Digital Inclusion Week: Sandra and Jeanie’s Journey
Flourishing with Digital Skills: Sandra and Jeanie's Journey
Meet Sandra and Jeanie, two good friends who have been studying digital skills with Fox Valley Literacy since February. They discovered the program from African Heritage Inc. through their church, Appleton Pentecostal Assembly. Jeanie, always busy on her computer, dreams of finding a job that allows her to work from home. Realizing the importance of having proficient computer skills, she eagerly enrolled in the program. Sandra, on the other hand, had taken computer classes back in the ‘80s when computers were enormous and filled entire rooms. However, she recognized that learning computers had changed significantly since then.
eanie, who works as the pastor’s administrator, often finds herself needing to write and send emails. However, the process sometimes takes her longer as she tries to figure things out. Sandra, who makes charts and uses Excel frequently at the church, also felt the need to refresh her knowledge. After starting with learning about basic computer skills, both Sandra and Jeanie transitioned to learning Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and Excel. Now, Sandra has earned eight certificates for passing each unit test while Jeanie has received four so far!
What they love most about the program is the freedom to choose what they want to learn each week. They are using the Northstar program, which works great because it is individualized and has a menu of tests and curricula. They also both work with the same tutor, Gene. Gene’s sense of humor makes the classes enjoyable for Sandra and Jeanie. Whenever they face challenges on a specific assessment, Gene takes the same assessment to understand their struggles better. Together, they work on solving problems and finding solutions.
Sandra and Jeanie can immediately apply the skills that they’ve learned from our digital literacy program to various aspects of their lives. Jeanie facilitates Bible studies, and after learning about how to use Microsoft Word, it’s been a game-changer for her to prepare and print her lessons.“Before, I had to write everything on a piece of paper, and it took me longer. Now, I feel confident and can get my class ready on the computer,” she shares happily. Sandra also helps the church make charts for attendance and other administrative tasks that need to be tracked. “I need to be using Excel for various things, and this program has given me the confidence to work on the computer more easily,” Sandra shares.
Learning in a friendly environment is crucial for them, and they feel right at home at Fox Valley Literacy. “First, I was kind of apprehensive about this. But when I was able to come here to be myself, I was like, well, if I can come here to be myself, then I love this place. Because, you know, you can go some places and you can’t be yourself”, Jeanie shares. They are both thankful for the things they have learned and how it has made their lives better. Because they feel more confident now, they keep setting higher goals and want to improve their computer skills even more!
