ElderTech Academy is an intergenerational technology program that pairs interested older adults with tech-savvy high school students with the goal of furthering their understanding of and skills with mobile technologies.

ElderTech Academy partners with high schools, senior centers, churches, and community centers to provide important technology to older adults and simultaneously provide high school volunteers with internships and valuable job experience.

ElderTech Academy After Covid-19

To all of our program friends, colleagues, partners, participants, tutors, and sponsors

We’re excited to be returning full strength to our mission of helping older adults learn how to best use mobile technologies – smart phones, tablets, computers, — everything that helps us better connect and communicate with our friends, families, and loved ones.  It’s been quite a journey, but we’re happy to be sitting side by side with our many friends and learning together – again!

We’re Back! 

We’re delighted to be working online with several groups now and gearing up for a return to on site sessions. Our older adults have been exploring the world of artificial intelligence (A.I.) with both Midjourney (for graphics) and ChatGPT for language based projects. Watch this space for some of the remarkable work our older adults have been creating! 

Will Online Instruction Remain?

At ElderTech Academy, we want to to do what we do best – help older adults understand and use these new technologies. In the pandemic, we could reach a lot of people on line that we couldn’t otherwise reach so we’re now offering both in-person and on line sessions.  

Stay tuned to this site for specific information on new topics, sessions, lectures, and workshops that we’ll be offering in the coming months.   We encourage you to participate, experiment, and explore with us! 

Warmest regards,

Steve Lipson, CEO

Partners

ElderTech Academy has partnered with Bay Area cities, libraries, churches, and senior centers to provide technology-based training from student tutors in their school districts to the older members of their communities.

City of El Cerrito • El Cerrito Senior Center
Richmond High School Oilers • Richmond High School Health Academy
Easter Hill Methodist Church • United Methodist Churches
El Cerrito Gauchos • TechFutures/Information Technology Academy
West Contra Costa School District • High Schools of West Contra Costa
TechFutures/ITA
Kennedy High School Eagles • Information Technology Academy/TechFutures

Testimonials

ElderTech benefits everyone who participates. Older adults learn about mobile technologies, they dissolve preconceived notions and stereotypes of what typical high school students are, and they subsequently establish meaningful bonds and relationships with their tutors. ElderTech tutors gain invaluable teaching skills, they gain essential skills (resume writing, interviewing, et al), they learn about mobile technologies, they also break down the preconceived notions they may have regarding older adults, and they, too, establish meaningful and lasting relationships with their older adult clients.

Our after-school educational program has talented, smart, and enthusiastic tutors to help older adults between ages 50 and 100. We help both struggling and gifted students reach their full potential by supplementing the instruction they receive and guiding them toward discovering new areas where they can excel. Tutors work with individual students one-on-one, though we occasionally organize group activities for students who are studying the same material. Our team offers compassionate, motivating assistance to students and to older adults.

JAMES L.

Tutor’s mentor and consultant

My daughter gave me her old phone. I didn’t want it and it was confusing. My daughter was frustrated and so was I, but my ElderTech tutors helped me so much! It’s still hard but I get to text with my grandkids now and I’m learning more. Every grandparent should do this.

JACQUI

Grandma

I came to this program with some concerns because I grew up well before the World Wide Web even existed. But after a couple of sessions with a tutor — I love my tutor! I can now get online with my smart phone or iPad and ‘surf’ the internet with my grandchildren… and teach them a thing or two! I go at my own pace and while my daughter is not very patient with me, my ElderTech tutors encourage me to learn at my own pace. I love it!

ZEENAH, M.

Retiree

74

Student Internships

300

Seniors Trained

1900

Hours of Instruction

22

Partnerships

Our Team

Hard working and results oriented, the ElderTech Academy team
is laser focused on serving the intergenerational needs of the community.

Ron Whittier

FOUNDER, TECHFUTURES, ITA, WHITTIER EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION

When he retired from Intel as a Senior Vice President and founded TechFutures, Ron mapped out a seven year program serving a single high school in West Contra Costa County. Eighteen years later, the program is flourishing in multiple schools with thousands of students benefitting from his vision.

Steve Lipson

DIRECTOR, ELDERTECH ACADEMY

Chief strategist and visionary for ElderTech Academy. Steve has created an outreach to students and the older adult community, pairing the wisdom of seniors with the technology skills of high schoolers.

Chris Merrida

TECHFUTURES/ITA – DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS

Chris makes sure everything is running like clockwork across all of the West Contra Costa County high schools that host the TechFutures program.

Dr. Larue Moore

DIRECTOR, INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY ACADEMY, KENNEDY HIGH SCHOOL

Dr. Moore has successfully steered ITA students, resulting in exceptional outcomes for participating members.

PASTOR DALE WEATHERSPOON

COMMUNITY OUTREACH, EASTER HILL METHODIST CHURCH

Pastor Dale is instrumental in connecting the senior community with the resources and tutors of ElderTech Academy .

JANET BILBAS

DIRECTOR, EL CERRITO SENIOR CENTER

Janet was a founding Partner of the ElderTech Academy tutoring program, insuring a home for the ElderTech program. Janet brings with her many years of experience working with older adults.

JOYCE CLARK

EASTER HILL PROGRAM ADMINISTRATOR

Joyce maintains the Easter Hill Methodist program along with all of the operational details. Joyce works in concert with Pastor Dale Weatherspoon to insure ElderTech’s success.

JIM LINDSAY

EASTER HILL PROGRAM ADMINISTRATOR

Jim directs all class room and curricular activities at El Cerrito High School, working directly with all academy enrollees and ElderTech tutors.

MARK DELEON

EL CERRITO SENIOR CENTER PROGRAM DIRECTOR

Mark currently administers the ElderTech tutoring program in El Cerrito, CA. He brings a fresh perspective and recognizes the needs of both the older adult community as well as the ElderTech tutors who instruct the older adults.

Junior Hansen jr.

DIRECTOR OF CREATIVE AFFAIRS

Junior Hansen Jr. is our Web Designer Extraordinaire, responsible for the look and feel, design, and implementation of our site. Junior harnesses many years of experience in the technology sector with a terrific design sense to get consistent, effective, and great results.

About

Eldertech Academy

Besides one-on-one tutoring, ElderTech Academy offers free seminars, workshops, and lectures for those motivated seniors who want to learn more about what mobile technologies have to offer.

The ET Academy offers a variety of introductory lectures on important technology topics. If, after a lecture, you would like personal instruction, you can sign up for a free tutor to help you learn more.

Become a member of ElderTech Academy and we’ll keep you posted on events that are taking place in your area.

Inquiries

info@eldertechacademy.com

eldertechacademy.com

Contact

This program would benefit your school, your college requirements, your senior center extracurricular programs or corporate giving initiative.

If you’re interested in your capacity as a school administrator, student with tutoring skills in technology, program director for a senior care facility, or a Silicon Valley entrepreneur with our shared vision, contact us about all the possibilities.