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Kids & Seniors on Net
Operation GenerationLink Launches Today in Dallas
April 5, 2004 - An innovative program
designed to have high school students teach senior citizens how to use
the Internet – GenerationLink – kicks off today in Dallas, through the
cooperation of AARP Texas, three Dallas high schools and EarthLink. The
program is already active in Atlanta and Orlando.
The national program was developed and
launched by Internet service provider EarthLink in 2002, GenerationLink
seeks to foster intergenerational understanding by using the Internet to
forge a connection between teens and seniors.
"What better way to bring people
together than through the Internet," said Dan Greenfield, vice president
of corporate communications for EarthLink. "GenerationLink gives us the
opportunity to create a dialogue between teens and seniors in a way that
enriches the lives of both generations."
"Computers can provide an important way
for seniors to communicate with family and friends. The Internet can be
a lifeline connecting individuals to new resources and information,
encouraging them to be engaged, grow and meet their ever-changing needs
and interests. The Internet also can provide a critical linkage that
reduces isolation and allows more people to remain independent and lead
satisfying lives," said Gus Cardenas, state president for AARP Texas.
The EarthLink project is being
implemented through the Dallas Independent School District's service
learning, A Safe and Drug-Free Schools program. Beginning today,
GenerationLink will bring 30 local seniors (10 at each high school),
aged 60 and above, to sit side by side with high school students at
Justin F. Kimball High School, Hillcrest High School and
Science/Engineering Magnet High School at The Townview Magnet Center.
The students will teach the seniors how to send email, surf the Web and
download attachments.
The one-hour class will run for six
weeks, with the high school students serving as Internet mentors and
teachers for the seniors. Senior citizen participants will come from
Concord Senior Center, Cedar Crest Senior Center, Walnut Hill Recreation
Center and La Voz del Ancianos. In addition, EarthLink will award a
scholarship to the student from each high school who best captures the
essence of the intergenerational experience in an essay contest
following the six-week program. Teachers at each of the three high
schools selected the participating students and will lead the class.
"As a school district, we realize that
our mission is not only to educate the future leaders of our community,
but also to prepare better citizens for Dallas, as well as trustworthy
and responsible human beings for the world. Collaborations such as this
between EarthLink, AARP Texas and the Dallas Independent School District
are a win-win situation. The students learn about the importance of
taking an active role in the community, and our community seniors
benefit from the care and technical expertise of our students. There is
no doubt that this is how you build character among our youth, and we
applaud EarthLink for supporting this partnership," said Dr. Mike Moses,
superintendent of the Dallas Independent School District.
As testimony to the program's success,
participating seniors continue to use email to stay in touch with
faraway children and grandchildren, while others are using the Internet
to explore information and hobbies, such as reading a hometown
newspaper.
The program was created in part to
address a study published in February 2002 by the U.S. Department of
Commerce that found that teenagers are the most prolific Internet users,
while seniors over age 55 show a sharp drop in Internet use.
Greenfield noted that plans are underway
for launching GenerationLink programs in additional cities. "We've seen
so much enthusiasm for this program in Orlando and Atlanta. The seniors
are eager to go online and use email, and the students are proud of
their role as teacher and mentor - ultimately we'd like to bring this
program to schools and senior centers across the country," Greenfield
said. |
