Friday, April 08, 2011

A month-long series of basic computer lessons for underserved senior adults in the Wilmington Housing Authority's (WHA) Hillcrest Community will culminate from 2 to 3 p.m. on Thursday, April 14.

A service of the WHA University of North Carolina Wilmington Community Campus initiative, the class is designed for people ages 50 and up with limited computer experience. Media are invited to join Hillcrest residents as they learn the basic computer skills needed to send emails, fill out online paperwork, use word processing programs and complete other tasks.

New Hanover High School student Will Thornton teaches the class as part of his senior project, in collaboration with UNC Wilmington computer science associate professor Karl Ricanek and UNCW students Brandon Hilton and Benjamin Barbour.

Kim Lancaster, UNCW community outreach liaison, said "This collaboration is a great way for us to reach out to the greater Wilmington community."

The WHA-UNCW Community Campus is a partnership between the WHA and UNCW housed on the Hillcrest Community property. The community campus offers a variety of educational and technology resources to local low income families including afterschool programs, tutoring for elementary school students, tax preparation assistance and more.

Last year, the unique community campus was recognized nationally by the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials (NAHRO) for demonstrating innovative ways to make a difference.

Media are invited to join residents for their final computer class by request. Interviews will be available.

Media Contact:
Joy Davis, Marketing and Communications, 910.632.3903 or davisjc@uncw.edu