In the fireside lounge at Kamlu Senior Living Center, generations came together to solve technology problems Monday morning.
Peering at his laptop computer, Richard Adamson, 78, sat at a table. He needed help simultaneously opening two windows on his screen.
“I know it’s possible, but I don’t know how to do it,” Adamson confessed.
Never fear. His problem was solved by eighth-graders at Covington Middle School, who brought Techie Boot Camp to Kamlu.
Contact Kathryn Garcia-Stackpole: kathryn.garciastackpole@evergreenps.org or 360-604-4165.
Techie Boot Camp is a community outreach program featuring middle school students from Evergreen Public Schools who share their technological savvy with seniors. This was the first time the 10 Covington Middle School students had participated in the boot camp. They were identified as leaders by their teachers, said Susha Pratt, Covington Middle School counselor.
“They didn’t need any special technology training. I told them on the bus: ‘You know what to do,’ ” Pratt said.
“This is a no-brainer. They grew up with this stuff,” said district spokeswoman Kathryn Garcia-Stackpole, the district’s community partnerships supervisor. “It’s such an opportunity for them. A lot of these kids don’t have their grandparents in town.”
Chloe Haagen, 13, was among the students helping Adamson.
“We’re helping him figure out how to run two programs at the same time,” said Chloe, 13, who sat beside Adamson.
“I’m asking for help on how to do a split screen, so I can go back and forth,” Adamson said.
Xavien Leon-Myer, 13, knew what to do. Adamson’s face lit up.
“Thanks for showing me how to do that!” he said.
Was it an easy fix for Xavien?
“Kind of,” he said, smiling.
“My great-grandparents have problems with their technology,” said Alayna Ryder, 15, who stood nearby. “I help them with their cellphone and TV. I’ve also helped my younger sister with my dad’s laptop a million times.”
Other kids said they helped parents, aunts, uncles and grandparents to navigate technology.
Marion Kelly, 92, sat at another table with the Kindle Fire her granddaughter had sent her. Kelly, who retired in 1986, said she had used computers a little bit in her work life, but she had no idea how to use the electronic device in front of her. She said she planned to use the tablet to search the Internet.
Olivia Adams, 13, bent toward Kelly, handed her a piece of paper and said: “Marion, this is your email account.”
The girl had just set up an email account and the Kindle Fire for Kelly.
“They’re beautiful, helpful children to help a 92-year-old lady,” said Kelly.
“They had to change the language to English. It kept coming up in German,” Kelly added. “I must have hit a wrong button.”
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