The non-credit course I'd teach locally

And SUNY Adirondack Honor Rolls

By Darren Johnson
Journal & Press

It’s good to see that Greenwich schools will be bringing in non-credit courses in partnership with SUNY Adirondack starting this fall.

I can’t express enough how much of a game-changer this will be for our area.

I have had a long academic career and got my teaching start doing such non-credit courses at the end of Long Island. It was rough at first — to start my first class ever, an elderly man stormed out angrily and with a big show of disgust and gesticulation because I asked them to write a poem.

The class was titled “Poetry Workshop.” What did he expect?

Apparently, I recovered.

These types of classes are great. No credits, no 15-week semesters, no textbooks to buy. You just learn a useful skill; or, if you don’t think poetry is useful, at least enrichment.

I once taught a course on how to petition to run for office as an independent. There’s a lot to know, or else your petitions will be rejected at the Board of Elections, who often hate independents.

I also taught an eBay course when eBay was a new thing — before digital photography was common. It was actually hard to sell on the auction site without training. The typical student was a middle-aged adult or senior citizen with a lot of stuff that had accumulated in their house. They really appreciated this class to help them to let go of their unneeded items, memories... Who needs nostalgia?

And in the early days of eBay, you could sell anything for a profit! I’d go to the dollar store, buy items, put them on eBay, and they’d sell for $5!

At one point, the big Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas flew me in, put me up at a nice hotel and paid me a stipend to speak to a huge audience about eBay. Conference organizers had heard about my non-credit course via a search engine. I had one of those headset microphones and could pace the stage like Tony Robbins.

(Though I lost much of the stipend in the hotel’s casino…)

We pay school taxes anyway — for us people without kids in the district, we should get something. Maybe these courses will make us feel more welcome on campus?

(The other thing is, SUNY Adirondack does need to do more here in our part of the county — we pay taxes to support them, too. So this is a start.)

My New Course

I’m thinking of doing a new non-credit course titled “How to Watch TV.”

Hear me out.

You know I often write about cutting the cable cord, and apparently I’m technologically friendly and know how to teach technology.

However, I also have fewer years ahead of me than behind me — I’m older and mostly hang out with an older crowd.

I’d say at least 50% of this crowd doesn’t know how to properly use their TV.

(Or they just pay an exorbitant amount to Spectrum Cable to not have to think about it.)

I grow sad when I hear someone my age say they watch “Big Bang Theory” a lot.

It’s an OK show, but it’s not who they are.

They may not realize it, but they are not watching “Big Bang Theory” for its creative brilliance, but because it’s a default show on many systems for people who don’t know how to work their “clicker” properly.

So I would organize a course on how to use, say, the “input” button on the remote.

How to add a cheap window antenna to get ABC, NBC, CBS, PBS, and more, for free, crystal clear.

How to get most of the other “cable” channels for free.

Smart TVs, Roku, etc. It all will be covered and explained in a clear and non-judgmental way.

Spectrum Cable will probably put a hit out on me.

(Typically, these courses charge the students a nominal fee, and pay the instructor a few bucks. I used to ask for $25/hour.)

Would you take this course? What practical course would you teach?

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Speaking of SUNY Adirondack, here are their latest honor rolls:

SUNY Adirondack recently announced its Dean’s and President’s lists for the Spring 2025 semester.

“This recognition is a reflection of our students’ dedication, resilience and academic excellence,” said Kristine Duffy, Ed.D., president of SUNY Adirondack. “We are incredibly proud of their achievements and inspired by their commitment to learning and personal growth.”

President’s List
Students on the President’s List maintained a GPA of 4.0 while taking 12 or more credits.

• Argyle — Miles Strohmeyer

• Ballston Lake — Ryan Friedman

• Ballston Spa — Salem Hannon, Nicholas McCray, Elizabeth Snyder

• Fort Ann — Chelsea West

• Fort Edward — Lacey Kozelouzek

• Gansevoort — Jillian Beckwith, Kadyn Castillo, Nicholas Niles

• Glens Falls — Ella Dimezza, Emily Enslow, Isabelle Gogerty, Ringo Hartenberg, Emylou Richards, Jessica Springer, John Wendt

• Granville — Natalie Olsen-Hayes

• Greenwich — Nicole Amaral, Kelsy Smith

• Hampton — Trevor McKnight

• Hartford — Zachary Backus

• Hudson Falls — Henry Ingram, John Scott

• Johnsonville — Grace McFarren

• Lake George — Brady Miner

• Nicholville — Dominic Molella

• Porter Corners — Sophie Amyot, Zachery Miller

• Queensbury — Tyrese Brown, Joseph Comitini, Raelin Dunham, Audrina Hill, Matthew Langford, Timothy Motsiff, Brooke Stehle, Ryan Tuomela, Madeline Walden

• Saratoga Springs — Kathryn Colville, Charlotte Maben, Sophie Maiellaro, Justin Tiersch

• South Glens Falls — Jennifer Walton

• Stillwater — Kendall Clements

• Uniondale — Lucian Martinez

• Whitehall — Lindsay Douglas, Megan Hover, Savannah Ross

• Wilton — Lydia Thrall

Dean’s List
Students on the Dean’s List maintained a grade point average (GPA) of 3.2 or higher while taking six or more credits in the Spring semester.

New York state

• Albany — Rhoadell Butler

• Argyle — Owen Cornell, Carlie Depew, Sarah Gaulin, Alexandra Irizarry-Hadfield, Marta Potter, Rylan Rist, Jadlyn Sabo, Melissa Schneible

• Athol — Preston Hennessey

• Ballston Lake — Carson Drake, Sarah Houston-Uddin

• Ballston Spa — Taylor Amell, Crystal Bender, Luke Brynczka, Isabela Cherry, Cameron Chittenden, Christopher DeWitt, Zachary DuMais, Kaitlyn Dybowski, Kayla Feist, Kassandra Ferradino, Christopher Gibney, Alister Hanson, Brittany Harrington, Sydney Knapp, Tosha Knapp, Taylor Lancaster, Alexandra Lay, Newell Little, Samuel McDonough, Patrick Messineo, Audreanna Ortegel, Thomas Powers, Kayla Roberts, Ava Schneider, Samantha Stone

• Burnt Hills — Kristen Cooper, Mary Dedon, Emily Spencer

• Cambridge — Mia Alpy, Audrey Beirne, Isabelle Flint, Claudia Hall, Mason MacDougall, Kelcey Schut

• Chestertown — Jaike Brady, Abbygail Fritz, Amelia Hilton, Zachary Kramar, Isabel Norrito, Jenna Smith, Olivia Viele

• Clemons — Rian Thomas

• Clifton Park — Ivan Aviles, Anderson Cowles, Michaella Smith

• Cohoes — Yanary Hunter-Knight, Matthew Rappaport

• Corinth — Jessica Barnes, Titus Byron, Austin Denno, Rylee Dunbar, Veronica Howe, Kevin Jasper, Adrielle Lewis, Olivia Nelson, Lee Paredes, Ashlee Petteys, Samantha Petteys, Madison Pincheon, Ayley Rickson, Kendra Vanhorne, River Watkins, Megan Watkins, Idalia Willett

• Delmar — Peter Baltis, William Rulison

• Fort Ann — Aaron Aubrey, Riley Barnes, Garrett Brown, Benjamin Cusson, Envy Geroux, Taylor Henzel, Timothy Livingston, Adrianna Sharrow, Taylor Van Ness, Brooke Wright, Lucas Yaw

• Fort Edward — Katherine Aday, Brandon Andrews, McKenna Austin, Briana Barrett, Daniel Boucher Jr., Milo Brueder, Brandon Burke, Nick Carpenter, Deanna Colvin, Natalie Durkee, Gabriel Glass, Michael Glass, Emma Guyette, Sarah Hotte, Nicholas LaBarge-Ovitt, Danielle McCarthy, Brian Naylor, Elizabeth Rogers, Haley Saunders

• Franklin — Lucas VanDyke

• Galway — Jahdey Jackson

• Gansevoort — Sarah Adelson, Katerina Amato, Madalyn Ballou, Micaela Barbolt, Amy Battista, Chastity Brock, Corey Brown, Noah Brown, Ashley Chadwick, Daniel Cheney, Eden Cormie, Adrianna Cozzolino, Melina Crete, Keely Dahl, Francis Decrescenzo, Megan Harrington, Zach Harrington, Briana Healy, Abigail Hoffman, Zoravar Jassal, Elijah Lake, Shea LeClair, Paige Mazula, Jessica Muller, Paige Nesbitt, Colin Paige, Gavin Richards, Lilibet Rodriguez Melendez, Luna Sadowski, Madison Schlesier, Gabrielle Sliva, Ashlee Thomas, Alexandra Thompson

• Glens Falls — Emily Audette, Dylan Baker, Wesley Bell, Jered Bocyck, Avree Bolster, Lily Brooks, Brittney Cathey, Ella Ciancio, Chase Clark, Eryka Collins, Anna Craig, Ashley DeWitt, Kobi Dupuis, Logan Fennelly, Jessica Flint, Jacob Francato, Hope Gooden, Jared Hance, Suzaan Hanehan, Noelle Johnson, Margaret Kelleher, Makayla Kulka, Thomas Lajeunesse, Rebecca Lowry, Jonathan Pires, Justin Powers, Val Rebassoo, Sid Richardson, Evangeline Rosselle, Kaylee Rumrill, Emma Sevigny, Christopher Spencer, Kelsey Trombley, Rosh Hashana Velos, Aubrey Versailles, Laci Votraw, Julianne Wadleigh, Breanna Winch

• Glenville — Hailey Doherty

• Granville — Kari Bourn, Gemiline Castillo, Jasmine Gates, Kaden Gates, Catherine Gould, Jasmine Grey, Colby Hayes, Logan Miller, Cody Nelson, Lilly Sears, Micah Sears, Tristen Teer, Robert Veach

• Greenfield Center — Jason Henderson, Morgan Millington, Madalyn Potter, Camiran Rose, Samantha Spiak, Riley Waterhouse, Zane Willis

• Greenwich — Jennifer Barbur, Kristen Cain, Sara Douglas, Sofie Hoerning, Evan Merrill, Morgan Randall, Trinity Sanders, Isabelle Solan, Eli Strasswimmer, Karah Wilbur, Tyler Willetts, Jane Yates

• Hadley — Carmyn Garrow, Karolynn Palmatier, Leila Silburn, Khin Nyan Thit

• Halfmoon — Makayla Herald, Katelyn Jackson, Alyssa Jaffe

• Hartford — Douglas Brynes, Mckenna Kibling, Hannah Rogers

• Hudson Falls — Ayla Adams, Alexandra Barrant, Indigo Brewer, Dillan Bristol, Natalie Brooks, Raeghan Cantiello, Blake Collins, Andrew Colvin, Alyssa Concra, Alissa Corlew, Ian Dougher, Kamari Edmondson, Ilya Fedaryshyn, Natasha Groesbeck, Emma Hammond, Samantha Hutchins, Brenda Lapier, Samantha Little, Marissa Martelle, Timothy McInerney, Lukas Minckler, Tracy Nash, Connor Paige, Madison Pettit, McKayla Prouty, William Richmond, Rainee Vanderwarker, Aline Weaver, Jonathan Weaver, Carter White, Bradley Wood

• Indian Lake — Gabriel Stanton

• Johnsonville — Kairo Edwards

• Johnstown — Abygayl Lee

• Katskill Bay — Alena Goodman

• Lake George — Gretchen Barrett, Angelo Bergman, Christian Carrion, Brian Dee, Hope Halsted, Trinity Leach, Candace Mulcahy

• Lake Luzerne — Alexa Bapp, Garrett Carlton, Nathaniel Cochran, Austin Mosher, Aidan Price

• Latham — Tyler Scorzelli

• Lewis — Sadie Thompson

• Malone — Sydney Clark

• Malta — Grace Micare

• Marion — Ruth Diamond

• Mechanicville — Sa'Rye De Hoyos, Sidney Dushensky, Hannah Gregory, Pierce Jasmin, Brett Johansson, Anna Sloan, Christian Spero

• Middle Grove — Aaliyah Artis, Alicia Turkington

• Minerva — Kara Tucker

• Mohawk — Robert Becker

• Monticello — Sandor Thomas

• Moriah Center — Keira Callahan

• North Bangor — Jasmine Lasalle

• North Creek — Cole Bradway

• North River — Samuel Porter

• Olmstedville — Avery Bayse

• Porter Corners — Tanner Albertson, Kaylie Barcomb, Lucas Coseo, Ethan Mcknight, Kirklind Mihalek, Lauren Turner

• Queensbury — Brittany Archambault, Lorena Avalos, Gianna Balestrino, Brionna Barcia, Dylan Bennett, Brady Blaisdell, Skylar Callanan, Megan Carr, Marisa Celentano, Richard Cirelli, Sadie Clements, Greyson Clouse, Charles Cocozza, Sydney Cooper, Nicole Costin, Arianna Crowd, Charles Darrah, Kaliyah Davis, Autumn DeMatties, Tracy Decock, Dan Dixon, Brittany Fifield, Emily Gardner, Josh Geczy, Chloe Gleason, Solomon Gonzalez, Michael Guaman, Daryl Hammond, Caden Hanley, Kathleen Howard, Elliana Jeppesen, Lisa Jobs, Bianca Justus, Parker Kalisz, Kristopher Kennedy, Paige Konis, Aidan LaPann, William Lamy, Ashley Lane, Giavanna Ledbetter, Sarah Little, Spencer Lonergan, Courtney MacPherson, John Mahaney, Ciera Mason, Jerad Mastrangelo, Nate Meyer, Kayla Moffitt, Michaela Mower, Brendan Murphy, Brandon Neel, Aaron Newell, Michael O'Connor III, Mikela Oneal, Ethan Potter, Leo Povak, Isaiah Prunty, Xavier Rathbun, Matthew Ricciardelli, Elizabeth Rice, Haley Richardson, Phillip Robillard, Eric Rosario Jr., Mira Salmons, Jesse Seebeck, Trystan Shepard, Stephanie Skellie, Genna Sperry, Lara-Ann Stanco, Maria Pilar Stone, Collin Tero-Djordjevic, Nicholas Thompson II, Kristina Tocci, Kim Tran, Aurora Truta, Bradyn Tucker, Jonathan Tudda, Sarah Turcotte, Dyami Warrington, Richard Wright, Chase Yrsha

• Rensselaer — Xavier Baker

• Rexford — Michael Taylor

• Riparius — Kaleb Smith

• Round Lake — Kaitlyn Dean

• Salem — Joseph Beres, Jacob Bohley, Hannah Gongola, Lucinda Monder, Pascia Offield, Emily Thomas, Lauren Winslow

• Saratoga Springs — Courtney Adelman, Katherine Andersen, Arielle Baldwin, Aiden Bevan, Rosemeen Bhattal, Taylor Bonacci, Madison Branion, Jack Braxton, Alysson Brestar, Erin Brown, Logan Bruno, Maeve Buff, Ella Carson, Lea Cheever, Chaz Colucci, Chase Ethier, Andrew Fear, Morgan Flatley, Isabella Fragomeni, Caitlyn Guillotte, Matthiew Hall, Heather Hieronymi, Kayla Hnis, Destiny Kirk, Maxwell Korenowski, Emily Navarra, Erin Pedinotti, Jade Reese, Samuel Renner, Cassidy Repole, Isabella Shoaff, Nikki Stark, Nicole Tinoco, Crystal Ubillo

• Schaghticoke — Cameron Meaker

• Schenectady — Riley Derenzo, Amanda Joseph, Angela Lemus, Carly Reichel, Owen Rowe

• Schroon Lake — Riley Smith

• Schuylerville — Mackenzie Galcik, Rebecca Giroux, Jenee Monell, Amanda OConnor, Hannah Sherman, Irene Torres Guzman

• Shushan — Daisha Quackenbush

• South Glens Falls — Rachel Bishop, Mallory DePalo, Nicholas Dodge, Arinze Ezuma, Sarah Hamel, Julissa Hernandez-Brooks, Kayla Jaffe, Erik Jorgensen, Tone' Kerwin, Samson Maddalla, Kelle Martin, Stephanie Martinez, Casey Maxwell, Timmeon McDonald, Layla McDonnell, Hannah McLean, Katherine Mcgranahan, Maya Minnolera, Allison Mooney, Erik Mullaney, Haley Nolin, Zachary Payant, Shayla Peltier, Emma Potter, Liam Powers, Shawn Presher, Brittany Vanderbogart, Meghan Williams, Ryan Wood

• Stillwater — Michael Campion, Maximillian Robichaud

• Stony Creek — Benjamin Terrell

• Ticonderoga — Anna Maneri, Ali Nauman, Kameron Vigliotti

• Tupper Lake — Sam Lanthier

• Warrensburg — Natalie Bederian, Elliott Carodonna, Paisley Conine, Ryan Denney, Shyianne Kearsley, Nichole Mattocks, Elizabeth McNutt, Matthew Sharron, Jamie Smith, Aleisha VanAlen

• Waterford — Ana Delgado

• West Henrietta — Jason Buonaugurio

• Wevertown — Eli Burkhardt

• Whitehall — Michelle Blaise, Justin Bombard, Noah DeSantis, Georgeanne Hall, Kaitlyn Thompson

• Wilton — Nathaniel Sanders

• Witherbee — Christian Nichols

• Yonkers — Jovanny Fabre

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And Now for the Comics — ‘The Middletons’ by Dana Summers

More tomorrow!