their life and times. Learn about the many other websites you can use for genealogy research to help break down your brick walls.

According to the American Heart Association, nearly half of American adults have some form of cardiovascular or chronic disease. Medical analysis has shown that the quality of our nutrition is a critical factor in determining personal health. A positive change in what we eat can delay and reverse serious chronic diseases such as obesity, high blood pressure, heart disease, T2 diabetes, and lessen the chances of developing dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, and certain cancers. We will discuss a proven process to align your daily nutrition with the core principles of eating healthy to live a long, healthy life. Prior to class, students are encouraged to complete the anonymous EatSHARP personal nutrition assessment at https://eatsharp.org?group=OLLI-Sierra . Individuals can stay anonymous.

Finding hidden or lost family history information is fun and exciting. Research Questions steer the direction of your quest to learn more family history information – where to look and what to ask. Learn the basics of creating individualized research questions to help identify the correct person, place, time, and event you seek. This can be especially important if there are three people with the same name living in the town you are searching.

Following the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, our Founding Fathers continued in session to draft a new form of government. They developed the Articles of Confederation and elected Samuel Huntington as the first President of the United States. For 12 years, our fledgling country was governed by these Articles. This class focuses on the drafting and governing under this flawed compact. Rarely does history chat much about this hiccup but we will in this two-hour course. The lessons learned by Washington, Madison and Hamilton helped them frame the U.S. Constitution which was adopted in 1788.

Commercial Freeform Radio was a phenomenon, a brief, brilliant period in broadcasting history when art took precedence over commerce, creativity was not just allowed but demanded, and deejays wove together brilliant sets of music from the entire songbook. We will look at the narrative arc of rock music and radio, how rock saved the medium and how together they evolved over time through the Classic Era of Rock Music and into iHeart, satellite and streaming.

With much conversation these days, centering on immigration, its only right to see if you could pass the test! Don’t worry as your score is between you and the piece of paper.

Every day, the world’s population consumes about two billion cups of coffee. The average American drinks as many as three cups a day. Climate Change continues to be a major challenge to the production of coffee which requires a tight conjunction between soil type, altitude, exposure to sunlight, and weather, including temperature, precipitation, windiness, and rainfall. We'll examine the history of our coffee addiction and the efforts being made so that we can continue to grow coffee on our warming planet.

One way to discover how much we remember about American history is to examine some of the fascinating bits of trivia regarding the men who have held the nation's highest office. For example: Who said the business of America is business? How many presidents were generals of the army? How many presidents were married for than once? The answers to questions like these invite us to learn more about our American story.

In this two-hour class, Terry McAteer will lead you through our founding documents to better appreciate their magnificence. We’ll touch on the Declaration of Independence, Paine’s Common Sense, The Federalist Papers- 10 and #51 along with Washington’s Farewell Address.

Are you one of the more than 33 million Americans who have Irish or Scots-Irish ancestors? This class will cover how to get started, websites for Irish and Scots-Irish genealogy and a Case Study demonstrating how the instructor used six of those websites to find two generations of Irish ancestors (and exactly where they lived in Ireland) after starting with only the names of two immigrants to America. Includes 10-page handout.

Drawing from a variety of time-tested disciplines, this class offers effective, results-producing movements designed specifically for the OLLI student at whatever your level is. These exercises will add strength and elasticity to your muscles and frame while protecting and strengthening your back. You will also work your heart in a very gentle way and achieve freedom in movement and less pain. Best of all, we're doing all this to the music we know and love: '50s, '60s and '70s. It is not too late to rejuvenate your body! Wear comfortable clothing.

Drawing from a variety of time-tested disciplines, this class offers effective, results-producing movements designed specifically for the OLLI student at whatever your level is. These exercises will add strength and elasticity to your muscles and frame while protecting and strengthening your back. You will also work your heart in a very gentle way and achieve freedom in movement and less pain. Best of all, we're doing all this to the music we know and love: '50s, '60s and '70s. It is not too late to rejuvenate your body! Wear comfortable clothing.

From ancient times, to the Ottoman Empire, and to the Victorian Era, flowers were used to communicate messages and emotions. The practice of floriography allowed for silent communication for those illiterate or unable to display emotion because of cultural customs. Although we are now more open about such expressions, floriography is still associated with particular colors and flowers sent or received.

The "Heil Hitler" salute was probably modeled on a unique American tradition begun in 1892 to salute the flag. Racial laws in the US were used as a model for Nazi race laws. American disinfection practices of immigrants crossing the Mexican border were adapted for German concentration camps. These practices invite reflection about our nation's heritage.

The absolute brilliance of our Constitution is that our Founding Fathers placed a system of checks and balances between the three branches of government. The intended purpose was that no branch could be more powerful than the other. We will examine each of the checks to ensure that our Founding Fathers’ intent is still being carried out by the Executive, Legislative and Judicial branches. This is perfect to understand the Constitutional crisis we are currently in.

Although it’s not a “records” database like the major genealogy sites, FindAGrave.com has many less-known features that can be powerful tools for your genealogy work. Learn how to maximize this database of 250+ million names and places to improve your genealogy research. Includes 6-page handout.

Despite the efforts by Republican and Democratic administrations to hide the truth of Jeffrey Epstein’s life, much is known about his endeavors. In this journey, we will separate the fact from fiction, the signal from noise. We will see that Epstein was more than a child sexual predator. We will discover how he provided a variety of services to many of the most powerful men on the planet during 40 years of deceit. We will realize, much to our chagrin, that Epstein, far from being an exception, is the “way of the world.”

The 2026 mid-terms election matchups will be in full swing and you need to know what to watch for, how to be an informed voter and what tools to use to find campaign reports, polling data, insider news and more. Terry McAteer will have you dialed in to being astutely ready for his fall election classes.

Music was composed, performed and heard in many ghettos, concentration camps, and partisan outposts of Nazi-controlled Europe. For many victims of the Holocaust, music was an important way of preserving and asserting their humanity. Learn the role that music played in the struggle for hope in the darkest of times. With support from audiovisuals and anecdotes, we'll learn stories about the artists who died in the Holocaust, those who survived, the fate of the instruments that have been restored and how the musical world was affected by WWII and the Holocaust.

This class examines music, media, and culture at a time of profound social upheaval. The intersection where they met in post-War America was pivotal, the effect they had on each other was unprecedented and altered them in ways that still impact society today. At its core is a classic struggle between art and commerce, innovation and orthodoxy, freedom and control. And it's only rock 'n' roll. We encounter musicians like Jimi, Janis, Jim Morrison, and others, tour (twice) with the Rolling Stones, examine the birth of underground radio, how it connected the musicians and the counterculture, and witness the birth of the Classic Era of Rock Music.

It’s Estimated that 8 million tons of plastic are dumped in the ocean every year. There are 170 trillion pieces of plastic floating on the ocean surface, and they’re ingested by thousands of marine species. We will examine the growing plastic threat as the industry plans to add 343 new projects and greenhouse gas is projected to pass 1.43 billion tons a year by 2030. What does that mean for our health? Microplastics are inside us all. The global cost of plastic-related health effects was estimated at $100 billion per year in 2022.

Stars of stage and screen served the American military. From World War II onward, they put aside their roles in entertainment to defend freedom. We'll learn about them and their work.

Humans have been using drugs for a long, long time. Signs of the high life in animals goes way beyond cats and catnip. Many scholars believe that religions have always, in one way or another, involved drugs. The term entheogen was developed in the 20th century to describe the use of psycho active substances to assist individuals in experiencing a chemically induced spiritual high. We'll examine they ways that drugs have been used over the centuries as part of the community's religious practice.

Ready to trade tension for tranquility and worry for wonder? Stress Less, Smile More is a light-hearted yet powerful mindfulness class designed to help adults unwind, reconnect, and recharge. Through gentle chair yoga, calming breath-work, and guided meditation, we’ll explore how to:

• Navigate thoughts and emotions with curiosity
• Build courage and confidence from the inside out
• Practice the art of letting go (without losing your keys!)
• Cultivate joy, presence, and a sense of playful calm Plus more....

No experience needed—just a willingness to breathe, move, and smile. Come as you are, leave a little lighter.

Learn how a Civil Grand Jury - county residents working together to improve government and protect taxpayer dollars - serves their community by reviewing how the city and county governments conduct business, investigating citizen complaints, report to the public, and more.

Learn how a Civil Grand Jury - county residents working together to improve government and protect taxpayer dollars - serves their community by reviewing how the city and county governments conduct business, investigating citizen complaints, report to the public, and more.

The ancient world greatly feared slave rebellion, and designed as a deterrent various means of death by torture, one of which was crucifixion. Jesus death on the cross was for centuries an embarrassment for the Christian community. It was only in the sixth century that artists began portraying Jesus on a cross. We'll examine the ways that this art form evolved over the centuries and found expression in made different cultures.

This series will look at three of the most brilliant minds in recent world history: Henry Ford, Frank Lloyd Wright, and Steve Jobs. There is scant disagreement that these men changed not only millions of lives of their time but also the future lives in small ways and large. We’ll take a close look at what shaped them to become brilliant innovators, strategists, and, ultimately, successful salesmen while failing significantly and tragically as husbands, fathers, colleagues, bigots, and, in Ford’s case, an ardent antisemite.

Artists live in the world and even if they remove themselves like Monet from the crash and burn of WWI or Georgia O’Keefe who fled NYC for the desert, you can run, but you can’t resist the pull of the embedded culture or the seep of new ideas. This is not a workshop but a study and exploration of the influences on visual artists and their art. Which in turn can help us understand how our beliefs and responses to what surrounds us informs our own work.

Join us for a captivating online course where we'll explore the fascinating stories behind popular songs that hold a special place in the hearts of the artists who created them but did not necessarily become their most well-known hits. We'll also unveil how some songs took on new meanings and styles when covered by other artists, who made those songs their own. Through a combination of anecdotes, rare archival contents, and audiovisuals, we'll uncover the secrets behind the creation, performance and impact of beloved songs and lesser-known gems from Tin Pan Alley, Classic Movies and the Rock era.

The business of horse racing generates billions of dollars and hundreds of thousands of jobs. We'll learn how horses are selected and trained, how racetracks supervise and monitor racing, famous horses, jockeys, trainers and owners, and traditions among some of America's famous tracks and races.

Timelines are a great tool for analysis and breaking through a brick wall. Learn how and why creating a timeline of an ancestor’s life can help you: 1) decide if a record you found is about your ancestor and not someone else with the same name; 2) differentiate between two people with the same name; 3) identify gaps that need more research, and more. Many examples will be shown.

Go exploring Guatemala with Terry McAteer. Beyond the capital, Guatemala City, is a colonial and naturally scenic country which abounds in volcanic activity. Visit the Colonial Capital, Antigua, venture to a Mayan marketplace deep in the jungle and witness the beauty of Lake Atitlan.

The Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks are eight enormous, precise and complex geometric enclosures. They are located in a geographic region along the Scioto River in Ohio. Built by ancient people, they are aligned with the sun’s annual cycle as well as complex risings and settings of the moon over an 18.6-year cycle. Join me in visiting this monumental UNESCO World Heritage Site!

The Klondike Gold Rush of 1898 put the Yukon on the map. Terry McAteer takes you back to Dawson City, Whitehouse, the Yukon River, and the wilds of this remote Canadian Territory. We’ll even get face-to-face with a wild Grizzly Bear!

The White House has changed and evolved as the nation has changed. Each president has made "improvements" to the executive mansion but none as dramatic as those by President Trump. The current president has remodeled the West Wing, added two100 foot flag poles, transformed the Rose Garden, and is adding a 90,000 square food East Wing banquet hall.

This is a fun class to learn of our Founding Father Benjamin Franklin who lived an extraordinary life and who possessed a keen sense of wit. We will explore his life, his loves, his inventions, his sense of community and, of course, his wit.

Birth, marriage, and death data form the building blocks of your family tree, but the records aren’t always easy to find. Learn the fastest way to identify where these “Vital Records” are for each state and most countries, how to use them, substitutes for when you can’t find them, and more.

You have found some interesting Family History information and want to share it. Discover a variety of ways to share your findings with others in both written and electronic forms.

Have you ever thought... what do Supreme Court Justices do? How do the nine of them get along? What happens behind those closed doors as they decide important cases? How do cases reach the Supreme Court? How do they decide what cases to hear? Through video clips and a bit of lecturing, this two-hour long class will answer these questions and more. This class will provide you with a much better understanding of the third branch of government.