NOGALES — Cheerful Zumba music blared from the downstairs gymnasium and echoed along the walls of the computer lab classroom.

In the gym below, 12 women dance enthusiastically amid fluorescent lights pouring down on a blue plastic table where six older women sit in a semicircle, adjusting their glasses while calling It was a Thursday afternoon at the Los Nogales Community Center in Nogales, Arizona.

Ivan Becerril, an 18-year-old teacher, stood at the table and taught the women how to use the Facebook app. Becerril said that when a woman asked what a “cookie” is in Spanish, she showed them how to clear their internet history.

Zumba music entwined in the conversational hum that emanated from the table.

The students were supposed to work on the computers lined up in the classroom, but someone asked Becerril if he could learn to use Facebook instead.

he agreed.

Through the 4-H Tech Changemakers program, Becerril was able to overhaul its curriculum to better serve residents of cross-border communities. He translated into Spanish several hours of class material that was previously only available in English.

To date, Rio Rico High School students have taught over 3,000 people online and computer literacy, helping bridge the digital divide in the Latino community of Nogales. The digital divide is the gap between people and their access to computers and the Internet, as well as the skills to use them.

Becerril of Nogales, Sonora, tailors his biweekly classes to his students. His courses show the senior resident how to FaceTime him with a loved one and teach others how to enhance his resume to secure a job.

Socorro Arvizu, one of Becerril’s students and a resident of Nogales, said he appreciated Becerril’s efforts to offer classes in Spanish. Arvizu has been involved since the class was first offered at the Community Center.

“When classes are in English, I often put up barriers to anything and say, ‘No, that’s not for me,'” Arvizu said.

A 2021 study found that in Arizona, immigrant parents of young children are significantly more likely to lack internet and computer access than parents of American-born children. I know Immigration Policy Institute Report.

identify immediate needs

In January, Becerril was named a 2023 4-H Tech Changemaker National Ambassador. Becerril was encouraged by Norma Elisa Ruiz, Becerril’s boss and expansion assistant for her 4-H Youth Development in Santa Cruz County.

Ruiz, along with Gerardo Lopez, Associate Extension Specialist at 4-H STEM Youth Development, believed Becerril’s community work should be recognized nationally and encouraged him to apply. Becerril was required to submit an essay and a short video as part of her application before undergoing a series of interviews.

The program aims to foster economic opportunity and foster workforce development in underserved communities by enabling young people to teach digital skill-building workshops to adults. increase.

As one of three national ambassadors, Becerril continues to be active in his community and advocates for the program nationally.

Becerril will begin working on the 4-H tech class in 2022. He soon realized that a predominantly Spanish-speaking community needed to have a curriculum and classes in Spanish.

In translating the course, he added a few pieces of information and material that he felt were missing from the curriculum. Becerril now offers classes on how to use your mobile phone, create Zoom meetings, search for jobs online, and create secure passwords.

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“I redesigned the entire program to reach out to people in the community here in Nogales,” said Becerril.

Only 65% ​​of Hispanics reported using a broadband connection at home compared to 80% of their Caucasian counterpartsaccording to the Pew Research Center.

Immigrants make up about one-sixth of the U.S. workforce, but they make up more than one-third of the workforce without digital skills. almost a quarter Percentage of the workforce with limited digital skills, according to the Migration Policy Institute.

Additionally, advertising, informational campaigns, and language access in the program enrollment process are “driving forces” that prevent Hispanic residents from staying digitally connected, one expert said. 2021 report By the Hispanic Elected Local Officials Constituency Group with the National League of Cities.

The pandemic has exacerbated these obstacles and widened the information divide in the Latinx community.

Breaking down barriers and bridging the gap

Becerril wakes up at 6am every day.

He drives to Port Dennis Deconsini and waits in a winding line of cars to enter the United States. If the line is long, the waiting time he varies from 30 minutes to about 2 hours.

Becerril was born in Tucson in 2004 but grew up in Nogales, Sonora most of his life.

Most of her schooling took place in the United States, as Beceril commuted daily. He transferred to a school in Mexico from middle school to his senior year in high school, and then returned to school in America.

During the 4-H program, Becerril also helped develop, expand, and translate the Mariposa Community Health Center chatbot focused on youth seeking sexual health information.

His weekly schedule is filled with teaching classes, working part-time, and finishing his senior year at Rio Rico High School.

Aspiring to be a civil engineer, he attends construction equipment operation classes at the Pima Joint Technical Education District.

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Becerril says classes are a key factor in helping community members learn new skills and gain confidence in what they learn.

Becerril initially offered classes using Zoom or in parks, coffee shops, or student homes. In the immediate aftermath of the pandemic, an elderly person was thrilled to be on FaceTime and Zoom with his family.

Becerril said one woman started crying after Becerril showed her how to use her phone to call family and friends.

Becerril has had a “tremendous” impact in breaking down the digital barriers that exist for Nogales residents, said Norma Elisa Ruiz, Becerril’s boss.

“What Ivan did here had a big impact,” Lewis said. “He translated and spoke the language first so he could get close to people.”

In January, Becerril secured classroom space at the recently opened community center. His class now has a waiting list.

After Thursday night classes at Becerril, the students packed up and started heading out. They all thanked Beceril and said goodbye to him.

One student hugged him and said that he would see him in the next class.

The rows of computers that lined the room remained empty. Zumba music kept playing.

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Have news tips or story ideas about the border and its communities? Contact the reporter at josecastaneda@arizonarepublic.com or connect with him on Twitter @joseicastaneda.