St. Andrew’s students connect generations through computer literacy outreach
Two sophomore athletes from St. Andrew’s School in Boca Raton recently ventured off their respective baseball and lacrosse fields to help older residents with their computer literacy.
Jack Rostock, 15, a pitcher and infielder for Scots baseball, teamed with his lifelong best friend, Noah Smith, 15, a middy/attacker for the lacrosse squad, to start a local chapter of CLEO (Computer Literacy Education Outreach) at their high school. They have lived three houses down from each other in Parkland since they were infants.
“Noah and I came across one of CLEO’s social media posts, and we quickly realized that this is a unique and special organization,” Rostock said. “As soon as we had the opportunity, we met with the club advisor (Lariza Ramsammy) at our high school, St. Andrews, about starting a local chapter of CLEO. We also spoke with the (Canterbury School) students in Fort Myers who first started CLEO (in 2021) to request our chapter, and they approved it.”
The program aims to bridge the gap between older and younger generations by enabling older residents to work with the latest digital technology. Rostock and Smith founded the first and only chapter in South Florida. Their group of volunteers go to Aston Gardens, a senior living community in Parkland, and help residents struggling to keep up with the development in technology.
They have made two trips to Aston Gardens, one in October and the other in December, while a third is planned for Jan. 28. There are a dozen members in the local CLEO.
Smith said the experience was rewarding, especially with all of his friends helping the residents.
“I thought to myself how special it is that we have the opportunity to make such a difference in their lives,” he said. “I was lucky enough to come across a woman who was wondering about FaceTime. After a teaching moment, we were able to FaceTime her daughter and it was a very emotional moment for her because she hadn’t seen her daughter in years because of COVID and the long distance between her and her daughter.”
Rostock agreed: “The personal interaction with the senior residents is the best part of the experience. Their emotion and joy show the impact that our club is making on them and how it improves their daily lives. It also means a lot to us to know that we are doing something amazing for our community.
“The residents’ emotions and reactions, and building personal relationships with them, is the best part of the experience,” he said. “As we have made repeat visits to Aston Gardens, the residents now recognize us and want to continue working with the same club members that they worked with before. On our last visit, the woman I had helped before remembered me, and we picked up where we left off.”
As they grow in club members, Rostock said they plan to reach out to other retirement and senior living facilities to see if they are interested in partnering with CLEO, which also is looking to start a new chapter at FAU High in Boca Raton.
Smith said they are beginning to connect with their friends in the area to start chapters at their own schools and retirement and senior living facilities. The final goal, he said, is for every facility in South Florida to have their chapter of CLEO.
“The experience was truly heartwarming,” Smith said. “Seeing the faces of the men and women light up when they learned how to do something on their cellphone or laptop is something I will never forget.
“You would be surprised with how many questions they had and everything,” he said. “They were just so excited to be there, learn and connect with people from different generations. It is also special to just learn and build relationships with people of different ages. They have tons of great advice and stories to tell.”
Other St. Andrew’s CLEO members are Emma Smith, Delaney Beighley, Colvin Hall, Cole Denton, Jordan Mordis, Matteo Moran, Chris Ged, Theo Loucas, Brandon Mordis and Austin Jackson.
Visit cleoinitiative.org.