The Comcast Digital Connectors Class of 2010 poses with the awards they received after helping community members become proficient in technology use. PHOTO: Natasha Dado/TAAN

DEARBORN—Through the Comcast Digital Connectors program, 23 high school and college students from Dearborn learned digital literacy skills to advance their community in the field of technology use.  On Monday Aug. 9, a celebration was thrown at the Arab Community Center for Economic and Social Services’ (ACCESS) youth and family  office to honor the student volunteers for completing the program which began last September. Since then, students have attended digital literacy classes at ACCESS two days a week from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. and shared what they learned with community members at senior centers, local organizations and their own homes.  “There is something magical about young people training older people and working with them on digital literacy and leadership skills,”  said David L. Cohen, executive vice president of Comcast Corporation.  Comcast Digital Connectors is an establishment of One Economy which is the world’s leading technology non-profit organization.

It’s committed to providing up to date technology information to people with low incomes. One Economy received financial support for the program from the Comcast Foundation and the  organizations have also partnered up nationally to support Comcast Digital Connectors.  The Comcast Foundation provides financial support to non-profit organizations that focus on developing leadership skills in youth. ACCESS was selected by Comcast to provide volunteers. 

    “We hope what the kids take out of this is a commitment to leadership.  One of the training modules in the program is leadership, so we hope they take skills that enable them to be leaders among young people, and then ultimately to be leaders in the future of America. Number two, we hope they take the digital literacy skills they learned and use them to be better students and ultimately successful in life, and number three, we hope they take the element of service which is a part of the Digital Connectors Program and recognize that those who have the knowledge and ability to give back in terms of service to their community should,” Cohen said. The program will resume next Fall during the academic year.  To date, almost 3,000 youth have completed more than 77,000 hours of community service through the program.  A number of community leaders attended the celebration including U.S. Congressman John D. Dingell, Jr. of Michigan and Dearborn City Councilwoman Suzanne Sareini, who is a finalist  in the race for state representative in Michigan’s 15th district.

 “It’s done so much. We learned a lot on financial and media literacy and how to interact with people. It’s brought us together with other people.  We got to learn about opportunities that are open to us. We learned how to talk to people, and we learned leadership skills. It’s going to help me in the future, it already has,” Comcast Digital Connectors volunteer Sara Yaffai said.