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Institute for Continuing Learning

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To join ICL just click on "JOIN ICL" below.

Summer registration will open at 12:00 am on May 19th.

YHC campus map highlighting location of the ICL classroom and Goolsby center.   YHC-Campus-Map.pdf

Current Courses

    • June 25, 2025
    • August 06, 2025
    • 7 sessions
    • Wilson Lecture Hall in Goolsby Center (On Duckworth Drive)
    Register

    Course Instructor - Dr. John Wells

     Course Fee - $25.00

    This class will begin by examining the great thinkers of the past who wrote about freedom as a concept.  We will examine John Locke, John Stuart Mill, G.W.F. Hegel, Jean Jacques Rousseau, Sigmund Freud, and Karl Marx.  We will relate their thought to our contemporary discussions regarding free speech, the liberty of conscience, and what it means to balance freedom and community.  We will plan on robust discussion with lots of examples from history in order to explore this important and timeless topic.

    A native of East Tennessee, Dr. Wells is the son of two ministers in the United Methodist Church and served briefly as a minister himself before turning to a career in higher education. He earned his B.A. in History from Carson-Newman University and his M.A. and Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Tennessee.

    Dr. Wells previously served as Provost and Interim President of Young Harris from 2005 to 2009, during the College’s transition from junior college to senior college. He most recently served as Provost and later President of a fellow Methodist-affiliated institution, Emory & Henry College in Southwest Virginia, from 2017 to 2024 and was appointed as the institution’s first Chancellor upon his retirement in July. 

    Dr. Wells’s wife, Dr. Shannon Earle, previously served as a student affairs professional at Young Harris and now serves as Associate Vice Chancellor for University Advancement at the University of North Carolina Asheville. They have two adult children, Garland and Molly. 


    • June 26, 2025
    • August 14, 2025
    • 8 sessions
    • ICL Classroom - 862 Main Street, Young Harris
    • 4
    Register

    Course Instructor - Delaine Sapp

    Course Fee - $30.00

    Participants will learn tuning, timing, understanding the fretboard, strumming, reading tablature,  and beginning chording. As these skills are built, the class will play easy tunes. 

    Class Requirements: working mountain dulcimer, pick, music stand, 3 ring binder, pen or pencil, highlighter. These materials need to be brought to each class. 


    A retired Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner, Delaine Sapp has been involved in instrumental music performance and instruction all her life. She has performed in international venues and received awards for her skill with several instruments and styles of music. Her earliest venture into the music arts was the clarinet which led her to bagpipe bands and ultimately to the piano, the ukulele, penny whistle and the mountain dulcimer. Her passion for music includes composing and arranging and helping others pursue their musical journeys.







    • June 26, 2025
    • August 14, 2025
    • 8 sessions
    • ICL Classroom - 862 Main Street, Young Harris
    • 4
    Register

    Course Instructor - Delaine Sapp

    Course Fee - $30.00

    Calling ALL LEVELS of mountain dulcimer players to join the jam on Thursday afternoons. We will be using Dave Haas' book "Let's Jam"

    as a guide. Participants will need to purchase a copy before class begins. The book is available online at Dave Haas music or the Folkcraft website. 

    This jam is limited to mountain dulcimers only. Whether you are an experienced jammer or have never jammed before, this class is for you. 


    A retired Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner, Delaine Sapp has been involved in instrumental music performance and instruction all her life. She has performed in international venues and received awards for her skill with several instruments and styles of music. Her earliest venture into the music arts was the clarinet which led her to bagpipe bands and ultimately to the piano, the ukulele, penny whistle and the mountain dulcimer. Her passion for music includes composing and arranging and helping others pursue their musical journeys.







    • June 28, 2025
    • August 09, 2025
    • 4 sessions
    • Outdoors & ICL Classroom - 862 Main Street, Young Harris
    • 0
    Join waitlist

    Instructor  - Joyce Clair

    Course Fee - $25.00

    Materials Fee - $20.00 per class

    Practice sketching outdoors, learn to see like an artist, and develop skill using different sketching tools. All skill levels are welcome including first-time beginners. 

    Each class will be held at a different outdoor location on four Saturdays from 9am to noon.  Class dates are June 28, July 12, July 26, and Aug 9. Skills are developed with practice, so attendance at all classes is recommended. The first class will be held at Cupid’s Falls in Young Harris. 

    Instructor will give general instruction and tips at the beginning of each class. Students will find a subject to sketch and the instructor will provide individual guidance as needed. Instructor will provide a different sketching tool for each class. There is a $20 supply fee per class paid to instructor.

    Sketching locations may require some walking on uneven ground. Locations will have access to restrooms. Rain protection may or may not be available. In the event of rain, a class may be rescheduled at a time convenient for the instructor.    

    Students to bring the following to each class: a multi-media sketch book (any size), notebook & pencil, folding chair, tote bag, phone, camera, water, snack, bug spray, sunscreen and hat. 


    Joyce Clair is a retired nurse practitioner who has enjoyed watercolor  painting for over 35 years. She teaches painting and drawing to adults and teens at local art centers. Her classes are designed to be fun and easy for beginners. After growing up in Pennsylvania, Joyce lived in Maryland and Texas before retiring to Georgia. Joyce paints mostly outdoors and from her landscape and flower photos. Her works are influenced by master watercolorist, Ed Whitney. She has studied with Skip Lawrence, Tom Lynch, Zoltan Szabo, Frank Webb, and Morris Green. Joyce’s paintings are displayed at the Murphy Art Center and the Blue Ridge Art Center. Follow her on Facebook at Joyce Clair Art and www.fineartamerica.com.


    • July 11, 2025
    • August 01, 2025
    • 4 sessions
    • Outdoors at Various Locations or Indoors in ICL Classroom
    • 0
    Join waitlist

    Course Instructor - Virginia Tinsley

    Course Fee - $25.00

    Plein Air Painting with Watercolors will meet at various locations in the area to paint the beautiful scenes around us. We will start the first class at the ICL classroom and will meet there whenever weather doesn’t allow us to meet outdoors. Virginia will email supply lists to registrants before first class.  Everyone should bring a portable lawn chair or a portable watercolor easel when we meet outdoors.




    Virginia Uhl Tinsley has been painting with watercolors for as long as she can remember. She majored in art at Agnes Scott College and has started painting more intently since her retirement. Some of her recent work is on display at Cable’s Gallery. 


    • July 11, 2025
    • August 01, 2025
    • 4 sessions
    • ICL Classroom - 862 Main Street, Young Harris
    Register

    Course Leader - Cheryl Warner

    Course Fee - $25.00

    Materials Fee - $30.00

    Iris folding is a paper craft technique that has been around for decades! It’s thought to have originated in Holland during the 20th century when people would cut old envelopes into paper strips and then fold and stick to create a unique spiral effect, like a camera lens.

    Tea bag folding was originally done with tea bag wrappers, hence the name. Tea bag folding consists of folding little squares of decorative paper in a specific pattern and arranging the folded pieces to form a more-or-less round motif or medallion.

    In this class you will learn the folding techniques while creating your own designs which can be mounted and framed in a variety of ways! 

    Bring a mini glue gun if you have one.     


    Deep down I'm still a Louisiana girl-- but Georgia has been my home since 1992. My BA degree was in elementary/ special education, M.Ed in Curriculum & Instruction and Ed.S in Arts Integration. I loved elementary-aged, but after moving to the high school level, I worked there for 14 years. After retiring and moving to Blairsville four years ago, I taught GED classes at the Detention Center through NGTC.  

    I began "creating" anything I could around the age of 6. I can remember making cat beds out of kleenex boxes and popsicle sticks. I designed my own Barbie clothes and made my own outfits in high school. 

    The hardest question to answer is "what type of art do you do?" I don't knit. I don't crochet. But I like painting, wood crafts, papercrafts, sewing, mixed media projects, sewing, quilting, and a lot more. 

    My daughter and I craft together as Mumsy & Me Creations, LLC when we have time. Our creations are in Cable's Gallery, Keen Creations & The Farmer Mercantile. 

    I'm excited to join ICL staff so I can share my two favorite talents: teaching and crafting!



    • July 17, 2025
    • 10:00 AM
    • August 14, 2025
    • 12:00 PM
    • ICL Classroom - 862 Main Street, Young Harris
    • 0
    Registration is closed

    Course Leader - Julia Stevens

    Course Fee - $25.00

    Materials Fee - 

     A beginner’s introduction to drawing perspective.

    Supplies you will need for class:

    • composition book
    • pencils; mechanical preferred
    • 12 inch ruler
    • protractor
    • eraser
    • color pencils
    • sharpener

    Optional supplies:

    Magnifier sheet, sharpie, ball point pen, double stick tape.


    Painting by Julia Stevens

    Julia began her passion for painting outdoors at an early age by sketching, drawing and painting along the banks of St. Johns River in Northeast Florida.  Upon graduating from Florida Southern College with a BA in Fine Ar, Julia began her teaching career in art for the Broward County School District.  Julia has won numerous awards for her artwork, including but not limited to Best in Category in 2011 International Fine Arts Competition and Best of Show with the Broward Art Guild.


    • July 24, 2025
    • August 14, 2025
    • 4 sessions
    • Art Studio - 1942 Old Hwy 64 W, Hayesville, NC
    • 6
    Register

    Instructor Billie Shelburn

    Course Fee $25.00

    Materials Fee - $25.00 per class

    Come and learn a variety of technique painting with acrylic paint.  There will be daily demos and employ varied subject matter combined with color theory, use of lines, shapes and subject matter combined with composition skills to insure wonderful results.  You will learn skills that will enable you to produce exciting finished paintings in time for our usual beautiful fall season of color.  All materials provided with handouts for $25 per daily class.


    Billie Shelburn is a contemporary studio artist and fine art instructor in painting, drawing and mixed media. Billie’s works are comprised of representational, impressionistic and mixed media styles.  Her paintings have won National, International and Regional awards.  Billie was inducted into the National Organization for Women in Arts in Washington, D.C. and has served on the Executive Boards of Georgia Watercolor Society.  Currently Ms. Shelburn is the Past Resident Artist at John C. Campbell Folk School in Brasstown, N.C. 





    • July 28, 2025
    • August 25, 2025
    • 5 sessions
    • ZOOM
    Register

    Instructor - Stephan Banakas

    Course Fee - $30.00

    Registration Code Required

    To qualify for this class participants must have taken one of the ICL Adobe Camera Raw classes that have been offered in the past.  The class will be a Zoom class, and participants will need one screen to work on while viewing the class on a second screen.  A reliable internet connection is essential.  We will not be working in LightRoom or Elements.  PhotoShop Version 26.5.0, or newer, will be required. The class will be for five weeks on Mondays beginning July 28 from 1:00 – 3:00 and ending on August 25.  A code will be required to register.

    The class will serve as a basic introduction into PhotoShop, its fundamental tools, basic layering, and masking techniques.  All working screens will be set up the same.  Photos will be provided by the instructor along with other images that will be utilized during the classes.


    Stephan Banakas is an avid fly fisherman and wildflower/landscape photographer.  Originally from Pensacola, FL, he retired as a police lieutenant after 30 years of service with the Pensacola Police Department.  He and his wife, Diane, bought their first home in Hayesville in 1998 and haven’t looked back.


    • July 28, 2025
    • August 11, 2025
    • 3 sessions
    • ICL Classroom - 862 Main Street, Young Harris
    • 22
    Register

    Instructor - Bob O'Brien and Ginger England

    Course Fee - $25.00


    The class will focus on the environmental harms associated with plastic production, plastic waste, the excessive amount of plastic we use, and the fact that it never truly decomposes. It will shed light on the myths surrounding plastic recycling. In addition to environmental concerns, the class will cover microplastics and their impact on our health. It will outline actions we can take in our daily lives and within our local communities. 


    Bob brings 40 years of executive leadership in telecom and IT, complemented by experience analyzing building energy consumption for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. This unique background fuels his commitment to addressing climate change. Following retirement, Bob deepened his understanding through coursework in climate change, climate policy, and environmental economics at Georgia Tech. He actively contributes to the Citizens' Climate Lobby, valuing their focus on effective, non-partisan climate solutions. Bob holds BS and MS degrees in Mechanical Engineering and an MBA, and resides in Lawrenceville with his wife.

    Ginger worked in IT for most of her career, starting with a major airline and transitioning to education for the last years of her career. At retirement, she promised her students that she would continue fighting for their futures, and that includes educating others on current environmental issues and how to help maintain a sustainable planet. She volunteers for Citizens' Climate Lobby/Education.


    • August 11, 2025
    • 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM
    • Union General Hospital - Classroom A, 35 Hospital Road, Blairsville
    • 5
    Register

    Course Instructor - Melanie O'Neill

    Course Fee - $35.00

    $20.00 of the course fee is for materials and an AHA certificate

    The AHA’s Basic Life Support (BLS) course trains participants to promptly recognize several life-threatening emergencies, give high-quality chest compressions, deliver appropriate ventilations and provide early use of an AED. Reflects science and education from the American Heart Association Guidelines Update for CPR and Emergency Cardiovascular Care (ECC).

     What does this course teach?

    • ·         High-quality CPR for adults, children, and infants

    • ·         The AHA Chain of Survival, specifically the BLS components

    • ·         Important early use of an AED

    • ·         Effective ventilations using a barrier device

    • ·         Relief of foreign-body airway obstruction for adults and infants

    Melanie O’Neill, DNP, RN, NE-BC is the Director of Education at Union General Hospital.

    • August 11, 2025
    • August 14, 2025
    • 4 sessions
    • ICL Classroom and Gun Range
    • 0
    Join waitlist

    Instructor - Dr. George Gaines

    Course Fee - $35.00

    Materials Fee - $150.00 


    After nearly a six-month hiatus, the very popular “Safe Pistol Handling” has returned to YHC/ICL under a new name and format.  Now called “Safe Pistol Handling & Defensive Shooting Tactics,” the former course content has been expanded and training time compressed to four (4) consecutive days.  This format more nearly resembles that used by Dr. Gaines and the late Haim Geri in training students in the Israeli Shooting Method.

    There are no special prerequisites to this class.  Previous students are welcome to enroll and refresh their skills.  You are free to sign up for all three (3) offerings if you like, no restrictions.  Repetition is the mother of mastery!

    Class times are early in the day to avoid summer heat.  The range shooting area is covered, so no sun blockers are advised. No open-toed shoes or sandals are allowed.  Wear shirts with a reasonably high collar to avoid hot shell casings.  Range etiquette will be discussed during the first day of class.

    This first day of class is an orientation meeting held in the YHC/ICL classroom, followed by three (3) successive days of outdoor range sessions.  Range sessions will be held at a nearby private range and may last a bit longer than two (2) hours, if required. Since our time at the range is reserved, no spectators are allowed on the property.

    NO GUNS OR AMMO ARE ALLOWED IN THE CLASSROOM SESSION.  The instructor will provide students with 9mm semiautomatic pistols and ammo.  Students may bring personal pistols to the range, but it will be up to the instructor to determine if/when student guns may be used.

    This course relies heavily on live demonstrations, and students will have the opportunity to demonstrate their ability to perform same at the range.  A Gaines Tactical Training Certificate will be awarded to those who complete the course.

    A fee of $150 covers the cost of materials, water, firearms use, gun cleaning, ammo, targets, and insurance. This is payable by cash/check on first day of class. Students will be asked to sign a customary release, much like that used in public/private commercial ranges. In addition, students are required to wear safety glasses and hearing protection.  Howard Light headgear is what I use, and it runs around $35 to $60.  This type of gear allows you to hear range commands while cutting out the loud retort from firing.

    Content outline:

    Self-Defense Firearm Basics

    Defensive Shooting Fundamentals

    Shooting Equipment

    Basic and Advanced Skills

    George grew up in Pensacola, Florida and has lived and worked throughout the United States and Europe.  He graduated from The University of Alabama and later earned his doctorate at the University of Georgia (1971).  His early career was spent teaching in the Louisiana State University System. 

     In 1980 he began working in the private sector in marketing research for major corporations such as Southern Company, The Gallup Organization, Research International, and IPSOS.  During this time, he served as the International Accounts Director for Pratt & Whitney, UPS, Pepsico, and later for The Coca-Cola Company. 

    His last corporate assignment was Director of Consumer Insights for Outback Steakhouse International, where his duties included extensive marketing communication research in Latin America, Asia, and Europe. 

     Following his retirement in 2013, George pursues his lifelong commitment to teaching firearms safety.  He is an NRA Certified Instructor and Chief Range Safety Officer as well as a USCCA Training Counselor.  He presently is Director of Open Enrollment for the US Branch of Israel’s IMI (Israel Military Industries) Academy for Advanced Security and Anti-Terror Training.


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