Computers are the 'type' of communication seniors want
NBTHS students to teach local seniors how to navigate PCs
BY JENNIFER AMATO Staff Writer
Students involved with the Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) chapter at North Brunswick Township High School are offering minicomputer classes to local senior citizens.

JEFF GRANIT staff Truman Liu, a sophomore at North Brunswick Township High School, assists Junea Condit with searching the Internet using Google during one of several training sessions being held by the school's Future Business Leaders of America organization.

The 45-minute workshops focus on basic applications such as logging on to the computer, using document files, creating emails, sending emails with attachments, online shopping, online safety, finding map directions, sending photographs and using the Internet.

"The kids are so technologically advanced … that it's just natural for our kids to teach seniors about technology," adviser Sue Maroon said.

The students will develop their own lesson plans and present them to the FBLA class and Maroon before teaching the seniors.

Although FBLA members will learn leadership and organizational skills through this program, student Dhananjay Thanikella said the intergenerational aspect is just as important.

"[The seniors] get to interact with kids, they get to talk to them, they get to get out of their house for 45 minutes — even if it's for a little bit, it could make their day," he said.

Volunteers from the 30-member organization normally attend competitions and leadership conferences, but "Partnership in Technology" is the community-service project they have undertaken this school year. In the past, the group has held food drives, made Thanksgiving baskets for the Visiting Nurse Association of Central Jersey, sold hearts for the American Heart Association and held a bowlathon for a local family in need.

"Just by giving back something to the community for what they give to us … it's knowing that helping people, giving examples to other people to help others, [is better than] than helping themselves," student Jie Huang said.

The courses are limited to 10 senior citizens each week and will run Thursday April 2, 16 and 30 and May 7 from 2:35 to 3:15 p.m. at the high school, 30 Raider Road.

For more information, call the North Brunswick Senior Center at 732-247-0922 551 or 732-418-2222.