Last week seven students graduated from Tech St@rs, our digital literacy program for fifth and sixth graders in West Philadelphia. The twelve-week program helps the students understand the answers to questions like "What is a computer?" and "What is the Internet?", but it also teaches practical skills such as typing, how to navigate a search engine, and how to use word processing and spreadsheet applications.
Parents and school staff from Martha Washington Elementary School, where most of the students attend, came out to support their students as they received certificates of completion and shared work they had created in the class. Their final project put their word processing skills to work, creating flyers for their imaginary businesses. They displayed nail salons, shoe stores, and t-shirt shops with colorful text and personally-selected logos.
To encourage further use of their newly-acquired skills, the students were given refurbished desktop computers to keep at home. Parents in attendance received information about low-cost internet options and how to maintain safe access to the World Wide Web with the new equipment in their homes.
Tech St@rs is offered each semester to up to twelve West Philly students. To learn more or for an application, please email di@pec-cares.org or call 267-777-5860.
Parents and school staff from Martha Washington Elementary School, where most of the students attend, came out to support their students as they received certificates of completion and shared work they had created in the class. Their final project put their word processing skills to work, creating flyers for their imaginary businesses. They displayed nail salons, shoe stores, and t-shirt shops with colorful text and personally-selected logos.
To encourage further use of their newly-acquired skills, the students were given refurbished desktop computers to keep at home. Parents in attendance received information about low-cost internet options and how to maintain safe access to the World Wide Web with the new equipment in their homes.
Tech St@rs is offered each semester to up to twelve West Philly students. To learn more or for an application, please email di@pec-cares.org or call 267-777-5860.