4-H teens bring digital skills to Lee County as part of partnership with Microsoft

Posted 10/9/19

LEE COUNTY — The FCC has found that more than 24 million people living in the U.S., including 19 million living in rural communities, do not have access to broadband internet, an essential service in today’s economy.

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4-H teens bring digital skills to Lee County as part of partnership with Microsoft

Posted

LEE COUNTY — The FCC has found that more than 24 million people living in the U.S., including 19 million living in rural communities, do not have access to broadband internet, an essential service in today’s economy. The average need for digital skills across 545 occupations rose 57 percent between 2002 and 2016 according to research led by the Brookings Institute. To help close the connectivity and digital skills gap, National 4-H Council and Microsoft’s 4-H Tech Changemaker program is empowering 4-H teens in 91 communities across 15 states to lead digital skills trainings, teach the value of digital tools, as well as find technological solutions to real world problems.  

In Lee County, the local teen leaders will work with Lee County 4-H, community members, and Microsoft to identify the most needed digital skills in their communities and develop targeted digital skills trainings. The training sessions will cover key topics from online safety to computer basics and device training throughout the winter.  

The Digital Ambassadors are excited to bring a series of trainings to adults of all ages on the following dates: Oct. 22, 29, Dec. 3, 10, and 17, Jan. 21, 28, and Feb. 4. Trainings will take place at the Lee County Council on Aging, 100 W. Second St., Dixon, in the community room from 3-4:30 p.m. each day. Each training will cover a different topic and will have a short question and answer time built in. Participants are encouraged to register to reserve a seat. You may register by calling the Lee County Extension Office, 815-857-3525, Lee County Council on Aging, 815-288-9236, or by going online at go.illinois.edu/4HDigital

Topics covered include:

Common Problems and Troubleshooting: This session will look at the top problems that happen with your computer, how to recognize them, and how to fix them.

Information Literacy: This lesson shares the importance of knowing how to access and evaluate digital information. Being able to determine the quality, credibility, and validity of websites and how to use search strategies to find information are important skills.

Online Shopping: This lesson shares the importance of being safe while shopping online.

Nettiquette, Video and Messaging basics: This lesson provides guidance on etiquette while sharing information on the internet. This lesson will also teach you how to video chat and message with friends and family.

Phone/Tablet Basics, Privacy and Security: This lesson shares the importance of crating strong passwords for use in digital environments. This lesson will also give you the chance to learn some important phone/tablet settings.

Social Media Basics, Parental Roles: This lesson shares the importance of keeping young people safe in digital environments. This lesson will also go over the basics of Facebook and important settings.

These training will help the community take advantage of the new opportunities available to them as broadband access reaches their communities. Broadband internet access was made possible by Microsoft’s Airband initiative, which aims to extend broadband to three million Americans living in rural areas by June 2022. 

“Digital skills, along with broadband internet access, are critical for bringing economic opportunities to rural communities and empowering the next generation of local innovators and entrepreneurs,” said John Smith, New Hampshire state STEM Coordinator. 

Parents and individuals seeking more information on how to get involved can reach out to their local 4-H office at 815-857-3525.