JARRETT GOODMAN
Staff Writer
Marion County’s non-profit organization, The Palms Up Foundation, has recently established and hosted several in-person courses dedicated to the education of using everyday laptops and online tools.
Funded by state grants, the Tech Goes Home classes in Marion County first began Monday, Feb. 23 and recently concluded Monday, March 9 with its final course. Each course allowed participants to learn about the day-to-day tools which today’s laptops and Chromebooks provide, such as Google Slides and email. Those who attended were instructed on how to utilize each in effective ways, whether for a presentation or for sending out a resume to an employer for a potential job offer.
“It’s definitely worth it to help someone learn how to use a computer, or be more familiar with one,” Palms Up Board Member Stacey Thomas said. “Especially now that everything is going digital or turns towards the internet.”
Thomas, also a 3rd grade teacher for Jasper Elementary School, served as the class’ main instructor. She explained the idea to present Tech Goes Home into the community stems from Palms Up member Delores Kelly, who felt Thomas would be a fitting candidate to lead each weekly course. Additionally, members of Palms Up felt the program would prove beneficial to single mothers within the community, as the Palms Up Foundation dedicates to providing a helping hand to single mothers within the area.
“Nowadays, if you go to college, you’re most likely going to need a computer taking a class like this,” Thomas said. “These moms that are participating are opening themselves up to let’s say adding to their resume that ‘Hey, I‘ve taken a basic computer skills class.’ When you go to an interview, that’s going to look nice if you’re working with computers daily.”
Palms Up founder Kathy Johnson touched on the significance of having computer courses for single mothers, stating how once a mother completes each course under a specific amount of hours, the mother can then take their computer home and use their newfound knowledge to help perform a variety of everyday tasks more efficiently, in addition to the benefits that computer skills provide when working online or in college. She also shared the course provides a great sense of community to all who participate, allowing single mothers to come together within an educative and social environment.
“This is amazing. The sense of community we get and that we’re able to provide this for them,” Johnson said. “This is not something we can probably do on our own right now, so it’s been an amazing experience that we can provide this asset to them so it would help enhance them.”
While not made official, Thomas shared interest to host more Tech Goes Homes classes in the future, not only for single mothers to participate but other residents as well who call Marion County home.