Cornerstone Prep seniors are required to complete a senior project to graduate. Senior Alex Fortson chose to offer IT help at Atherton Place, a senior living facility.
How did you develop this idea for your project?
Fortson: I actually got this idea from Pastor (Brandon) Nolan and Mrs. (Rhonda) Snow. We thought it would be a good fit for me.
Were you nervous about working with senior adults?
Fortson: I was not sure what to expect, or how they were going to receive me. They are all very sweet and amazing people.
How receptive were the people at Atherton Place?
Fortson: They were very receptive to me and what I have to offer. When I sat down and talked with the first lady who needed help, she actually asked me for my phone number and said, “We are going to need to set up another appointment.”
Is there one particular person who really stands out?
Fortson: One person who stood out the most for me was a lady named Rose. Rose is 90 years old, which struck me when she was asking for help with her computer. She was really nice and told me about her life and grandson. She actively uses her computer.
What type of things did you help people do?
Fortson: So far, I have done a wide range of things. I have gone from putting contacts on a phone to helping clean up a Mac. I’ve also helped with text messaging and accessing medical charts.
Do you plan to continue to help out at Atherton Place?
Fortson: I am not sure what the future holds for college and work and my availability. I will, however, return three more times this year to fulfill my hours, and afterward, depending on how many people need help.
Alex has been a student at Cornerstone Prep since fourth grade. He is a member of the Beta and Chess clubs. He plans to attend Kennesaw State University or DeVry University, to pursue a computer science degree. He hopes to do computer programming in the future.
By Jeanine Marlow, director of communications and marketing at Cornerstone Preparatory Academy in Acworth, Ga.
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