Free Educational Topics in Chicago
It’s as easy as 1, 2, 3: Browse for a topic, Click the orange request button, Fill out the contact form.
Now the speaker will contact you in the next few days to coordinate details.
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Rethinking the Colonizing of North America
Mark McGarvie, J.D., Ph.D.,, Retired Professor of History and Law, College of William and Mary
Request This Free SpeechEuropean colonialism recently has been presented, both popularly and scholastically, as an evil that decimated native populations, destroyed native cultures, precipitated extensive wars, and caused irreparable environmental harm. Avoiding judgment in favor of understanding, Professor McGarvie will develop the context for European discovery of the New World in the intellectual, technological, political, and cultural contexts of both the Native Americans and the European explorers in the 16th - 18th centuries. MORE >
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Raising Innovative Children
Stephen A. Di Biase, Ph.D., President, Premier Insights, LLC.
Request This Free Speech"10 Secrets for Raising Innovative Children" describes what parents can do to help their children build upon their natural tendencies to be innovative while offering a buffer to the potential damage they'll experience when they begin their formal education at age 5. There is significant evidence that from age 5 to age 20 the typical person experiencing the traditional US educational system will lose almost all of their capabilities for being innovative. MORE >
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Planning for Old Age is Fun! Said No One Ever.
Renee N. Duba, Founder, Sonder Private Wealth Management
Request This Free Speech"Live fast and hard, die young and have a good looking carcass!" Noel Duba, my father. MORE >
It really does seem as though no one plans for what may happen as they age. If you have ever cared for an aging parent, then you know how important having a plan for aging can be. This fun, somewhat irreverent talk will provide audience members with a complete guide to establishing a plan for aging that will support family and caregivers should the time come. We will cover the legal, financial and other issues that make up the components of a good plan. -
Our Culture Wars: Intellectual Roots and Historical Precedents
Mark McGarvie, J.D., Ph.D.,, Retired Professor of History and Law, College of William and Mary
Request This Free SpeechProfessor McGarvie describes the development of pragmatism in the early 19th century as a critique of the individualistic and rights-oriented ideology of the Enlightenment. Pragmatism served as the basis for the first progressive movement, which was ultimately repudiated in the ascension of the Coolidge, Harding, and Hoover Republicans in the 1920s. How are today's progressives repeating the political errors of their predecessors? MORE >
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Our Antiquated Electoral College
Ed Spire, Co-lead, Restore our Democracy Project, NWSOFA-Indivisible
Request This Free SpeechLearn why we elect the US president via the Electoral College, how our Electoral College damages our demcoracy - and what we can do about it.
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On the Trail of the Ancient Ones
Terry Poppleton
Request This Free SpeechJoin Terry as he takes you on a journey to another place and another time. The place is the Four Corners region of the U.S. and the time is a thousand years ago. On this journey we will visit such storied places as Chaco Canyon, Mesa Verde, and Hovenweep. Discover how this remarkable culture flourished, changed, and survived in the challenging environment of the American Southwest. MORE >
During the presentation, he will answer the following questions:Who were the Anasazi “Ancient Ones”?
Why was their culture remarkable?
How did this culture change?
Why did they leave the Four Corners area?The presentation takes approximately 30-45 minutes. I will need a computer projector and screen.
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Navigating Solar Options
Ivonne Rychwa, Director of Outreach, Citizens Utility Board (CUB)
Request This Free SpeechA presentation on solar and the benefits of clean energy. Listen to a CUB expert explain different solar programs and incentives you can get involved in, why clean energy is more affordable and reliable, and how policies like CEJA (Climate and Equitable Jobs Act) and the Inflation Reduction Act benefit consumers. MORE >
During this presentation, you will receive information on: how solar panels work with your home and the grid, an overview of state and federal incentives, how consumers can benefit from renewable energy, and programs like Community Solar and Illinois Solar for All. -
Making Cents of College Costs
Joseph Orsolini, President, College Aid Planners, Inc.
Request This Free SpeechFor most families college tuition is the largest expense they will face. Unfortunately, many families go into this stage in life uninformed and unprepared. Learn strategies that enable families of all income levels (not just low or moderate‐income) to make a college education more affordable and less of a financial burden.
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Increasing Political Polarization and what we can do about it
Ed Spire, Co-lead, Restore our Democracy Project, NWSOFA-Indivisible
Request This Free SpeechEvery decade, increasing gerrymandering has created more and more "safe seats", which have resulted in more and more extreme legislators on both sides of the aisle - creating a legislature where compromise is impossible, and very little legislative progress ensures. This presentation shows why this happens, and what we can do about it, using the recent example of the Alaska special election, utilizing a nonpartisan primary and a ranked choice voting general election, as an example of how to promote more moderate legislators and a more productive legislature. MORE >
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Home Energy Savings Presentation
Ivonne Rychwa, Director of Outreach, Citizens Utility Board (CUB)
Request This Free SpeechLearn about your energy choices and ways to save money on your utility bills. During this presentation we will go over: Understanding your utility bills, Your energy choices, Energy efficiency programs that can help consumers save energy and money, and Solar options.