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• By  Michelle Vega & Aurelio Manuel Montemayor, M.Ed. • IDRA Newsletter • June-July 2024 •

IDRA Digital Ambassadors develops high school students as technology leaders who help bridge digital literacy gaps in their communities. In a pilot with ARISE Adelante in the Texas Rio Grande Valley, students researched local technology needs, mastered digital skills and led hands-on training for community members.

As Doña Lupe hesitatingly places her fingers on the Chromebook keyboard, she presses the F key with her left index finger and the J key with her right. She glows with pride and recognition as the letters appear on the screen. For the first time, she is learning the QWERTY keyboard and appropriate finger placement.

Doña is participating in a Saturday training session at the Hargill ARISE Adelante Center located in an isolated, rural part of Hidalgo County in South Texas. Her trainers and guides are Digital Ambassadors, high school students who have been volunteers with the organization and are now skilled transmitters of computational skills.

In December 2023, IDRA and ARISE Adelante launched a Digital Ambassadors pilot program to model ways that students can provide leadership in their communities to help narrow digital literacy gaps. For several years, both organizations have advocated more significant support for the communities in south Texas for computer and Internet access.

The pandemic put the digital divide crisis on the front burner. State surveys and IDRA-led focus groups revealed significant gaps in broadband infrastructure and Internet access.

With its mission of service with families in colonias (unincorporated communities) – of which there are hundreds in this part of the state – ARISE sees the impact of these critical gaps in digital literacy daily. From addressing health needs and emergencies via telehealth to managing daily online assignments from teachers, it is essential for families, not just students, to possess basic computer skills and interact in the digital world.

IDRA Digital Ambassadors work with community members during hands-on technology training at an ARISE Adelante center in the Texas Rio Grande Valley. Students researched local technology needs and developed their skills before leading community training events in May 2024.

IDRA has partnered with ARISE for at least 25 years. This relationship crystallized IDRA’s Education CAFE model for family leadership in education. The ARISE centers hold periodic meetings of parents centered on critical dialogues about their children’s education. As these meetings continued virtually during the pandemic, Education CAFE participants described the crucial digital needs in each home.

A significant parallel to the family leadership in education within IDRA’s history has been the creation of “valued youth” programs. These programs emphasize the intelligence, assets and leadership potential of youth, particularly those who are of color, economically disadvantaged, emergent bilingual students and recent immigrants.

The IDRA Valued Youth Partnership program, celebrating its 40^th year, has illustrated the power and impact of a cross-age tutoring program that selects students deemed at risk and places them in leadership roles as tutors to younger students. The highly-successful program, thus, demonstrates the power of actively valuing students and the assets they bring. This philosophy permeates IDRA’s newer VisionCoders, Youth Advisory Board, MAS for Our Schools and other youth participatory action research projects, and, now, our Digital Ambassadors program.

Digital Ambassadors Activities

High school students in the IDRA Digital Ambassadors pilot became technology trainers for their communities, helping adults build digital skills while strengthening their own leadership and communication skills.

Our Digital Ambassadors program aims to bridge the digital divide by facilitating students’ roles as technology trainers for their local bilingual communities. Students often serve as language bridges for their families, and here, they become digital literacy bridges. We structured the program in three pivotal phases: research, mastery and dissemination.

Research Phase – During the Digital Ambassadors pilot period, IDRA supported participating students to conduct comprehensive research to identify the most pressing technology needs within their community. They grounded their assessment in direct community engagement, ensuring that the training developed was both relevant and impactful.

Mastery Phase – Following the research phase, students embarked on a rigorous learning journey to master the selected technology skills. This phase leveraged a blend of online learning platforms, hands-on workshops, and mentorship by IDRA’s technology professionals, ensuring that students gained both the depth of knowledge and the pedagogical skills necessary to teach others effectively. The students presented at a regional roundtable, called a Mesa Comunitaria, about their projects.

Training Others Phase – The program’s culmination occurred during community training events co-hosted by IDRA. The students organized and led the events at each of the four ARISE centers in May 2024. The ambassadors provided vital technology training to community members. The events fostered a sense of agency among the students as they witnessed the tangible impact of their efforts. By teaching others, students reinforced their learning and developed valuable leadership, communication and organizational skills.

See IDRA’s Digital Equity – Online Technical Assistance Toolkit

Participating in the Digital Ambassadors program transformed the students by enhancing their technology skills, problem-solving abilities and communication proficiency. They also gained gratitude and recognition from the families, mothers, fathers and grandparents whom they trained.

Stories of Impact

The Digital Ambassadors program undoubtedly broadened students’ perspectives on technology and potential career paths. The practical application of skills learned in the program, such as navigating technology and collaborating with others, enriched their academic experiences. It equipped them with valuable competencies for future endeavors in technology or related fields. Below are a few stories that speak to the power of the Digital Ambassadors program.

Carlos: Moved by the realization that many people face significant challenges with technology, Digital Ambassador Carlos actively participated in the program to provide support and guidance to those in need. His experience at the Mesa Comunitaria event enabled him to share valuable information. It encouraged him to make a difference by raising awareness and addressing the technology-related needs of others. Through his dedication and confidence, Carlos exemplified how high school students can play a vital role in advocating digital literacy and inclusivity.

Aaron: A high school sophomore and Digital Ambassador at the Hargill ARISE center, Aaron was significantly impacted by his involvement in the program. His training enhanced his technology skills, such as creating PowerPoint presentations and navigating technology tools. He also gained tangible benefits in his academic life, enabling him to complete school assignments more efficiently and with greater proficiency.

Aaron’s participation in community events, like the Mesa Comunitaria presentation, boosted his confidence and provided him with a platform to give back to the community by sharing his knowledge and skills. His experience as a Digital Ambassador highlighted the transformative power of education and community engagement in supporting young people to make a positive impact in their communities.

Gabriela: A young adult staff member at ARISE, Gabriela described the significant impact of the pilot program on the Digital Ambassadors students. Through their active participation in community-focused activities and technology training, the students showed increased motivation, confidence, and a sense of responsibility toward school and helping their communities.

The program enhanced their technology skills and also provided them with valuable experiences in public speaking and engaging with diverse perspectives. These experiences contributed to their personal growth and development, preparing them to navigate the digital landscape with confidence and make meaningful contributions to their communities.

Following the success of the pilot program, Methodist Healthcare Ministries is providing funding for a new phase of the Digital Ambassador program that launched in June and will continue through December of this year.

Editor’s note (2026): Building on this pilot, IDRA Digital Ambassadors has grown into a six-month out-of-school initiative that develops high school students as digital leaders who provide hands-on technology training to adults in their communities. The program now operates with students in the Texas Rio Grande Valley and San Antonio. Learn more about the IDRA Digital Ambassadors program.

Michelle Martínez Vega is IDRA’s chief technology strategist. Comments and questions may be directed to her at michelle.vega@idra.org. Aurelio Montemayor, M.Ed., is IDRA’s family engagement coordinator and directs IDRA Education CAFE work. Comments and questions may be directed to him at feedback@idra.org.

[© 2024, IDRA. This article originally appeared in the June-July edition of the IDRA Newsletter. Permission to reproduce this article is granted provided the article is reprinted in its entirety and proper credit is given to IDRA and the author.]

FAQs

What is the IDRA Digital Ambassadors program?

IDRA Digital Ambassadors develops high school students as technology leaders who provide hands-on technology training in their communities. Students identify local technology needs, build digital skills and learn how to share those skills with others.

How did the IDRA Digital Ambassadors pilot work?

The pilot followed three phases: research, mastery and training others. Students researched technology needs in their communities, learned the skills needed to address those needs and then organized and led community technology training events.

Where did IDRA pilot the Digital Ambassadors program?

IDRA and ARISE Adelante launched the Digital Ambassadors pilot in December 2023 in the Texas Rio Grande Valley. Students worked through four ARISE centers serving families in colonias and other communities in Hidalgo County.

How did Digital Ambassadors help community members?

Digital Ambassadors provided hands-on technology training to adults in their communities. The program built on the role young people often play as language and technology bridges for their families and neighbors.

What did students gain from participating in Digital Ambassadors?

Students strengthened their technology, problem-solving, communication, public speaking and leadership skills. They also gained experience researching community needs, teaching others and organizing community training activities.

Those five FAQs are unusually worthwhile here because the article contains enough substantive information to answer each one directly.