Under The Green: Randolph County
Promoting all that the Randolph County Agricultural Center has to offer with it's THREE departments housed "Under The Green". New episodes drop every other Thursday morning at 7am just in time for your morning commute!
Under The Green: Randolph County
Digital Skills: Connecting Our Community
Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.
In this episode of Under The Green, we explore how digital skills are shaping everyday life in Randolph County and beyond. From accessing essential services and applying for jobs to staying safe online and building confidence with new technology, this conversation highlights why digital literacy matters now more than ever.
Hannah shares how Extension is helping bridge the gap through hands-on support, community partnerships, and programs designed to meet people exactly where they are—whether they’re just getting started or looking to build on existing skills.
Thank you for listening! Follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/RandolphNCCE or Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/randolph_county_extension/
Welcome back to Under the Green, the podcast where we explore the programs, people, and practical impact inside the Randolph County Agricultural Center. Today we're diving into something that affects all of us every single day: technology. From job applications and online learning to telehealth and staying connected, digital skills are more important than ever. I'm joined today by Hannah, our digital skills agent, to talk about how these programs are helping bridge gaps, build confidence, and open new opportunities right here in our community. Welcome, Hannah. Well, thanks. I'm so excited to be here on our podcast. Tell us a little more about yourself, where you're from, your educational background.
SPEAKER_00So I grew up in Maryland, went to school at the University of Maryland, where I got a master's in library science and actually worked in public libraries for like 10 years or so, where I worked with the public, obviously, and helped a lot of people with their technology. So when I ended up moving down here, I left the library world and joined Cooperative Extension to help people with their technology.
SPEAKER_01And one little uh quick note, we learned in my last episode with Cody that he and I go back and forth on how to say his last name correctly. But down here in the South, in North Carolina, we do not say Hannah's name correctly. But she lets us just roll with it. So we call her Hannah, but it's really said Hannah. Right. We can't say that. So she just puts up with us and we thank her for that. She's uh got just the patience of a saint. But Hannah, let's just dive right in. For someone hearing digital skills for the first time, what does that actually mean?
SPEAKER_00Okay, so I think of digital skills as the new literacy. So back a hundred years ago, learning to read and write could really open doors for you. And of course, that's still important today. But today you also need digital skills, something as basic as you know how to turn on a phone or a laptop, uh, you know how to navigate a complicated website. These are keys to participating in the modern world, just like learning how to read was back in the day. So I teach all kinds of digital skills, everything from learning how to use your first smartphone to how to optimize your social media marketing for your small business or for your local farm. So, really anywhere, I'll meet people where they're at, help them with whatever their technology need is.
SPEAKER_01Yes, and one thing to note uh before we go too much further is that Hannah is like a diamond in the rough, meaning that among the state, there's only a handful of you guys that are digital skills agents, right? How many are there across the state?
SPEAKER_00That is true. I believe we have 12 agents right now in maybe 11 counties because a couple of us cover multiple counties. It is a new program for North Carolina Cooperative Extension, and I have only been in this role uh close to three years now. I was one of the earliest agents uh adopted to this program in North Carolina.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, so we are very fortunate to have her, and she is a busy little bee. I swear her and Cody, they're constant, just back and forth, out the door, inside, they're everywhere.
SPEAKER_00Well, I wouldn't want to be bored.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, you're definitely not bored. So, why is digital literacy so important right now, especially in our rural communities?
SPEAKER_00Of course, digital literacy is important for everyone in this day and age, but it is really important in rural areas because having digital skills can bridge that gap between the services you can access if you live in a rural community as opposed to a more urban area. Um, so for example, imagine your doctor lives half an hour or an hour away from you. You know, if you can have the skills and the devices to have a telehealth appointment right in the comfort of your living room, you don't have to drive an hour, pay all that gas money in this day and age. Maybe you don't even have a car or you need someone else to drive you. So that can be a huge cost savings and convenience, but you have to be comfortable with those digital skills in order to access that service.
SPEAKER_01What are some of the most common challenges people face when it comes to technology?
SPEAKER_00I think you can really sum that up in two words. It's access and it's anxiety. So access is a big one. Um, not everyone can afford to have internet in their home and even now, and not everybody has a smartphone or a computer at home. And we are working on that at Cooperative Extension. We've been fortunate to get some grant funding from the state, and we were able to start a program where we get computers into people's hands. That is gonna be finishing up this summer. I'll talk more about that a little later on. And then in terms of anxiety, I mean, that's definitely one of the biggest things, the biggest hurdles I see when I'm working with people. People are afraid they're gonna break something, they're gonna do something wrong. And that's a valid fear because technology changes constantly. It's new for me every day in some ways, too. Um, but my goal is to help people move away from that fear into a place of curiosity. Because if you can be curious and just be like, oh, what will happen if I do this? How can I learn this new thing? Oh, that looks cool. I saw that smartwatch on TV. I want to get one and see how it works. Um, if you can start exploring and learning and being curious about things, technology can make your life better instead of more complicated.
SPEAKER_01Yes. I mean, think about just the the amount of money that goes into getting a new device, no matter what it is. And it's nothing is cheap these days, and technology is definitely not on the cheap list. And I could definitely understand that anxiety if you go pay a thousand dollars for a new phone and you're excited about it, but you don't want to mess it up and you don't want to break it. And you're like, Can I get viruses on this? Can this happen? Can that happen? So, yes, definitely. But that's a great example and a great goal to move that anxiety to curiosity. I think that opened a lot of doors for a lot of people. So thank you, Hanel. What types of programs or classes do you offer to help people build those skills?
SPEAKER_00All right. So the first one I'm gonna mention is um I offer a free one-to-one technology help program where you can schedule an appointment, uh, come to the cooperative extension office, bring your phone, your tablet, your laptop, whatever it may be. The only thing I usually can't help people with is desktops just because they're too big to haul in here easily. And then you just sit down with me. You can bring a family member, whatever makes you comfortable. It's usually about 45 minutes to an hour. We go through whatever you're trying to learn or whatever the issue is. We just go slow, we do hands-on help, and we try to really go step by step so that you can practice yourself and learn and build confidence in whatever that device or that skill is. I think it's a great option for somebody who might feel a little intimidated by joining a class group setting. And you can just have that like calm, unfrustrated help. One of the things I see a lot with people, especially seniors who are learning technology for the first time, is they have wonderful, loving family who do their best to help. But the way they help is, oh, let me just fix it for you, which they're doing their best and it's coming from a place of love, but that doesn't really help. It's like that old proverb if you teach a man to fish, he can have fish for the rest of his life. But if you catch the fish for him, he has fish for one day, right? So we want we want to teach the fishing and the phone and the device, not um, not just fix it for people, generally speaking. I also do a whole lot of different classes and workshops here at the Ag Center, also around the county and libraries and senior centers, various different places. With our youth, I partner with our wonderful 4-H program here in Randolph County. Um, and I run a lot of different codings and robotics types of things. I also work with local schools and libraries to provide online safety and coding education for young people. And when I'm working with youth, I often focus on more of like a broader range of STEM, which is science, technology, engineering, and math, rather than specifically just the technology, because I think it's important to encourage and build all those skills to get kids who have digital literacy in the future.
SPEAKER_01And if you do one of those one-on-one classes with Hannah, you get to come check out her really cool lab, which is our Randolph Communications Digital Skills Lab. She has really done a lot of work in here. It's decorated beautifully. She's got a lot of cool tools. So yeah, it's worth it just to come check that out and learn something while you're here.
SPEAKER_00It is a fun place, and we have a 3D printer up and running now, too, which we're hoping to hold some classes and workshops on probably starting this summer.
SPEAKER_01Yes, that was, I think, a very big like, what a whoa kind of moment for the people at our festival that we just had a couple weeks ago. They were excited to see that and some other things that you offer. So who are you typically working with and what does your audience look like?
SPEAKER_00It's very multi-generational, which is awesome and fun. Um, I love this. This was one of the things I loved when I worked in public libraries as well, is that I really get to meet everybody. Um, so one day I might be at a school like URE Charter Elementary, teaching a class to fifth graders about online safety. And then that very same afternoon, I might be at a senior center helping people set up their email account for the first time so they can see photos of their grandkids. Um, I work with job seekers, retirees, students, really anybody, because my goal is just to help people learn how to safely use technology to make their lives better.
SPEAKER_01What's one skill that makes a big difference in someone's daily life once they learn it?
SPEAKER_00The biggest one, I would say off the bat, effective and safe online searching. So once you know how to find credible information online and you can avoid scams online, the internet stops being a scary place and it starts being the world's biggest library, uh, which is awesome. But you need to learn how to move safely through that online world. Um, and that can empower people to solve their own problems to find the information they need themselves.
SPEAKER_01Yes, going back to scams just a little bit, and she may have something to talk about later. I don't know, but man, they just try to hit you on all sides these days. Just searching the internet. We get text messages, we get phone calls. They're just really hitting it all sides. And I know our sheriff's department also does a really good job at trying to stay on top of those as they hear reports. And then Hannah also shares things that they may share or vice versa to keep people safe. But yeah, they really are after us for sure.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, it is uh that is the dark side of technology for sure. I always say anytime human beings come up with something fantastic, there will be other human beings who turn it to bad purposes. Unfortunately, that's just the way we are. Yes. But yeah, actually, one of the biggest uh topics I get asked to speak on when I'm going out in the community is online safety and avoiding scams. And sadly, something like 70% of online scams are targeted at our senior population. So that's a big area where education is needed for sure.
SPEAKER_01What surprises people most once they start learning digital skills?
SPEAKER_00People are often surprised by how much they already know. Because a lot of people have this, and which is a very natural human sensation, you have this fear of new things, right? This fear of change, and you kind of freeze up when you have this whole new phone or this whole new device, and it just becomes this overwhelming, scary thing. You don't even know where to start. But then once you can take that first step, you you start to realize, oh, the logic of this new phone is kind of similar to this other computer program I've used before, or to my old tablet that I've already used. And it becomes more intuitive, and then that little light bulb goes off. Once you've gone past those first scary steps, I think people are surprised that it can often get easier really quickly. And then another thing I see a lot is surprise at how effective new digital tools can be at making your life like just that little bit easier. I taught a class to a group of seniors recently on how to use Chat GPT, which is a free AI tool. Lots of pros and cons with it. But you know, if you use it right, it certainly can make your life a little bit easier. And then a couple weeks after that, one of the participants showed me some pictures. She had used Chat GPT, took a picture of a room in her house, uploaded it to the program, and said, show me what this room would look like in a variety of different paint colors. And that way she was able to quickly pick the color she wanted before she went to the store and you know, wasted a lot of money on the wrong color of paint, which you can't return, I think, from what she said. So that was, you know, just like a fun little example. It's not life-changing, but it just a thing that made your life a little bit easier.
SPEAKER_01Saves a little time and a little effort and and may show you something that you hadn't thought of before. So, how do digital skills connect to job opportunities or career growth?
SPEAKER_00Oh, this is a big one because almost every single job has some kind of a digital footprint in this day and age. I believe the National Skills Coalition, which is like a national program that tracks job trends, recently reported that 92% of all jobs today nationally require some level of digital skills. Now, this may just be like you have to enter your the time you worked into a computerized timesheet system, but maybe you need to use professional software. Maybe you work in a fast food industry and you need to use the computer program to input people's orders. You know, so really anywhere you're working, most industries are going to require some computer skills. And even if it doesn't, you're probably gonna have to fill out an application online to get that job, right? Lots of government services like housing aid, social security, Medicare, they're moving everything through that online application process as well. So those basic digital skills, uh, yes, will make job seekers more competitive, we'll make you more confident and competitive in the workforce, but you might need them for basic well-being, even for people who have retired or left the workforce at this point, too.
SPEAKER_01Yes. And I will say, I've been here a little bit longer than Hannah. So Hannah had to learn a whole new system when she came here because Hannah is a team Android, and and and we work on Macs in our office. And so she had to learn a Mac, and that was a little bit challenging at first, wasn't it?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, and actually, that's one of the things I like to tell anybody I'm working with. Like, I have to learn new technology all the time as well. It changes all the time. There's updates, uh, there's new trends, there's new devices and new tools out there all the time. But yeah, it is it is helpful to me that I have to work in both worlds. I work with both Apple and with Google users, and that's great because then I can help people in both camps.
SPEAKER_01Yes. So, what role does digital access, like internet or devices, play in all of this?
SPEAKER_00Well, access is foundational. An example I like to use is you can't really learn how to drive if you don't have a car to drive in. And it's the same with digital skills. You can't really learn digital skills unless you have a device to use and an internet connection that you can access. Now, of course, we have wonderful institutions like the public library where people can go to get Wi-Fi for free, use computers for free, but it's best if you have something at home that you can use to really build and practice. So we work hard in Cooperative Extension to make sure people know how to get to the hardware and the internet service they need. Of course, sometimes cost is a barrier there. And I wish that was not the case and we could just get universal internet access for all, maybe someday. But as part of the digital skills program, I have worked on finding grant funding to help get computers to people who need them. I'm calling this the Computer Basics and Chromebooks program. It's funded through the NCDIT, which is a state program. And participants for the program sign up for a six-hour class. So it's pretty intensive. You really learn your computer basics, your online safety, all of that. And then at the end of the class, you get to take home a Chromebook to keep free of charge. Last year, I offered this program with the Randolph Senior Adults Association, Ashboro Housing Authority, and at the Ashborough and Archdale libraries. The next session is actually starting in May, and that's going to be at the Randallman Library. That program has already filled up, and from what I have heard, has an extensive wait list. But I will be offering one final round before the grant funding runs out for this program, and that will be held here at the Ag Center in July. Um, it will be published on our cooperative extension website for signups June 1st. So if anybody wants to register, keep an eye out. June 1st, it's gonna go live. You can sign up for it then.
SPEAKER_01Yes, mark that on your calendar, June 1st. So that has been a very, very popular program for Hannah, rightfully so. I mean, you get a free computer out of it, and all you gotta do is give up some time and learn some things. So it's a win-win. So you just named some partnerships that you have out here in in the county. Do they help expand digital skills programs in our community?
SPEAKER_00Oh, absolutely. So Cooperative Extension loves to work with wonderful partner agencies in our community. The Randolph Senior Adults Association has been a wonderful partner to me. They run all the senior centers through our county, and they've been so supportive and generous in inviting me to come and speak to the seniors around our county. I have a lot of wonderful partners. I've worked with URE Charter Academy, the public libraries, of course, they're excellent. Um, I've also done some more like national partnerships. We work with the United Way 211 helpline, and that helpline is set up so you know somebody who needs help can dial 211. They speak to a United Way staff person, and that person helps them find the resource or the information that they need. But what happens if the person on the line says, I need help with technology, is the 211 person will then forward that over to me if it's a call local to Randolph County, and I can step in and help them maybe set up an appointment, figure out how to get them the digital skills education that they need. So we work with lots of partners because our whole goal is to try to get to where people are at and meet their needs and help them learn the digital skills that they need to fix the problem in their life or just to make their lives better.
SPEAKER_01I learned something new. I didn't know about the 211 thing. Oh, and it's moonlighting is like digital skills Batman. What's the success story or a moment that has really stuck with you so far in this career?
SPEAKER_00Oh, there's so many. Sometimes there's really big exciting moments, like I just mentioned the computer basics and Chromebooks class. And when a whole group of 25 people graduates and like they're packing up their computers to take it home for real, that's a big exciting moment. It's a big celebration. I love that. But often it's the little moments that really stick with you. Like when I can help a senior install the app for their health portal so that they can sign in and see the test results from their doctor or schedule a telehealth appointment. It's just so empowering for them. And it feels it gives them a little bit more control over their own lives, and that's really wonderful to see. I was at a senior center, this was just last week, actually, helping people with a variety of things they had issues on their phones. And this one older lady sat down with me and her friend leaned over and said, Do you know she's 96 years old? And I was like, Oh my goodness, that's awesome. I'm so happy for you. She, on her own, had bought a smartwatch because she saw it on TV. She thought it looked really cool. She wanted to try it out, and she wanted me to show her how to pair that smartwatch with her iPhone at 96 years old. And that's just amazing curiosity. That's so wonderful to see.
SPEAKER_01What's something that people assume is just too hard, but is actually very learnable?
SPEAKER_00I think as adults, we tend to look too much at the big picture and then we get scared. Uh, because if you say, Oh, I have to learn how to use this new phone, that's a big, scary, overwhelming task. Um, but if you can say, I'm gonna learn how to use the texting app this week, and then maybe next week I'm gonna learn how this Facebook thing works, you know, and you take it in bite-sized chunks, it really is not too hard. It becomes manageable and learnable, learnable. And with kids, uh with kids is different because they're what we call digital natives, which basically means they have grown up with a phone glued to their hands or an iPad or whatever it may be. Um, but I think there's a really important skill we need to focus on with kids in technology, and that is teaching them how to fail successfully. So in the technology world, there's a term you hear a lot called iterating. And what that basically means is that you try something over and over and over again until you get to the best result. Kids in school are sometimes taught that they need to be try to be perfect, they need to try to get an A, they need to not make mistakes, and they sometimes get in trouble if they make mistakes, right? And that is teaching them to be afraid of failure. Um, and what we want is for them not to lose the ability to keep trying and trying and trying until they get to that best or most creative result. You know, you don't want to just check the box off and say, okay, I did it, I'm done. You know, you want to keep going until it's better. So when I work with kids, I try to give them a really safe and spun fun space where they can make those mistakes and kind of fail forward and learn through trial and error.
SPEAKER_01So if someone feels intimidated by technology, what would you say to them? Obviously, your friend at the senior center was not intimidated, and I love that for her. But what would you say to someone that is?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I hear this a lot because, like I said at the beginning, you know, access and anxiety, anxiety is huge. And I've definitely felt that myself, facing something new and unfamiliar. I think it's a human experience. So one of the things I say over and over and over again to people of all ages is no one knows everything. I do not know everything. I learn new things about technology as I am helping people. We discover it and explore it together quite often. Um, and in fact, I make a big point of saying, oh, hey, I don't know how this works. Let's look it up together and we can learn together how you look something up when you don't know how it works, which is a fantastic skill to give anybody. And then just trying to create that non-threatening safe space because you should never feel dumb asking about something you don't know yet, because the yet is the key, right? Maybe you don't know how to turn your new phone on yet, but you can learn that in 30 seconds, and then you've got a new skill. Yeah. So I focus on that yet because everybody starts somewhere. Technology is a tool, uh, it's it's a hammer, attractor, they're tools. You learn how to use them, and then they make your life much better. And you have to practice. This is a big one. New things are scary, change is scary. If you want things to be safe instead of scary, uh, you have to do them over and over. I tell people of a certain age who maybe had to take music lessons in school, you go to a piano lesson, you don't say, okay, I learned it. You come home and you practice a little tiny bit every day. And then over time, you internalize and you remember and build on those skills, and then you learn know how to play the piano eventually, right? But it doesn't happen overnight. You have to practice.
SPEAKER_01What's something about your job that people might not realize?
SPEAKER_00I think this is the same as my job in the library. People think of librarians and they say, Oh, you get to read books all day. No, you work with people all day. Same with my job. Yes, I work with technology, but really I work with people. I'm working with people, I'm being a teacher and a cheerleader and trying to translate tech speak into like regular everyday English so people can understand and feel safe with their technology. Oh, one other thing I forgot to mention the one-to-one tech help service I offer is completely free. It is a free cooperative extension service. I do ask that you call ahead to make an appointment because I'm often out and about in the community teaching classes at various locations. So I'm not always here at my office. Uh, but if you just call, schedule an appointment, you come in, I will help you with your technology to the best of my ability, and it's free of charge.
SPEAKER_01And what number should they call?
SPEAKER_00336-318-6002.
SPEAKER_01Awesome. All right. If you had to teach one digital skill to everyone in the county, what would it be?
SPEAKER_00Definitely online safety basics. So you've got to know how to protect your personal information. It's the most important skill for staying safe and confident online today. Crucial for our senior population. Like I said earlier, a huge percentage of all online scams target that population. But I also want to highlight this is so vital for our young people. And I think as adults, we kind of have blinders on in some sense in this regard because we assume, oh, they're digital natives. They know all about this. And yeah, they know how to do things on their phone that would take me half an hour to figure out easily. But without a safe adult teaching them kind of the rules of the road, they can also run into a lot of trouble online very easily. A few months ago, I was in a fifth-grade classroom and I just did a quick question. I asked everybody to raise their hand if they had their own social media account. And these are 10 and 11 years old, year olds at fifth grade, right? And legally, you're supposed to be at least 13 to sign up for any of the major social media platforms like Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, all of those. Despite that, almost every child in that classroom raised their hand. And I can guarantee most of their parents or grown-ups at home have no idea. They don't know what their kids are doing on their phone and online. And that is really scary. These kids are bright, they are curious, they are wonderful, but they need to have honest conversations about safety, about the fact that not everybody online is who they're claiming to be. And that's hard for a child to understand if they don't have a safe adult in their life to guide them through that. So my door is always open to help families navigate those waters, ensure that everybody in Randolph County can enjoy the benefits of technology with peace of mind. And I think that's really important to use the technology to make it helpful in your life, but to do it safely.
SPEAKER_01Definitely. Our kids are some easy prey. They want to feel um like they belong. You don't want them to get in a in a situation that they can't manage. So yeah, definitely. I know the rule in my house was if you are not an adult, which my oldest is now an adult, but if you are not an adult and you're on our cell phone plan and we are paying for your digital device that connects you to the whole entire world, I have access to that. I have complete access to that. I will check the Facebook, the any any social media you have as a teenager, I will look through your pictures, I will read your text messages, all of those things because it's my job to protect you at the end of the day. And so I'm 100% with you on that one, Hannah. That if you could teach anything, that online safety and being aware of scams and predators would be top of the list, 100%. So switching gears to something a little less serious, uh, try to always ask a more personal question, but still job relevant. Uh, what tools or apps do you personally recommend? Like what's on your phone that you go to a lot?
SPEAKER_00Okay, I've got a lot on my phone. Um, and like Chastity already mentioned, I am an Android user. Nothing against Apple. I like Android because I think it's a little more flexible, a little easier for someone who's comfortable with technology to use. But I will say one of the apps I use every day on my phone is the Libby app, L-I-B-B-Y, which is the free library app used by most library programs across our nation. You do have to have a local library card and plug that number in to open up your account. But then you can read ebooks on your phone for free, which is so fantastic and awesome. And if you're stuck in a line at the grocery store, you just pull your phone out and you've got a book right there, ready to go. I love that. Uh, use it every day. Others that I use, I'm a big user of the free Google tools. I use Google Drive, I use Google Docs, um, I use Google Keep Notes, which is this fantastic online checklist you can use. And I do use Gemini, which is Google's AI tool. Uh, it's kind of like Siri, if iPhone users are accustomed to Siri as your AI voice assistant. Um, you can talk to Gemini and ask it to do tasks for you on your phone, look things up for you. It's generative, just like Chat GPT. So you can ask it to research for you, create content or images for you. Now, obviously, you have to use it wisely and carefully, as with any AI tool, but it is a great time saver. And I use it as an assistant, kind of like a little secretary in my pocket on my phone. It can be very handy.
SPEAKER_01What's one myth about technology that you would like to clear up?
SPEAKER_00Ooh, there's a lot of them floating around out there. I think the biggest one is just that it's super scary. And people get that fear because it changes so fast. And I already said that earlier, but I think it bears repeating. Yes, it changes fast. Yes, you have to constantly learn. But I think it's so important for us to keep alert and curious and be open to new information all the time anyway. You just have to go into it knowing, okay, something might look different today. All right, I might need to spend 10, 30 seconds figuring out where this button or app is now. You know, be open to learn a new thing, a new skill, and not be so scared of it all the time. Because if you're scared to push a button, you're never gonna get anywhere.
SPEAKER_01Yes. Be like me, push the buttons.
SPEAKER_00Okay, me depends on the buttons.
SPEAKER_01That's I'm I'm a horrible passenger like on a road trip because I'm like, you know, get just a few miles into it. I'm like, what does that button do? What does that button do? You know, there's only so many buttons on the phone, but well, physical buttons, there's all kinds of digital buttons, and you know, talking about how it's ever changing. So a quick story from my end about technology is I am married to a farmer. He is we're we're in our early 40s, but I can promise you he acts like he's 80. And that's just the nature of him, and I love him for it. But when iPhones first came out, that was very exciting, right? We're like, I was excited. He was like, he was grumpy about it. And of course I I wanted to get one. And he was very much like, we have internet at home, you have a computer at home, you can just look up whatever you need at home, and it took me a long time to get him into that world, into like, okay, yes, you can, but also it was changing so rapidly, you know, we didn't have to print out directions anymore from from MapQuest.
SPEAKER_00Oh man, I remember when that change happened, and that was awesome.
SPEAKER_01Yes, and you know, I don't even know if MapQuest is a thing anymore. It may be because all these other map apps have taken over, but you know, you didn't have to do that anymore. Or you, you know, you could look up if you're traveling and you're like, oh, I'm getting tired, I need a hotel. You could just look it up because obviously you're nowhere near your home. Different little things that he finally come around to seeing. And I think that happens a lot with a with a lot of people is that yes, we have that fear and anxiety, and then it's like, oh, this isn't too bad. I can handle this. And so I'm proud to say he is now an iPhone user. He has one of the newer iPhones and pretty much knows how to use it.
SPEAKER_00Yeah.
SPEAKER_01Well stuff to get by.
SPEAKER_00That is awesome. The key thing is I think getting to that point where you can accept and adapt to technology before it's a crucial point in your life where you don't have a choice. Because that's what worries me is when I'm when I see people and they say, Oh no, I never needed a computer all my life, I'm not gonna mess with that now. That's your choice. That's your life. You know, you know your life best. But there may come a time where you can't get your social security benefits in the mail anymore. You have to go online, route it to your bank. If you don't have an email account, you can't do any of that. And then you're in a crisis point. I don't know what email is, I don't know how all this works, I don't know how to type, I don't have any of these skills. Hopefully there's somebody in your family who can assist you, but not everybody has that, right? Um so then you're kind of in trouble. You're up a creek without a paddle, as my grandma used to say. My goal is to get people those basic skills before they get to that crisis point where they don't have a choice anymore, where they have to adapt to the new technology.
SPEAKER_01Hannah, we thank you so much for being here. And thank you for helping us better understand how digital skills are shaping opportunities in our community. It's clear that these programs are about more than technology, they're about access, confidence, and connection. Next time on Under the Green, we'll continue exploring the programs and people that make the Agricultural Center such a valuable resource for Randolph County. We will have Allison Allen and our new 4-H agent, Jenny May, with us, and they are going to unveil the long awaited summer plans for 4 H. That is always a very popular program for us, and we look forward to you hearing about it. But um, thanks for listening, and we'll see you next time, right here under the green.