Senior Cyber Café Students Celebrate at Graduation Ceremonies
The Citizens for Citizens, Inc. (CFC) Senior Cyber Café Program held another graduation at the 111 Durfee Street classroom site on December 4, 2009 for students that had recently completed the course requirements of the program.
Announcement of Graduation
The Senior Cyber Café Program has been a tremendous success. Now in its 7th year of operation, the Senior Cyber Café has had nearly one thousand Fall River area senior citizens complete its computer training classes. Shellie Castro, CFC’s Human Resource Director, created the program after witnessing cyber cafes firsthand while traveling throughout Europe.
The need for the computer training classes has not diminished since the inception of the program and there is a waiting list of seniors wishing to enroll in the program. The Senior Cyber Café classes offer seniors a friendly atmosphere in which to learn basic computer use, including an introduction to use of the Internet. The computer training classes run for a ten-week session, providing forty hours of training.
Starting off the graduation celebration, Shellie Castro welcomed the graduating senior students and congratulated them on completing the course work.
Shellie Castro welcomes the cyber cafe students
CFC’s First Vice President, Butch Almeida, served as master of ceremonies and provided all in attendance with a dose of mirth and merriment. Butch also explained that the CFC Senior Aide Program Director, James Souza, had assisted in securing the funding for the computer training instructor and the first generation of computers used by the students in the Senior Cyber Café.
CFC First Vice President address the students
Also in attendance was the Assistant Secretary of Elder Affairs for Massachusetts, Ruth Palombo. Ms. Palombo told the seniors that she used to get “cold sweats when ever she had to turn on her computer,” and said, “I am so happy that all of you have learned new skills to assist you in searching for jobs.” She closed by saying, “I want you all to know that the Department of Elderly Affairs supports these types of programs and we stand behind your efforts in learning the new skills.”
Assistant Secretary of Elder Affairs for Massachusetts,Ruth Palombo speaks to the Cyber Cafe students
Senior Cyber Café instructor Arlene Zajac presented a Certificate of Completion to all the graduates in attendance, and a buffet lunch was provided after the graduation ceremonies were completed.
Cyber Café instructor Arlene Zajac congratulates a Cyber Cafe student
