[ti:Teens Help Seniors Bridge High-Tech Generational Gap] [ar:Jonathan Evans] [al:Technology Report] [by:www.51voa.com] [00:00.00]From VOA Learning English, this is the Technology Report. [00:04.98]When most people imagine a classroom, [00:08.75]they think of older people teaching younger ones. [00:12.89]But when it comes to learning about [00:15.59]high-technology devices, [00:18.27]the opposite can often be true. [00:21.50]That is what is happening through a program [00:24.79]in the eastern American city of Columbia, Maryland. [00:29.38]The 50 Plus Center offers free technology classes [00:34.60]for adults ages 50 and older. [00:38.04]The teachers are often teenagers and even younger children. [00:44.08]Myra Stafford is 73 years old. [00:48.87]She signed up for the workshop [00:51.57]to learn how to use her iPad. [00:54.46]Ms. Stafford says [00:56.76]she is learning quickly about the device. [00:59.75]She adds that she enjoys learning [01:03.21]from younger people. [01:04.81]Eleven-year-old Zhion Perkins [01:08.13]teaches Ms. Stafford. [01:10.33]He says that patience is very important [01:14.62]when working with older adults. [01:17.43]"You have to be really, really patient, [01:19.77]you know, because some of them [01:22.18]might not know as well as others, [01:25.79]so you have to be really patient." [01:27.55]Meridy McCague is the director of the 50 Plus Center. [01:32.66]She says the center offers many other kinds of workshops [01:38.31]for older residents of Columbia. [01:40.88]The activities include playing cards [01:44.39]and physical exercise classes. [01:47.33]Ms. McCague added the senior technology workshop last year. [01:52.83]She acted after the center received several iPads [01:58.11]from a local community organization. [02:01.00]Since then, [02:02.65]about 100 senior citizens [02:05.28]have signed up for the workshop. [02:07.72]Ms. McCague says the classes are necessary [02:11.91]for seniors to connect with the world around them. [02:16.11]Kerry Hannon is a career and retirement expert. [02:20.59]She says teaching senior citizens [02:24.63]about technology can prove helpful for the economy. [02:29.06]"You have a huge growing population [02:32.10]over 60 that's just expanding, [02:34.44]and offers an incredible opportunity [02:36.34]to buy online, to research products [02:40.42]that they want to buy, maybe not online, [02:42.16]but they research them online. [02:43.65]About a third of the Internet users [02:45.94]in general are over 50. [02:47.55]As seniors get more excited [02:49.19]about using the technology, [02:50.38]they're going into the market place and buying it. [02:52.38]So that's a boom for economy right there." [02:54.42]Madison Lam is a 17-year-old teacher [02:58.55]for the technology workshop. [03:00.59]She says she also learns a lot [03:03.94]from helping seniors. [03:05.49]"I think I've learned a lot [03:07.48]on how to connect with people and [03:09.87]work with them because [03:11.11]I'm usually a shy person so I'm not good at [03:13.22]connecting with others [03:15.75]besides my family and friends. [03:16.80]So I've learned to be more outgoing." [03:19.50]Safire Windley is head of the Youth and Teen Center [03:24.53]that operates the program. [03:26.62]She says young people like Madison [03:30.11]gain more than just social skills [03:33.14]from teaching older residents. [03:35.58]"I find in this day and age, [03:38.81]our younger people, [03:39.93]they're trying to explore and [03:41.52]find out how they do they add value to life, [03:43.81]just trying to find their way. [03:44.93]This is something where they're needed [03:47.13]and their skill set is valued [03:49.36]and it gives them purpose." [03:51.08]And that's the VOA Learning English Technology Report. [03:56.37]I'm Jonathan Evans.