Students from Ray-Pec and Belton teach older adults computer skills

So how does Skype work?

Using tablet devices, students from Raymore-Peculiar and Belton helped older adults in the area learn basic computer functions this summer. A graduation ceremony last week celebrated the completion of the eight-week Cyber Seniors program.

The West Central Missouri Community Action Agency provided the program, which paired each student mentor with a senior citizen.

One evening each week, students met with the older adults for a meal and computer lesson. Topics included setting up an email account, taking photos, adding attachments to emails, conducting web searches and learning applications such as Facebook and Skype.

Family and friends were invited to the graduation ceremony and pizza dinner. During the ceremony, the students and senior citizens shared a few words about each other. It was evident that many had formed friendships.

At the conclusion of the program, each senior citizen and each student mentor received a Samsung tablet.

The student participants were Danny Byous, Carson Zimmerman, Jasmine Koehler, Cheyanna Scott, Lyanna Cardenas, Tashani Bushyhead, Sarah Donahoe, Meghan Clark, Cassandra Crandall, Ally Maloney and Caleb German.

Cyber Senior graduates were Steve Ware, Larry Bouman, Shelley Visser, Sherry Durham, Lynn McReynolds, Marta Carrol, Vickie Ewing, Barbara Everman, Brenda Rowles and Millie Plimmer.

Kauffman Foundation offers aid through KC Scholars

KC Scholars, a new scholarship and college savings match program incubated by the Kauffman Foundation, has announced its first-ever recipients, 77 percent of whom will be in their families’ first-generation of college students.

Recipients come from 74 high schools in Cass, Jackson, Clay, Platte Wyandotte and Johnson counties.

The program was developed with input from 70 Kansas City area partner. It aims to help low- and modest-income students — as well as adult learners — complete a college education. Among all first-year scholarship recipients, 83 percent have an estimated family contribution to college of $4,000 or less.

This year, the program is awarding:

▪ 285 traditional scholarships for students who are now entering their junior year. Recipients will receive up to $10,000 per year, renewable up to five years.

▪ 91 adult learner scholarships to people 24 and older who have earned at least 12 college credits but no degree. They will receive up to $5,000 per year, renewable up to five years.

▪ 70 college savings match and incentive scholarships awarded to students who were freshmen last spring. A 529 college savings account will be set up for them and seeded with $50, and they are also eligible for a 4:1 match on savings, up to $7,000.

▪ College savings accounts, seeded with $50, set up for an additional 162 students.

The KC Scholars website lists a number of recipients from Cass County.

Receiving traditional scholarships were Dominique Nichols and Eliezer Trejo from Belton High School; Bre-Ann Bissonnette, Rj Hughes, Madison Hunt,Grace Montag, Harold Moore, Kylee Reeves and Johana Rosas, all from Pleasant Hill High School; and Josh Adams from Sherwood High School.

Incentive awards went to Cooper Bogle, Chante Graham and Kaleb Parks, all from Belton High School; Aidan Parker from Pleasant Hill High School, and Xavien Sanders of Raymore-Peculiar High School.

“KC Scholars is helping to build a college-educated workforce in Kansas City,” said Gwen Grant, president and CEO of the Urban League of Greater Kansas City and KC Scholars Implementation Committee member.

This story was originally published July 27, 2017 at 11:40 AM with the headline "Students from Ray-Pec and Belton teach older adults computer skills."