Senior citizens and high school students work together on tablets Friday during a Cyber Senior workshop held at the Limestone County Career Technical Center.  

Sometimes teenagers get frustrated when an older person asks for advice on how to operate digital devices, but the students of Limestone County Career Technical Center’s teaching program are constantly asking their teacher when they can do it again.

Tara Ellis leads the teachers-in-training program, where high school students are introduced to the teaching field and the basics of becoming a classroom teacher. The program is also associated with the Family, Career and Community Leaders of America organization.

It was through FCCLA Ellis discovered a curriculum designed to bring senior citizens and teenagers together to tackle technology.

“I thought it’d be great to build relationships and bridge generation gaps,” Ellis said.

She approached Sheilia Long of the Limestone County Council on Aging to see if there was any interest from local seniors and Long said she immediately was on board.

Friday morning, 14 seniors from Owens, Athens, Tanner and East Limestone senior centers filled the small classroom and set to work on learning the ins and outs of the Apple iPad with nine of Ellis’ future teachers.

The teens walked the seniors through everything from how to adjust the volume to games and email.

“It’s amazing how many seniors are involved,” Long said, adding the group environment helped the “students” feel more comfortable asking questions of the teens.

Ellis said her kids enjoy the time they get to spend with their community’s elders and always ask her when the next session will be held.

Aside from forming friendships the Cyber Senior workshops also have a health benefit.

Ellis and Long agreed that learning to operate the iPads help protect the seniors’ minds against the ravages of diseases such as Alzheimer’s and dementia. Learning something new and having to perform an action repeatedly helps keep the seniors sharp and aware.

“It helps everybody to ask questions,” Long said.

Cyber Seniors will continue to meet twice a month at the Career Technical Center until the end of school in May, Ellis said.