One Solution to the Digital Divide: Teens

The pandemic created a sense of urgency about bringing internet access to more people and empowering them to use technology as a necessity of modern life. As with any structural problem, closing the online gap will require technical, financial, social and personal changes, both large and small. 4-H, the 120-year-old youth development organization, now taps young people interested in technology to help solve problems in their communities and to teach digital skills. The organization said that 325 teens were involved in Tech Changemakers program during the past school year and reached 37,000 adults. More programs are planned for the coming school year. 4-H program recognizes that internet access is necessary but not sufficient to empower digital citizens. The program shows that bringing more people online in America can be profound both for those trying to learn and for those with digital skills.