Students Supporting Seniors

We are a student-led volunteer organization with the goal of increasing access to technology for older adults through classes at retirement homes, instructional videos, and one-on-one help. Maya Lall founded Students Supporting Seniors in June 2020 to help seniors feel more comfortable navigating technology and combat social isolation. She wanted to help those most affected by the pandemic, and she learned that many senior citizens in her community struggled to use technology for their basic needs, such as ordering groceries and communicating with family and friends. Our team consists of over 20 high school students who lead weekly hour-long technology classes at four retirement homes: Five Star Chevy Chase, Sunrise of Bethesda, BrightView Grosvenor, and BrightView Woodmont. These classes include a presentation followed by a Q&A session to answer seniors' specific questions. We have covered topics such as email, phone calls, Safari, YouTube, Photos, the App Store, Settings, and Calendar. We also offer instructional videos on topics such as Zoom and YouTube that can be found on our website. In addition, we offer individual technical assistance both in-person to senior citizens living in the Washington metropolitan area and virtually to seniors across the globe. Students Supporting Seniors was recognized in August 2022, when Maya received the MIT AgeLab OMEGA Scholarship. The Scholarship recognizes high school students who have demonstrated leadership in developing intergenerational programs in their communities and provides funds to expand these programs. You can connect with us on Instagram at @studentssupportingseniors!