Did you know that more than 4,000 people owned part of Derby winner Authentic? And that horses sold for as little as $1,000 went on to win the world's most legendary race? This class dispels the myth that racehorse ownership is solely for the rich. Learn what famed racehorses sold for modest sums and went on to big achievements. Discover new racehorse ownership models and investment strategies making the game of horse racing more accessible.
Instructor:Tammy A GanttMembers: $6; General Public: $11
Course #: EQU130 | Room:Live Oak Hall Day of Week | Date | Time:Tu | 1/7/2025 | 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM Seats Available:41
Do you like to keep up with current events? Join us to discuss and share ideas that affect us and the world we live. You don't have to be an expert! We will discuss local, state, national and international news in a civil, open-minded environment. Discussion will be moderated.
Instructor: Sandy Carey Members: $8; General Public: $13
Course #: CUR101 | Room: Cypress Hall Day of Week | Date | Time : Th | 1/9/2025 - 6/12/2025 | 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM This class meets 11 times Seats Available: 7 This course meets: Jan. 9th & 23rd, Feb. 13rd & 27th, March 13rd & 27th, April 10th & 24th, May 8th & 29th and June 12th.
View and discuss two engaging TED Talks (visit TED.com) in a salon-type setting where free-thinkers spark each other's minds and hearts through spirited presentations and conversation.
Be stimulated, and become better educated and acquainted. Salons such as this were popular occasions for sharing knowledge and building friendships from Renaissance times up until the 1940s. TED has again popularized this concept with TEDx - local, independently organized events - in vibrant learning communities all over the world.
Participants are sure to leave motivated and more meaningfully connected with the world around us.
Instructor: Joe Bartosh Members: $5; General Public: $10
Course #: CUR112 | Room: Room 4 Day of Week | Date | Time : F | 1/10/2025 - 1/31/2025 | 9:00 AM - 10:30 AM This class meets 4 times Seats Available: 4
Operation Fundamental Justice is the official name for the movement of high value al Qaeda and Taliban detainees captured in Afghanistan and transported to "GTMO,” Guantanamo Bay Naval Base, Cuba. Detainee operations and GTMO have been controversial topics in international law, human rights, and national security. This presentation is the inside story of Fundamental Justice told by the officer in charge of it. It includes personal mission photographs never before seen in public.
Instructor:Frank DiPieroMembers: $5; General Public: $10
Course #: CUR179 | Room:Live Oak Hall Day of Week | Date | Time:Tu | 1/14/2025 | 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM Seats Available:88
This class is full. Click the "Add to Wait List " button below to be placed on a wait list.
Once a month we will have an in-depth discussion on a current issue. The purpose of this class is not to change minds but to gain knowledge from each other. We will strive to understand other people's thoughts and beliefs. Except for the first month, participants will select the topics to discuss.
Instructor:Pat Russell Course #: CUR165 | Room:Room 2 Day of Week | Date | Time:Tu | 1/14/2025 - 6/10/2025 | 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM Note: Students are not charged when placed on a waiting list, and will be notified by MTP staff if a seat becomes available.
Fraud schemes have increased significantly over the years and the impact it has on our senior community is at times devastating. Scammers are clever but we can out smart them with just a little knowledge on what to look out for. New schemes are being developed all the time but knowing what to do is key to protecting yourself and your hard earned money.
Instructor:Marcie SandersMembers: $5; General Public: $10
Course #: PUB134 | Room:Room 4 Day of Week | Date | Time:Tu | 1/21/2025 | 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM Seats Available:20
If there is one word which sums up the American experience it is the pursuit of equality. While Jefferson proclaimed “all men are created equal,” and it was “self-evident.” It wasn’t.
America has been a laboratory in the struggle for authentic equality in ways which Jefferson never imagined. This is America’s gift to the world, to make equality a reality in law and practice, despite the struggle.
Instructor:Emmett CoyneMembers: $5; General Public: $10
Course #: CUR163 | Room:Room 4 Day of Week | Date | Time:Tu | 1/21/2025 | 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM Seats Available:20
Great Decisions is America's largest discussion program on world affairs. The program model involves reading the Great Decisions briefing book, watching the video series and meeting to discuss the most critical global issues facing America today. Each week, for eight weeks, a different topic is reviewed and then discussed. Class cost includes the Foreign Policy workbook.
The 2025 Topics that will be discussed in class are:
-American Foreign Policy at a Crossroads:
This chapter will explore the contours of the U.S. foreign policy debate as it plays out in a world of multiple and escalating crises and domestic polarization. Author: G. John Ikenberry
-U.S. Changing Leadership of the World Economy:
Under President Biden, the U.S. has advanced new ideas about trade, technology, industrial policy, competition with China, and the organization of the world economy. For most of the postwar era, the U.S. has tied its global leadership to cooperative agendas aimed at creating a more open world trading system, but that has apparently come to an end. What are America’s options and opportunities as a leader of the world economy? How will America’s “foreign policy for the middle class” and strategic competition with China impact its leadership role? How can the postwar rules and institutions of the world economy be made safe for economic nationalism and great power competition? Author: Daniel Drezner
-U.S.-China Relations:
Washington’s relations with Beijing have reached an ominous low ebb. Both American political parties have identified China as the country’s preeminent geopolitical challenger and, in the eyes of many, a systemic threat. What is driving this deterioration of Sino-American relations, and what are America’s strategic options in the face of Chinese power and ambition? Author: Thomas J. Christensen
-International Cooperation on Climate Change:
The 2015 Paris Agreement established a UN-sponsored framework for negotiations on climate change and global warming. In subsequent COP meetings, experts and political leaders have come together seeking common cause for this growing global crisis. What is the future of these efforts, and what have they yielded? What is the U.S. role in fostering cooperation on climate change? In a divided country, what are the possible futures for American policy leadership? Author: Josh Busby
-The Future of NATO and European Security:
European security is more uncertain than it has been for decades. Putin’s Russia has launched a war with Ukraine on its doorstep, and America’s uncertain role as leader of NATO and security provider has been called into question with the failure of Congress to pass supplemental military support for Ukraine. What are Europe’s options, and how might developments on both sides of Western Europe – in Ukraine and across the Atlantic – impact its choices? What are America’s stakes in NATO and Europe’s strategic dilemmas? Author: Kori Schake
-AI and American National Security:
The AI revolution is the leading edge of a larger high-tech revolution which promises to transform the world. Experts argue that international cooperation is needed to expand the opportunities these new technologies hold while protecting societies from their dangers. What are the key policy debates in this area, and what are the opportunities and limits on global AI rules of the road? How will the AI revolution impact American national security? What are its policy options to secure the benefits of AI and guard against its dangers? Author: Julie George
-India: Between China, the West, and the Global South:
India is an emerging major power in world affairs, occupying a pivotal position between China, the United States, and the Global South. Its population size, economy, and geopolitical location ensure that it will be an influential voice in debates and political struggles over global order. What are India’s choices and opportunities for regional and global leadership? How will it maneuver between China and the United States, and what is its role as a voice of the Global South? What opportunities exist for Washington to work with India? Author: Leslie Vinjamuri
-After Gaza: American Policy in the Middle East:
The war in Gaza has brought the region to a crossroads. What are the possible outcomes of the war, and how might the United States use its influence to shape a long-term settlement that leaves both Israel and the Palestinians in a better position? How might Arab states in the wider region be brought into a settlement? What are America’s interests in the Middle East and how can it advance them? Author: Daniel Kurtzer
Course #: CUR183 | Room: Cypress Hall Day of Week | Date | Time : M | 2/3/2025 - 3/31/2025 | 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM This class meets 8 times Seats Available: 3 Note: No class Feb. 17th.
A rewarding opportunity to hold a civil and honest discussion on mutual interactions on racial issues. Gorham L. Black, III, a retired US Army Colonel will lead this lively "Learn and Grow" conversation. Two independent sessions will offer informed historical and personal experiences of black history. Listen, learn, share, and grow.
Course #: HBL112 | Room:Cypress Hall Day of Week | Date | Time:W | 2/5/2025 & 2/12/2025 | 3:30 PM - 5:00 PM This class meets 2 times Seats Available:25
View and discuss two engaging TED Talks (visit TED.com) in a salon-type setting where free-thinkers spark each other's minds and hearts through spirited presentations and conversation.
Be stimulated, and become better educated and acquainted. Salons such as this were popular occasions for sharing knowledge and building friendships from Renaissance times up until the 1940s. TED has again popularized this concept with TEDx - local, independently organized events - in vibrant learning communities all over the world.
Participants are sure to leave motivated and more meaningfully connected with the world around us.
Instructor: Joe Bartosh Members: $5; General Public: $10
Course #: CUR112 | Room: Room 4 Day of Week | Date | Time : F | 2/7/2025 - 2/28/2025 | 9:00 AM - 10:30 AM This class meets 4 times Seats Available: 8
Before George Floyd, the death of Emmett Till (1955) energized the Civil Rights movement. His mother's courageous decision to have an open casket for the world to view how savagely he had been brutalized was a significant catalyst for the Civil Rights movement.
Instructor:Emmett CoyneMembers: $5; General Public: $10
Course #: HBL116 | Room:Room 4 Day of Week | Date | Time:Tu | 2/18/2025 | 1:30 PM - 3:00 PM Seats Available:19
The importance of computer chips (also known as semiconductors or integrated circuits) cannot be overstated. These tiny yet powerful components are at the heart of modern technology. Computer chips serve as the building blocks for electronic devices, from smartphones and laptops to servers and supercomputers. Power in the modern world – military, economic, geopolitical – is built on a foundation of computer chips.
Access to cutting-edge chip technology is crucial for military systems, including radar, communication, and encryption. Nations vie for control over chip manufacturing to ensure their security and defense capabilities. The United States has dominated advances in chips, but that edge is in danger of slipping. China is pouring billions into a project to catch up. The United States and China are engaged in a high-stakes race to dominate chip production. Making computer chips has become the new arms race.
Instructor:Frank DiPieroMembers: $5; General Public: $10
Course #: CUR182 | Room:Live Oak Hall Day of Week | Date | Time:Tu | 2/25/2025 | 1:30 PM - 3:30 PM Seats Available:71
View and discuss two engaging TED Talks (visit TED.com) in a salon-type setting where free-thinkers spark each other's minds and hearts through spirited presentations and conversation.
Be stimulated, and become better educated and acquainted. Salons such as this were popular occasions for sharing knowledge and building friendships from Renaissance times up until the 1940s. TED has again popularized this concept with TEDx - local, independently organized events - in vibrant learning communities all over the world.
Participants are sure to leave motivated and more meaningfully connected with the world around us.
Instructor: Joe Bartosh Members: $5; General Public: $10
Course #: CUR112 | Room: Room 4 Day of Week | Date | Time : F | 3/7/2025 - 3/28/2025 | 9:00 AM - 10:30 AM This class meets 4 times Seats Available: 8
View and discuss two engaging TED Talks (visit TED.com) in a salon-type setting where free-thinkers spark each other's minds and hearts through spirited presentations and conversation.
Be stimulated, and become better educated and acquainted. Salons such as this were popular occasions for sharing knowledge and building friendships from Renaissance times up until the 1940s. TED has again popularized this concept with TEDx - local, independently organized events - in vibrant learning communities all over the world.
Participants are sure to leave motivated and more meaningfully connected with the world around us.
Instructor: Joe Bartosh Members: $5; General Public: $10
Course #: CUR112 | Room: Room 4 Day of Week | Date | Time : F | 4/4/2025 - 4/25/2025 | 9:00 AM - 10:30 AM This class meets 4 times Seats Available: 11
The Founding Fathers' fatal flaw was allowing slavery; they couldn't condemn or condone it. Sadly, most had inadequate teaching of a subject foundational to America. Our domestic tranquility today is affected by the Founders indecision. Understanding the past is a prelude to the future. "A nation cannot choose its past; it can only choose its future."
Instructor: Emmett CoyneMembers: $5; General Public: $10
Course #: CUR159 | Room:Room 4 Day of Week | Date | Time:Tu | 4/22/2025 & 4/29/2025 | 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM This class meets 2 times Seats Available:19
This course is designed for beginners with no technical background. You'll learn about the history of artificial intelligence and its development over time. You'll see examples of how AI is used today to change and improve our daily lives. We'll introduce you to different areas within AI, such as how computers can learn from data and understand human language. Finally, we'll explore the latest trends and challenges in AI, helping you understand what the future might hold for this exciting technology.
Why do so many horses in major races across the U.S. have a connection to our county? Learn how Marion County became the Horse Capital of the World® thanks to a little horse named Needles in 1956 and how he changed the trajectory of the Florida thoroughbred industry, making it one of the world's leading breeding, sales and racing centers.
Instructor:Tammy A GanttMembers: $6; General Public: $11
Course #: HIS515 | Room:Live Oak Hall Day of Week | Date | Time:Tu | 4/29/2025 | 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM Seats Available:54
View and discuss two engaging TED Talks (visit TED.com) in a salon-type setting where free-thinkers spark each other's minds and hearts through spirited presentations and conversation.
Be stimulated, and become better educated and acquainted. Salons such as this were popular occasions for sharing knowledge and building friendships from Renaissance times up until the 1940s. TED has again popularized this concept with TEDx - local, independently organized events - in vibrant learning communities all over the world.
Participants are sure to leave motivated and more meaningfully connected with the world around us.
Instructor: Joe Bartosh Members: $5; General Public: $10
Course #: CUR112 | Room: Room 4 Day of Week | Date | Time : F | 5/2/2025 - 5/30/2025 | 9:00 AM - 10:30 AM This class meets 5 times Seats Available: 9
View and discuss two engaging TED Talks (visit TED.com) in a salon-type setting where free-thinkers spark each other's minds and hearts through spirited presentations and conversation.
Be stimulated, and become better educated and acquainted. Salons such as this were popular occasions for sharing knowledge and building friendships from Renaissance times up until the 1940s. TED has again popularized this concept with TEDx - local, independently organized events - in vibrant learning communities all over the world.
Participants are sure to leave motivated and more meaningfully connected with the world around us.
Instructor: Joe BartoshMembers: $5; General Public: $10
Course #: CUR112 | Room:Room 4 Day of Week | Date | Time:F | 6/6/2025 & 6/13/2025 | 9:00 AM - 10:30 AM This class meets 2 times Seats Available:11
The 1790 Naturalization Act allowed any free white person to become a citizen of the new republic; all others need not apply. Since then, there was a protracted effort to keep America white. This session examines the many efforts to maintain a white America despite the diversity of its immigrants. How does one interpret "e pluribus unum?"
The rise of a militant white supremacy today is not new. It was present throughout our history. As it undermined domestic tranquility in the past, so it does today. Join this class to discuss how to become a diverse society and overcome white supremacy.
Instructor:Emmett CoyneMembers: $5; General Public: $10
Course #: CUR158 | Room:Room 4 Day of Week | Date | Time:Tu | 6/10/2025 | 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM Seats Available:17
By registering, I agree to INDEMNIFY AND HOLD HARMLESS Master the Possibilities, Inc., Sidney Colen & Associates, Ltd., On Top of the World Communities, Inc., Horticultural Arts & Park Institute, Inc., Bay Laurel Community Development District, and any of their agents, directors, officers, representatives, volunteers and employees from any and all loss, damage, injury, action or cause of action resulting from the classes, events, or trips and/or equipment owned or operated or permitted to be used or operated or is used or operated. This Release Waiver and Hold Harmless Agreement includes those classes, events, or trips inside or outside of Master the Possibilities, Inc. For the full waiver, visit https://www.masterthepossibilities.org/sites/default/files/PDF/WaiverofLiability.pdf.
If class is cancelled by the participant because of COVID positive results, there will still be a processing fee incurred by the participant.
Great Decisions is America's largest discussion program on world affairs. The program model involves reading the Great Decisions briefing book, watching the video series and meeting to discuss the most critical global issues facing America today. Each week, for eight weeks, a different topic is reviewed and then discussed. Class cost includes the Foreign Policy workbook.
