Public Programs

LearningQUEST has presentations open to the general public. All are welcome to attend these programs, so please join us.

Spring, 2024

P1-Space Exploration Memorial and Space Explorers Honor Roll  – Download a flyer for you or friends. 

Instructor: Charles R. Chappell, Ph.D.
Dates: Tuesday Jan. 23
Time: 10 – 11:30
Location: AUD

Huntsville, Alabama has been the site of amazing accomplishments in space exploration. Huntsville, Alabama has been the site of amazing accomplishments in space exploration. Beginning as a cotton town of the 1950s, Huntsville has become one of the leading centers of humankind’s space exploration activities, having been the birthplace of many rockets and spacecraft which have played a leading role in moving humans off their birth planet. The Space Exploration Memorial and the accompanying Space Explorers Honor Roll are being built at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center and will capture the names and history of all Huntsvillians who have made this exploration possible. The memorial will be located in the USSRC Rocket Park and is under construction now. When completed, it will tell the stories of all Huntsville space explorers. Beginning as a cotton town of the 1950s, Huntsville has become one of the leading centers of humankind’s space exploration activities, having been the birthplace of many rockets and spacecraft which have played a leading role in moving humans off their birth planet. The Space Exploration Memorial and the accompanying Space Explorers Honor Roll are being built at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center and will capture the names and history of all Huntsvillians who have made this exploration possible. The memorial will be located in the USSRC Rocket Park and is under construction now. When completed, it will tell the stories of all Huntsville space explorers.

P2-Raised-Bed Gardens Download a Flyer

Instructor: Harvey Cotten
Dates:  Wednesday Mar. 13
Time: 2 – 3:30
Location: North Huntsville Public Library – Community Rm

Huntsville’s renowned and beloved botanical garden expert, Harvey Cotten, will delve into the details of raised-bed gardening. Whether it be growing vegetables or flowers in soil that is higher than the ground, Harvey will provide details on the process. Participants will learn how
a raised-bed garden provides the ability to plant a garden, be it flowers or vegetables, virtually
anywhere. The presenter will discuss the benefits of raised-bed gardens such as less stooping, improved drainage, fewer weeds, etc. A must-see program for gardeners and “wannabe” gardeners.

P3-Picking, Politicking, and Pontificating – Download a flyer

Instructor: Mike Ball
Dates: Monday Apr. 1
Time: 1 – 2:30
Location: AUD

Mike Ball shares how the circumstances of a tumultuous and tragic childhood led him into a lifetime of public service as a Marine, State Trooper, and Agent of the Alabama Bureau of Investigation before serving 20 years as a member of the Alabama House of Representatives. Based on his memoir, Picking, Politicking, and Pontificating: How an Ex-Cop Legalized Cannabis while Fighting Corruption, Mike utilizes stories and songs to describe the genesis of the moral compass that guided him through a series of ethical dilemmas that created a constitutional crisis at the highest echelons of Alabama State Government. Although politics and faith are central themes of the presentation(s), it is intended to be neither partisan nor dogmatic but only to provide useful information to those who are concerned about discerning truth and seeking wisdom in an era of ubiquitious propaganda. The program provides an inside look at the legal and political process from the perspective of a former politician, whose investigative
experience and moral judgment made him a philosopher. Books will be available for $24.95.

P4-Our Place in the World – The Wonder that is North Alabama – Download a Flyer

Instructors: Tim Gels, Hallie Porter
Dates: Thursday May 23
Time: 1 – 2:30
Location: AUD

Have you ever been asked, “Where are you?” Some typical answers might be at home, in Huntsville, or on the Parkway. This program, however, answers the question in terms of where humans are in the Earth’s lithosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, and biosphere. While this is not an in-depth science class, it will examine how our place in those four spheres makes north Alabama the gem that it is. The class will explore Alabama’s biodiversity and the impact it has
on human beings, for better or worse. Finally, it will consider how individuals can make a positive difference in their own backyards.

P5- Air Born

Instructor: Jan Davis
Dates: Thursday Jun. 6
Time: 10 – 12
Location: AUD

Jan Davis will discuss her book Air Born, a memoir about her father, a WWII B-17 pilot and POW, and herself and her three spaceflight missions. The presentation will be followed by a question and answer period. Books will be available for $32.69 (including tax) and can be autographed/personalized by the author.