SPARK recently celebrated its 30th anniversary. Learn more about its classes.

What made you interested in SPARK?

I first got involved in 2018 when a friend recommended the program to me, and I have loved being a part of it ever since. Keeping my mind active and learning new things is a real passion of mine. This is true for all our members; we are life learners.

What are the benefits being a SPARK student?

Members get a lot of bang for their buck. They can take classes everyday of the work week, meet new people and establish new friendships. SPARK classes are taught by instructors who are experts in their fields and come from a variety of professional backgrounds. Our classes are also as entertaining as they are educational, with a wide array of topics including a popular series on the history of rock, a series presented by the Kansas City Chiefs Ambassadors, Mahjong classes and Taichi.

What are the goals of SPARK?

Our organizational priorities include firmly establishing our presence in the UMKC community, continuing to offer top-quality programming for our members and growing our membership in proportion to our capacity. Our overarching goal is to present a welcoming environment for retirees to come and enjoy our classes, learn new things and make social connections.