In Guilford County, one high school student turned a personal concern into a powerful learning opportunity for his community. After his grandmother fell victim to an online scam, he reached out to the Guilford County Center of N.C. Cooperative Extension with a simple but powerful idea: Could he lead a scam prevention workshop for older adults?

Digital Skills Educator Jeffrey Cates saw both the passion and the potential in the young man’s request. Together, they worked to refine his message, polish his presentation, and plan the event. Jeffrey coordinated the time, location, and audience—partnering with the Wellspring Retirement Center to bring the student’s vision to life.

On the day of the event, the room filled with senior residents eager to learn. With confidence and clarity, the student led a session on how to identify, avoid, and report digital scams. The attendees were deeply engaged, asking questions, sharing experiences, and expressing how critical this information was in today’s technology-driven world.

But something more than information exchange happened in that room.

This story reflects the heart of the NC Digital Futures Program—community members teaching and learning from one another across generations, building a safer and more connected digital future together.