Want to learn the tricks you need to make your presentations more exciting? PowerPoint Basics is the class for you. Instructor Helen Williamson will teach students to combine text, graphics, and visual special effects on presentation slides. This class is for everyone -- business people, educators and trainers alike. The class meets on Tuesdays beginning March 21 and going through May 9 in the Tunica Building, Lab 136 from 6-9 p.m. The fee is $60 and includes the book. (2.5 Continuing Education Units (CEUs) given upon request.)

Did you know that you can see a galaxy two million light years away with your unaided eye, or that you can see craters on the moon with ordinary binoculars? Discover these and other astronomical secrets as you participate in Star Gazing on March 23 and 25. The class will meet on Thursday, March 23 in Physical Science, Room 107, and then go to the Northwest soccer field for observation with telescopes. On Saturday, March 25, the class will meet at 7 p.m. at the Northwest Farm on Highway 4 West in Senatobia. Al Carrington is the instructor for the class. There is no charge, but students must call to reserve a space.

Excel-Intermediate will be offered Thursdays, March 30-May 18. The class is only open to those who have completed Excel Basics, part one of the course. Instructor Helen Williamson will continue to help students learn to organize and analyze numeric data, write formulas, use formatting commands and develop well-designed worksheets. The class meets in the Tunica Building, Lab 136 from 6-9 p.m. The fee, which includes the book, will be $60. (2.5 CEUs given upon request.)

Self-Defense for Seniors, a two-day workshop being offered this spring, will help senior adults learn skills that will make them feel safe in today's world. Instructor Bud Donahou will give participants a chance to practice skills to avoid being targeted as a potential victim, stay safe from verbal attack, address worries about safety during a home invasion, and learn tips on evasive and defensive driving. The class will meet on Saturdays, April 1 and April 8 from 8 a.m.-noon in Room 104 in the Haraway Center. The cost for the class is $30.

Cake Decorating will be offered on Thursdays, March 23 through April 30. Students will learn how to create beautifully decorated cakes for any occasion. The class will cover learning to make roses, borders, flowers, and other cake embellishments. Icing recipe and supply list will be given at first class meeting. The class will be taught by Kim Steinman, and will meet in the Yalobusha Building, Room 120 from 6-8 p.m. The cost of the class is $45 plus supplies.

Getting ready for the ACT? On March 27-28 from 6-9 p.m. Northwest is offering an ACT Prep Workshop taught by Kristie Waldrop and Carol Lucius. The class will cover an overview of the ACT format, followed by a review of verbal and math fundamentals for solving typical test questions. Test-taking strategies will also be covered by this course. Previous students of this course have raised their scores significantly. The class will be held in the Tunica Building from 6-9 p.m. The cost of the class is $75, and includes the book. Students are required to register by noon on the Friday before the class.

Classes will be taught on the Senatobia campus of Northwest Mississippi Community College, located at 4975 Highway 51 North, Senatobia, unless otherwise noted. For more information, contact Lowder at 562-3349.