Pocatello/ISU New Knowledge Adventures for those 50-years-plus boasts record enrollment in spring 2012

New Knowledge Adventures, a lifelong learning program for people older than 50, has reached record enrollment in Pocatello and has room to grow.

"In fall 2011 we hit our 400 mark, and we have 417 people registered for NKA classes this spring," said Shirley McElprang, management assistant for the ISU Division of Continuing Education and Conference Services, which provides administrative support and classroom space for the program.

"But, even though we're at record enrollment, a lot of people out there still don't know about the program," she added. "It's a great program, with plenty of options for participants."

This spring NKA is offering 114 classes on a variety of topics. The cost to register is $40, which gains admission to all classes, but classes have size limits and signup is required for individual classes.

 "We have lecture-style classes and activity classes like wood carving, line dancing and square dancing," McElprang said. "And we have day trips like the ones we had to Chesterfield or to the Evanston railway, as well as a multi-day trip to Yellowstone in January."

Participants and instructors come from a variety of backgrounds. New Knowledge Adventures at ISU is a member-directed organization for adults of retirement age to expand knowledge and explore new ideas in an informal, noncompetitive environment.

"People 50 years and older can register, and we have people in their 80s and 90s who are taking classes," McElprang said. "Our instructors are all volunteers. Some instructors are from ISU and some are from the INL. We've had presenters from the Pocatello Zoo and City of Pocatello, and both the mayors from Pocatello and Chubbuck have done presentations. We've had presenters from Fort Hall, too."

NKA offers courses during the fall and spring. NKA classrooms are in the Idaho State University Continuing Education Building, 1001 N. 7^th, in Pocatello.

"NKA has helped furnish our Room 125 to make it more user friendly," McElprang said. "It now has three new projectors and screens, and a sound system. NKA has been an asset for our department."

For more information on NKA, which will continue offering new classes through late May, visit www.isu.edu/dce/nka/, call McElprang at 208-282-2789 or email extendedlearning@isu.edu.

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