Nile Korobkov with his grandmother, Larisa De Flores.
An idea an RHS student had to broaden computer skills for senior citizens started with his grandmother.
Nile Korobkov, a 17-year-old honors student at Ridgefield High School, has started a non-profit volunteer service program where fellow students who are proficient in computer software applications offer to teach computer classes to senior citizens and veterans in their own homes.
“I have a grandmother who does not speak English and I have experienced firsthand her encounter with modern technology, a lifestyle that my peers and I all take for granted. Having grown up and been raised alongside the evolving technology allows me and all people my age to have an advantage, having been the first generation to experience the tech boom starting from a very young age.”
The program he has started provides basic computing services, including Microsoft Word, use of email, Skype, and Internet surfing.
Trainers will teach classes using an individualized curriculum and lots of support.
“We are confident that offering this type of service for the residents of Ridgefield is going to be empowering to our senior community, and provide a service that is much needed,” he said.
“It will improve older adults’ quality of life tremendously, as it brings the freedom of staying connected to their families, friends and the world, regardless of the physical restrictions they are struggling with.
“I have seen how my grandma’s quality of life has improved since I taught her how to use the computer efficiently,” he said, noting that due to a recently broken leg she has not been able to leave the house in almost three months. She was confined to her house with no communication with her friends who live in Russia, her homeland.
“This, along with the many cases that I have seen in nursing homes that I have volunteered in, pushed me to create this program as a way to respect and pay back our forgotten elders,” he said.
Those interested in learning more or scheduling an appointment may call 203-501-7921.
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