The Hawthorne High School Library Media Center’s Student Tech Team met with members of the Hawthorne community in the library computer lab on Tuesday evening January 8, 2012, to offer hands-on computer training. This free workshop was open to all Hawthorne residents, students, parents and grandparents.

Individual lessons were offered in five different workshops: 1) Microsoft Word, which covered basic skills such as how to understand the toolbar icons; choose font type, size and color; choose double or single spacing; create a brochure, agenda or checklist; insert images, check spelling, and more. 2) Google Internet Searching, which taught participants how to translate from/to other languages, get travel directions, read online newspapers, search topics and more. 3) Social Networking workshop offered instruction in how to create and use sites such as Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. 4) Excel & PowerPoint, which explained how to make spreadsheets, charts, as well as presentations with text, photos, animation and sound. 5) Hawthorne School District Website workshop, which explained how to use the Parent Portal, teacher emails and websites, online library catalog, and more.

Participants were free to jump from one workshop to the next and were welcomed to discuss their own questions, concerns, and computer issues.

Members of the HHS Student Tech Team who instructed the workshops were: Alyssa Mateo, Rich Rivera, Sebastiano Inturrisi, Matt Knepper, Jake Aguero, and Sam Ahmad. The new Dunkin Donuts at 84 Goffle Road generously donated coffee and donuts.