Rappahannock Community College’s Rappahannock Institute for Lifelong Learning (RILL) welcomes spring with a variety of classes ranging from pickleball to pirates.

Discover tips and strategies for taking great photos using a camera or your smartphone. Certified professional photographer Steve Kancianic with Yours Truly Photography, will talk about lighting, posing, camera techniques, and more to help you take the best photos you can. Class meets at RCC’s Kilmarnock Center on Tuesdays, March 5, 12, and 19 from 10 am to 12 pm. The cost is $35.

In “Retirement Planning,” Laura Bondurant, registered Social Security Analyst Elite, will discuss the importance and benefits of Social Security; how to calculate earnings and disbursements; cost of living adjustments; and then tackle questions about Medicare and Medigap plans. This course is designed to help you feel comfortable making decisions about retirement. Class will be held Thursdays, March 14, 21, and 28 from 1pm to 3 pm on Zoom. The cost is $35.

Why is positive thinking and optimism challenging especially during an election season? Dr. Robert Chapman will discuss strategies for addressing negative thoughts and engaging in rational self-talk in his class, “The Challenge of Positive Thinking and Optimism as We Approach the 2024 Elections.” The cost is $25 and class meets Wednesday, April 3 and 10 from 1 pm to 3 pm at RCC’s Warsaw campus. This workshop is an objective look at current events without endorsing or opposing specific political agendas.

Explore the history and evolution of pirates. In “Scourge of the Seas: Pirates in History and Today” students will learn about the day-to-day life of a pirate, weapons, tactics, and ships, legends and lore, and more. Taught by Michael Knapp, retired U.S. Government civilian intelligence analyst, the class meets on Tuesdays, April 9, 16, and 23 from 1 pm to 3 pm at RCC’s Warsaw campus. The cost is $35.

In May join Gail Kenna, longtime RILL instructor and published author, for “Wallace Stegner on Memory and Aging” at the Kilmarnock Center. Class discussions are designed to create conversations related to aging and memory with Stegner’s works as a backdrop. The cost is $40.

Other classes are “Microsoft Word: Tips for Productive Usage,” “Civil War Battlefields,” “Virginia in the 18th Century,” “The Assassination of Abraham Lincoln and the Military Trial,” and “Intermediate Pickleball.”

Advance registration and tuition payment is required for each class. RW-C residents receive a 50% discount; Blue Ridge Bank Golden Advantage members receive a 15% discount.

For more information on these and other RILL courses, visit www.rappahannock.edu/rill.

The Educational Foundation expresses sincere appreciation to Rappahannock Westminster-Canterbury for their generous support of RILL, and to the partnership with Blue Ridge Bank’s Golden Advantage. RILL, a program of the RCC Educational Foundation, provides educational opportunities and enrichment for adults of any age. Serving primarily senior citizens, the non-credit program provides a stimulating learning environment where seniors can share interests and experience, maintain social connections, and continue to thrive in their later years.