Mornings with Tom and TabiVivian Jackson introduces Tech Goes Home Tennessee, an organization that partners with schools, public libraries, churches, nonprofits, and other organizations across Chattanooga and Hamilton County to offer free courses designed to help residents develop skills and habits required for smart technology and Internet use. Included in the program is a Free 15-hour class and a free device! CLICK HERE to email Vivian to learn more.
You know, so many people struggle with tech. Yeah, I struggle even though we're in a techie field, I struggle. This is not my original field.
Very special gifts. I'll just say that when it comes to tech.
I destroy technology here at Moody.
Radio. It's truly a gift.
It's weird. I'll touch it or something will be going wrong. And I'll call Tom. Tom. Help me. And as soon as he walks in, it starts working. I'm like this.
I also have a gift, apparently. But my heavens is like, what did you do? I don't know, right? It's one of those things. And maybe for you, tech is one of those things where you realize it is part of our everyday life and you got to figure out how to do it. There's got to be a way to learn.
There's got to be a way to learn. So many people are frustrated. And Vivian Jackson is an educator. She's a pastor's wife, and she is part of something you may have never heard of called Tech Goes Home and they put technology in your hands. They train you on it. It's right here in our area. And it's amazing that people don't know about this, Vivian, because it's such a wonderful opportunity. People are so frustrated and afraid of technology, aren't they? Yes.
And I am one of them. Toby was saying that she's tech challenged. I am too, but I am a tech challenged person trying to, um, destroy the tech divide. So. And what I mean by that is we have so many in our communities that they know how to use it, but they don't have their own device. Even our students and our schools, we are a 1 to 1 community, but those devices do not belong to students. So Tech Goes Home has been entered into our community. Now it's all over Tennessee. It used to just be local to Chattanooga, but now you can get it anywhere in the state of Tennessee. And our ultimate goal is to try to get a device in every hand, first to all of our students and then to our community at large.
The older people.
Yes, ma'am. Sorry.
Hey. No no, no.
Speaking of older people, Toby, you've done this, right?
Yeah.
So you've How you've been.
Involved in this, because truly, I thought it was for for people that were a little bit older that that were needing technology and stuff like that, people, you know, our age as we're doing this, you know.
50s.
60s, you know, like the people that are trying to figure this out. But there are people. Yeah. I didn't have to take the class.
So we can't.
Be making fun of me like this. But again, it's not just for us. It's also for the youth of today as well.
Yes, it is for anyone, I would say from kindergarten all the way up to 100 if you're that way. So.
Yeah.
Yes.
So I do want to share that I did do tech goes home with my mom about a year ago and she said, tabby, do this class with me. She just wanted me to drive her there, do this class with me and you're going to get a Chromebook I was in, right? So I did the class. It was 12 weeks. We learned. We learned about Canva. We learned about Excel. We learned about Microsoft, Google Sheets. No, it was Google. Google Sheets, I think. And and documents, things like that that we didn't even know. I didn't even know. We're on my computer. Right. Some of those things. Right. And how to use them? We did it. We practiced it. And then we were able to take that Chromebook home. It was really exciting. We even had a little graduation at the end. So you feel really proud of yourself? Yes. And I just want to say to those who have just been really frustrated, you won't get on social media because of it. You won't. You won't even text us because of it. Um, this is a wonderful opportunity to learn and grow in this area with a very vivacious teacher.
Yes. That is. I also took the class as an educator. I've done it probably about three times. And sorry to say, I'm not sure who your trainer was, but you did 12 weeks. I it is not 12 weeks, it is 15 hours. Oh, so you can divide those 15 hours up as as you like. Um, the locations, community centers, churches, libraries. I have access to all of those locations. And so it could come to a community or your church near you. I am available to come to whatever location, and you just have to sign up. I'm leaving flyers here with the Moody radio station, and at the end, hopefully they'll send out. I mean, tell you about my, um, information so you can get in contact with me, but, yes, it's no longer 12 weeks. I'm sorry. No, that's 15 hours.
My feelings are hurt. It may have. It may have been eight weeks. My memory is a little sketchy. It could have been eight weeks. Two hours? Would that make sense? Eight weeks. Two hours each week?
Yes, that could be.
That may have been what it was.
So now we, um, extend that. So, um, normally about 4 to 5 hours. And within that 4 to 5 hours, you learn about, um, how to set up your computer, you have a lunch, you have breaks. So technically the training is about 9 to 10 hours, but in all it's 15 hours. And yes, you do get a certificate. You get a new Chromebook and you get a graduation with cake and all the fixings.
So it's a very great opportunity. Yeah, it sounds like a.
Fantastic every week.
Oh, okay. And now that I know how to network, you know, with my food while I eat, I'm gonna learn about tech, trying to figure out how do I actually do this and do I have to spend 12 weeks to learn something? Is it something that I could do? Maybe in 15 hours. Learn computer, uh, meet some people, figure out how do I use some of the different applications on on this laptop that I have? And I have a laptop, but I just don't know what to do with it.
I'm telling you, this is like a godsend. So many people will say that they struggle with this and especially like, let's say you need to get a part time job and maybe you just need a little extra money. Things are tight, and then you realize everything's online and then you remember your computer is outdated, and then you get a little intimidated. In this program, you're going to learn about Google Apps, job searching, social media skills, email, internet safety, and workforce skills. And so how could you, how could you not? How could you not just take advantage of this?
Vivian, can I just ask you this really quick? So, so say there's somebody that's technology challenged, for example, and they come to you and they think, um, I truly don't know what to do. Uh, so it's like, all the entire gamut, right? Could they come to you and learn a little bit about this? It doesn't matter the age.
No, sir. It is from 0 to 100 for learning basics to medium to intermediate to advanced. We probably will not get to advanced because I'm not advanced, but we can definitely do the basics and the intermediate. And as Toby was talking about part time working this opportunity not only to get devices free, but if you are a stay home mom, stay home dad, or just an older person who has kind of been outsourced in your job, you have an opportunity to be trained to become a trainer. And I think the rewards not only monetary, but the benefits that you have to serve as the community. I'm doing it. I feel that it's a ministry. Yes, I do get paid for doing it, but it's my own time. I set my own hours and I do it to serve the community. I first got into it to serve my students in a graduate success program, and it has been my thing since then. So come on out to your church. To your local library. To your local office building. Wherever we can find a location. Also, the main location is downtown at the Edney Building, um, where we have a room that we have access to. So thank you. I'm excited.
Well, we're excited if you're listening right now. And you would like this, um, pack of brochures to take to your church leadership, maybe to see if you can set up a class, maybe at your school or your job. I don't know, just anywhere in your home. Maybe I don't know what's available, but just go ahead and text in and just say, you know, please send or or I'm interested and we'll get that to you. We're going to keep some hard copies here for sure if people want to stop by and get more information.
Yeah. Vivian. All right. So one last moment as we're wrapping up our time with you. It's really delightful just getting to know you a little bit in your journey. Say somebody is really interested in this, but they're kind of, um. I don't want to say afraid, but they're a little shy about doing this and what the environment might be like. What would you say to encourage them to be a part of this?
I would say, just come on in. I would say it's just like coming into your church Sunday school, and you're going to a Bible study or a small group for the first time. We're all in there learning the same thing. We're all doing the same thing. The classes are normally, if they're 60 and above, everyone in there will be 60 and above. If they're K through two, they'll be kindergarten kindergartners with their parents. So it will be accessible to anyone, literally everyone. I've done it several times and I didn't know anyone in any of my classes. Even though I'm an educator here in the local area, I still didn't know anyone in the classes and we were all educators. So it's okay. Come to learn. Come to make friends. Get a device, get on the internet, talk to some people, and maybe even become a trainer yourself and make a little money on the side. We'd like to have you.
