March 15th is Digital Learning Day!
Digital advancements are increasingly being incorporated into everyday life, yet many people living in the U.S., particularly women and people of color, lack the basic digital skills that would help them to communicate, collaborate, and connect with the world around them.
This opportunity gap is especially prevalent in rural areas of America, where one quarter of the population lacks access to broadband internet. One in six working-age Americans are unable to use email, web search, or other basic online tools.
The 4-H Tech Changemakers program is tackling this digital divide by training, equipping, and empowering young people with the education and skills they need to teach digital skills to adults in their communities. These tech-savvy and community-oriented 4-H Tech Changemakers deliver digital skill-building workshops, resulting in practical, real-world solutions that create economic opportunity in local communities.
Benefits of 4-H Tech Changemakers Includes
- Community Impact: Teens learn to assess how and where their digital expertise can best make a difference in their communities.
- Advanced Digital Skills: Teens develop advanced digital skills that can be applied in school and the workforce.
- Civic Leadership: Teens lead workshops that help create opportunities for community members, such as teaching small business owners to better manage and market their businesses.
Join me in a recent interview with Hannah Jones,
National 4-H Tech Changemaker, along with 4-H Leader, Allie Griner to learn more about how they’re helping to bridge this technological gap for adults and make sure that community members across the country have the tools and skills they need to achieve economic.
Listen to the entire interview here: 4-H Changemakers Teens Teach Adults – Michigan Mama News – YouTube
More more information, go to www.4-H.org/tcm
Bios
Hannah Jones, 4-H Tech Changemaker National Ambassador from Adairsville, GA
A junior in high school, Hannah Jones is passionate about helping her community through her membership in 4-H and work with her county government. She first joined the 4-H Tech Changemakers program as a seventh grader and has evolved with the program to support its goal of promoting economic development in local communities through increased digital skills education.
Currently, her work as a Tech Changemaker is focused on developing the local workforce so more people can live, work, and thrive in her rural community. She has led a variety of activities, including a demonstration on the importance of strong passwords at the Georgia National Fair and regular Canva classes for middle school teachers looking to enhance their digital content creation skills.
Her mastery in adapting the 4-H Tech Changemakers curriculum to meet the needs of workforce-ready adults has resulted in an average workshop reach of more than 100 participants. She hopes to build on this foundation by teaching job seekers how to create professional resumes, headshots, and career profiles.
As one of three national spokespeople for the program, Hannah raises awareness for the digital divide and advocates for digital skills education through legislative visits, public speaking engagements, and media opportunities.
Allie Griner
4-H COUNTY EXTENSION AGENT
Allie Griner is the County Extension Agent for 4-H/Youth Development in Gordon County, Georgia and has been in her current role for 8 years. She provides oversight to the county 4-H program of nearly 1,500 enrolled youth and 60 volunteers in over 100 clubs.
