At Springfield Masonic Community a resident had an idea for a new event. She was worried about how easy it was becoming for older adults to get scammed online, and wanted to make sure herself and her fellow residents knew the red flags to watch for. As a retired teacher, Betty Jane knew just the solution for her technology concerns – students.
Betty Jane got right to work. She talked to the Springfield-Clark Career Technology Center and told them her technology-related concerns. Together, they came up with a plan. Students from the school’s information technology (IT) programs would spend a day at Springfield Masonic Community giving a presentation on the red flags of online danger and then work one-on-one with residents to address their technology questions and concerns. For Betty Jane, it was also a benefit that her fellow residents would get to see more of what goes on in Springfield and get to work with young people.
When the event rolled around in February, there were 10 student presenters who worked with a group of 30 residents. The students came prepared with their presentation and knowledge, but residents came prepared with their questions. Some residents even came with lists of all the questions they wanted to make sure they got answered. By the end of the day, the students enjoyed teaching and giving back and residents enjoyed spending time with the teens and feeling better about their online safety and technology use.
Betty Jane called the event a “win-win”. Students get practical experience with on-the-job training and residents at Springfield Masonic Community can feel more confident with their technology and safety. She shared, “I love what they’re doing, I love why they’re doing it. They’re helping us, and I love it.”
