Scholarships can go a long way in helping students cover college costs, but being successful in the scholarship application process can take some work. In this session you’ll learn to build and work your own scholarship application plan. You’ll also learn about and try out different scholarship websites, learn how to best use a scholarship information tracker, and learn to avoid some of the challenges of the scholarship process. Students and parents interested in learning about the scholarship process can join Jessica Whittier, College Access Counselor with the Finance Authority of Maine for this workshop as we talk scholarships.  This is a live, online class using ZOOM.

In this Instant Pot workshop, you'll learn how to make quick, healthy meals using this versatile pot. From basic settings to advanced functions, the workshop covers techniques for pressure cooking, steaming and sauteing. Attendees will gain confidence in meal prep, and learn timesaving tips, making it easier to create nutritious dishes at home with minimal effort. 

Participants will receive a cookbook and an Instant Pot. 

Do you have children who will be looking at college in the next few years or might you be thinking of returning to school yourself? Now is a great time to start thinking about the college financial aid process and ways to boost college savings. The earlier you start, the more confident and relaxed you will feel when it is time to apply for financial aid.

Join Michelle Radley, College Access Counselor with the Finance Authority of Maine for this workshop as we talk all things paying for college.  This is a live, online class using ZOOM.

Learn to navigate multiple worksheets, save your workbook, create formulas, use functions, change the layout of your worksheet, and how to create practical worksheets. 

Some examples of using Microsoft Excel as a Practical Tool:

• 1040 Income Tax – Maintain tax information that is very useful when preparing your annual tax return. 
• Grocery Shopping List – Quickly create a weekly grocery shopping list. What a time saver! 
• Contractor Estimate Calculator - Great tool for any contractor who has to provide estimates for customers. 
• Household Budget – Create a monthly budget of your household expenditures. 

This is live, online class using ZOOM.  Makeup class, if needed, 03/27/25.

The design of this course includes 2-3 hours of work with the software between classes to gain maximum benefit from the sessions.

You will receive a link to a brief pre-assessment with your email receipt.  This will assist the instructor in meeting your goals for the class. 

You will want to have Microsoft Excel on your computer for this workshop and many people find it helpful to have two monitors, though it is certainly not necessary to benefit from the sessions.  There are two ways to accomplish this: 1) attach an external screen to your computer (contact our program if you need technical assistance with that); or 2) using two computers (one for Excel and the other for the ZOOM meeting).  

Val is a lifelong business educator and academic advisor focused on helping enrich and enhance students' educational and life purposes. He is experienced in college management and as an adult educator having taught at Mid-State College and Kennebec Valley Community College. His teaching experience covers over 45 years in the areas of computer applications, accounting, and Quickbooks training workshops.

Soups made with love can be a nourishing, flavorful and inexpensive way to feed your family. 

In this series, we will share techniques, tools, ingredients and tips learned through years of cooking for family and friends.  You’ll learn techniques about preparing ingredients, bringing them all together and tips on storage and serving.  A focus of the workshops will be the use of affordable and locally available ingredients, and adapting recipes to a variety of tastes and dietary requirements. Handouts, recipes and a small container of soup for your family to try will be provided.

Blended soups are a great way to use a variety of vegetables you have on hand.  In this workshop, we’ll prepare potato leek soup and try a few others.  We’ll share lots of ideas about ingredient options to make soups creamy and about herbs and spices that will create a rich flavor to have your family coming back for more.  This is an in-person class.

So, you’re on a budget, managing a bank account, and wondering about the next steps in your financial journey. In Adulting 102, we will look at the differences between saving and investing and, if you are ready to invest, how to get started. Other topics will include protecting your assets (insurance), advanced budgeting, and understanding the role economics plays in our financial life.  Join Steve Kautz, Financial Education Programs Specialist from the Finance Authority of Maine for this 1-hour virtual workshop as you take the next steps into adulting.  This is a live, online class using ZOOM.

Airbnb SuperHost Diana Merenda is committed to sharing her experience in building her status with Airbnb.  She has lots of very practical tips on how to build a strong business that will bring you joy and success.

She’ll cover registering on the Airbnb site, understanding the calendar and how to best describe your space, but that’s just the beginning. Robust communication from before guests book until they leave is a huge priority for Diana.  She’ll also focus on setting-up house rules from “Welcome” to “Goodbye” and preparing for perfection, while keeping your budget in mind. All of this will result in strong reviews which are critical for success as an Airbnb host.  This is an in-person class.

Diana Merenda, MBA, taught the Management Capstone course at CUNY’s Baruch College for 7 years, as well as Microsoft Suite classes within NY’s SCOPE Adult Ed. She worked within financial services for 30 years before moving to Surry’s Patten Bay.

During these three sessions, you will learn basic accounting principles and how to apply them to setting up QuickBooks Online for a small business or organization.  This is a live, online class using ZOOM.

• Your instructor will assist you in accessing a free year long subscription to Quickbooks Online. 
• When you register for the class you'll receive a link to a survey.  Please take a few minutes to complete the survey so the instructor can tailor the course for individual learners. 

The design of the course is that you'll attend the class and also do 2-3 hours of work with the software between sessions which greatly enhances your learning.

You will receive a link to a brief pre-assessment with your email receipt.  This will assist the instructor in meeting your goals for the class. 

Val is a lifelong business educator and academic advisor focused on helping enrich and enhance students' educational and life purposes. He is experienced in college management and as an adult educator having taught at Mid-State College and Kennebec Valley Community College. His teaching experience covers over 45 years in the areas of computer applications, accounting, and Quickbooks training workshops.