Calfee Center Launches Free “Tech & Learn” Series with Virginia Tech
PULASKI, VA — The Calfee Community & Cultural Center is launching a new monthly technology learning series designed to help community members build practical digital skills and get one-on-one help with the technology they use every day.
Tech & Learn will begin Wednesday, September 30, from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Venable Digital Lab at Calfee and will continue on the fourth Wednesday of each month.
Each session will include two parts. From 5 to 6 p.m., participants will learn a practical technology skill through a hands-on workshop. The first session will focus on “Spreadsheets for Everyday Life,” introducing practical ways to use Excel and Google Sheets to manage household finances, schedules, small businesses, and more.
From 6 to 7 p.m., the Digital Lab will open for a drop-in technology help hour. Community members can bring questions about their computers, phones, tablets or other devices, use the Lab’s computers and high-speed internet, and explore new technology with assistance available.
The sessions will be taught by members of the REACH Lab and volunteers from Virginia Tech’s Department of Computer Science. Dr. Ihudiya Finda Williams, a Virginia Tech computer science professor, will be present to help coordinate the sessions and work with participants.
“We want the Venable Lab to be a place where people can come with a question, learn something useful and feel more confident using technology,” said Calfee Center Executive Director Jill Williams. “This isn’t about assuming everyone already knows how to use technology. It’s about creating a place where people can learn together and help one another.”
The Venable Digital Lab is part of the Calfee Center’s effort to make technology and learning opportunities more accessible to the community. The Lab is named for Dorothy DeBerry Venable, a former Calfee Training School teacher, and carries forward the school’s tradition of providing educational opportunities that help people build stronger futures.
Tech & Learn is free and open to the community, and no previous technology experience is required. Participants are welcome to bring their own devices to the drop-in hour, although computers will also be available.
Free snacks will be provided.
EVENT DETAILS
WHAT: Tech & Learn
WHEN: Wednesday, September 30, 5–7 p.m.
WHERE: Venable Digital Lab at Calfee, 1 Corbin Harmon Dr., Pulaski, VA 24301
COST: Free and open to the community
The Calfee Center plans to offer a new technology learning topic during each monthly Tech & Learn session while continuing to provide open Lab time for community members who need technology assistance.
About the Calfee Community & Cultural Center
The Calfee Community & Cultural Center is located at 1 Corbin Harmon Drive in the historic Calfee Training School in Pulaski, Virginia. The Center honors the legacy of the school by creating opportunities for education, creativity, cultural engagement, and community collaboration. Through programs for children, families, entrepreneurs, and lifelong learners, Calfee is building on the school’s tradition of cultivating community collaboration, leadership, and creativity for a new generation.