Forkland ‘Senior’ class graduates
Lots of laughter, applause and proud families made up the first graduation of the Forkland One-Stop Innovative Program (FOSIP) Wednesday night.
The “senior class,” composed of 23 adults ages 63 to 83, marched in to the Forkland community center to “Pomp and Circumstance,” received sashes designating each as a “graduate” and showed off the computer skills they had learned over the past six months under the instruction of Scheree A. Datcher.
The idea for the FOSIP began two years ago when Mayor Charlie McAlpine, also a member of the class, and Datcher started brainstorming ideas to reinvent Forkland. One of the major requirements was education, and, McAlpine said he was told, “Don’t leave the seniors behind.”
The result, Dr. Emma Cook told the audience, was an experience in adult development, not just a class. Cook, also a member of FOSIP, said the six months of instruction included seminars on health education and awareness, budget and finance, horticulture and identity theft.
Technology is “part of our lives daily,” said Datcher, and older Americans need to become comfortable using computers to function in today’s world.
“We want to bridge that digital divide” between the younger generation and the older, added Mayor McAlpine.
He proudly said that Forkland is the only municipality in the state to take such an initiative on its own, although universities and colleges sponsor such classes.
The Forkland project was funded with a grant and private donations that purchased 24 laptop computers and paid for other expenses. There was no charge to the students.
The hardest part of the experience for her “scholars,” said Datcher was having them get over their nervousness that they would break something if they hit the wrong key. Once they overcame that hurdle, members of the class readily became comfortable with learning computer skills.
“They just get carried away. They don’t want to stop,” Datcher added.
Dr. James Carter gave the commencement address at the program as his final formal action as superintendent of Greene County Schools for the past five years. His last day of work was Friday, June 28.
Congratulating the graduates for their commitment to making Forkland a better place, Carter told them, “You are the senior class, not senior citizens.”
The students will be back in August to take an advanced class. So much interest was shown in the first FOSIP that another introductory class will begin at that time.