Special Presentations
Pre-registration is Required
Heat Proof Desert Landscaping with AZ Plant Lady
Thursday, February 5th, 2:00pm-3:30 pm. Course #3426
Noelle Johnson is a horticulturist, landscape consultant, and garden writer who lives in the Phoenix metro area. Popularly known as “AZ Plant Lady,” her passion for over 20 years has been to inspire and teach people to create, grow, and maintain beautiful gardens that thrive in a hot, dry climate.
AZ Trails: Travel Styles, Including Solo Travel
Wednesday, February 11th, 2:00pm-3:00pm. Course #3670
Travel styles, considerations in trip planning, environmental and social impact of travel. Presented by Roxanne Boryczki, professional travel advisor/owner of AZ Travels in Fountain Hills.
Encore for More: Jerome- Too Stubborn to Die by Jay Mark - Free, Open to the Public
Wednesday, February 18th, 1:00pm-2:15pm. Course #3666
Historian Jay Mark will discuss the numerous disasters, tragedies, and setbacks the city of Jerome faced in its first three-quarters century and still came out on top. Jerome was at one time the fourth largest city in Arizona, less than half a century later, its population has dwindled to 243. This presentation includes many seldom seen images.
NASA's Search for Water Beyond Earth by Dennis Robertson, NASA Ambassador
Thursday, February 19th, 2:00pm-3:00pm. Course #3734
A fascinating journey through NASA’s ongoing quest to find water—and life—beyond our planet. Discover how recent missions are uncovering clues to water’s presence across the solar system and what this means for future human exploration. The presentation will highlight NASA’s bold Europa Clipper Mission, launched in 2024 to explore Jupiter’s moon Europa and its hidden ocean that could potentially support life. Don’t miss this exciting look at the science shaping humanity’s next great discovery!
A Peculiar Savage Beauty by Jessica McCann
Thursday, February 26th, 2:00pm-3:00pm. Course #3422
Join award-winning author Jessica McCann as she discusses Peculiar Savage Beauty, a gripping novel inspired by true events of the Dust Bowl and Great Depression—an unforgettable story of resilience, humanity, and the power of nature.
AZ Trails: How Travel Changes as We Age
Wednesday, March 4th, 2:00pm-3:00pm. Course #3671
Benefits of travel for seniors, how to keep traveling as we age. Considerations, travel ideas and destinations that are senior friendly. Presented by Roxanne Boryczki, professional travel advisor/owner of AZ Travels in Fountain Hills.
Nature as Therapy by Toni Vallee
Thursday, March 5th, 2:00pm-3:30pm. Course #3690
Toni Valle, steward of Sonoran Conservancy of Fountain Hills and McDowell Sonoran Conservancy will speak on how spending time in nature can enhance one's physical and mental well-being.
Travel & Pop Culture: Places Featured in Your Favorite Movies & TV Shows
Wednesday, March 11th, 1:00pm-2:30pm. Course #3810
Arizona State University’s Osher Lifelong Learning Institute and the Fountain Hills Community Center are proud to collaborate in offering enriching opportunities to learn, explore, and grow. Osher courses are led by exceptional instructors—distinguished professors, industry experts, and passionate scholars—who bring knowledge, experience, and curiosity to every class.
From "Jaws" to "The Graduate", "James Bond" to "The Birds", "Midnight Express" to "Breaking Bad", take a journey with a leading travel journalist to explore the places around the world where some of the most iconic movies and TV series were filmed. We'll also visit the childhood haunts of Elvis Presley, The Beatles, and Buddy Holly, and uncover a British pop star's surprising connection to the Alamo.
Presenter: Dan Fellner, longtime Arizona State University faculty associate, is an accomplished travel writer and journalism instructor. He has explored all 50 states and more than 150 countries across all seven continents, with over 160 published articles appearing in outlets such as USA Today, The Washington Post, The Jerusalem Post and The Arizona Republic. Fellner teaches courses in journalism, public relations, international media and travel writing, bringing real-world global experience to every presentation.
Encore for More: The Bold, Brave, Gutsy Women of Arizona's Past by Jan Cleere - Free, Open to the Public
Wednesday, March 18th, 1:00pm-2:15pm. Course #3667
Author Jan Cleere has been researching and writing about early Western women for over twenty-five years. History books record scant contributions women made in settling and developing the new territory of Arizona, yet women were an integral part of civilizing the rough and rowdy, often dangerous land. Discover just a handful of these women who made a difference as the territory emerged and flourished into an amazing and diverse state unlike any other in the nation.
Encore for More: The Vanishing Trading Posts by Chris Glenn and Sandy Sunseri - Free, Open to the Public
Wednesday, April 15th, 1:00pm-2:15pm. Course #3668
Step back in time to the early 1900s, when trading posts flourished across the Four Corners region—over a hundred strong, yet today only a few remain. Join presenters Chris Glenn and Sandy Sunseri as they explore why these once-vital crossroads disappeared and reveal the fascinating stories of cross-cultural exchange, change, and resilience that shaped life on the Colorado Plateau.