I recently learned about an excellent program initiated by the Al-Rahmah College Preparatory Academy at the Islamic Society of Baltimore (ISB), in partnership with Bayaan Academy, to team up students and seniors. The objective was to bridge generational gaps through education by letting the youth teach the elderly basic computer skills. The Al-Rahmah College Prep students hosted a month-long Technology 101 Workshop for their community's Golden Age Village senior citizens. With patience and compassion, young leaders taught valuable skills like using a laptop, sending emails, and exploring social media over four informative sessions. An ISB Facebook post on January 9, 2025, noted, “But this workshop wasn’t just about technology—it was about connection, empowerment, and building bridges between generations.” When I heard about this, I knew I had to report on it for the Muslim Home Newsletter, so our readers could see the beautiful impact pairing children and elders can have for learning and strengthening community bonds.
The Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, famously said:
“Whoever does not show mercy to our young ones, or acknowledge the rights of our elders, he is not one of us.” (Sunan Abi Dawud, 4943)
In the spirit of this hadith, the Golden Age Village serves ISB’s senior community members aged 50 and above. It stemmed from a concept of offering support to aging founders and worshippers beginning in the early 2000s and has since evolved. The “GAV” now has its activity center that provides a welcoming space for seniors to socialize, learn, and engage in communal life. They have regular gatherings tailored to seniors' interests and well-being, including Tai Chi classes, halaqas, brunches, game days, and other special events. The tech workshop was one of the first intergenerational initiatives to emerge after Al-Rahmah College Prep Academy officially launched its high school program under Bayaan Academy just a year ago. With this addition, new possibilities for mentorship, leadership, and community service emerged to lay the groundwork for teens to give back.
The effort to unite the generations through technology is just one example of how schools can activate youth potential to serve and connect with elders, all while reinforcing mutual respect and lifelong learning. To learn the importance and impact of such programs, I interviewed the Al-Rahmah College Prep Academy Director, Khadija Rahman. Rahman said the technology workshop idea emerged organically from a desire to create meaningful intergenerational interactions where students could help seniors learn basic computer skills while simultaneously developing empathy and communication skills. The program was structured to ensure students paired up with seniors, presented different topics related to information technology, and provided hands-on assistance while fulfilling required community service hours. Students rotated duties. Some led the workshops as instructors, presenting slides with important information. In the meantime, others took the role of facilitators, walking around the classroom or sitting with senior participants to walk them through vital steps. It was a very structured workshop that took a lot of intentional preparation and execution on behalf of the high school students. Rahman could not be prouder. She said,
“Alhamdulillah, it was terrific. The interactions they had were very balanced. Some of the students are very good with the elders because of the fact that they interact with elders a lot at home, so it was not new or difficult for them. Other students, though, were a little bit shy at first, and it was more difficult for them. But I encouraged them.”
Rahman’s guidance seems to have paid off because students and seniors reported benefitting greatly from the process. What surprised her was how little the elderly participants knew about computers. She said, “I had (previously) assumed that they knew the basics – how to turn on a computer, how to set the computer – but I found out that they didn't know.” Before the tech workshop, GAV seniors were not computer literate; however, by the end of the session, Rahman said they could use a laptop, set up an account, and send out an email by themselves for the first time. On the other hand, high school students began interacting more with seniors outside of the classroom, greeting them in the mosque and engaging them in friendly conversation. The workshop seems to have served as an icebreaker, giving the children the confidence and familiarity they needed to bond with their elders.
The feedback from senior participants was overwhelmingly positive. Many expressed a desire for more sessions, noting that the four-week workshop was insufficient to grasp the basics fully. Some requested additional support in learning English, recognizing how language barriers further complicate their technology understanding. The experience revealed that many seniors lacked even the most fundamental computer skills, prompting the students and organizers to rethink the pace and structure of future workshops. Moving forward, there is a clear need for slower, more focused sessions that build assurance one step at a time.
The Technology 101 Workshop was not the only time Al-Rahmah Prep students learned about the older generation. During the school year, they took a field trip to Meadow Park Nursing Home. The visit offered a valuable opportunity for students to further engage with seniors outside their community and learn how to care for their unique needs. The visit began with an educational session where students were introduced to the various careers and skills involved in elder care. The most impactful part of the visit, however, Rahman said, came when students spent time directly interacting with the residents, listening to their stories, exchanging conversation, and building empathy through personal connection. This hands-on experience helped students see aging not as a distant reality, but as a natural stage of life that deserves compassion, dignity, and community support.
When asked what advice she would offer to other communities interested in launching similar initiatives, Rahman emphasized the value of including youth across all age groups, not just high schoolers. “Even simple interactions, like a senior reading to a group of elementary students, can have an impact,” she noted. For middle schoolers, she suggested team-building projects or shared activities with seniors to foster connection and mutual learning. Looking ahead, Rahman hopes to organize a field trip pairing high school students with seniors for a shared educational experience, such as visiting a museum, where each can learn from the other. “The students can teach the seniors what they know, and the seniors can share their wisdom and perspective,” she said. These kinds of cross-generational experiences, she believes, help build empathy, strengthen community bonds, and create lasting memories.
Rahman echoed the words of the Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, when he encouraged his followers to honor the elders. Her philosophy is rooted in the Prophetic tradition of servant leadership. She said,
“These social initiatives are so important for us because the Prophet did a lot of social work. Even before being a prophet, he was out there helping the widows, the poor, the needy, and anybody who came to him; he was there to openly help them. We need to do the same thing, and I think we need to expose this to our students. We must show them that you're not just here to learn academics.”
Intergenerational programs like the technology workshop offer more than practical skill-building; they help shape students into more empathetic and community-minded individuals. Through working closely with seniors, high school students gained a broader perspective on service, responsibility, and their societal role. Experiences like these can leave a lasting impression that inspires young people to look beyond themselves and consider how they might serve their families and fellow citizens going forward. Rahman noted that such exposure often becomes a catalyst for long-term civic engagement. Ultimately, programs like this nurture a sense of shared purpose between young and old, reminding both generations of the most valuable lesson of all: everyone’s contributions matter.
Author bio: Wendy Díaz is a Puerto Rican Muslim writer, award-winning poet, translator, and mother of six (ages ranging from toddler to teen). She co-founded Hablamos Islam, a non-profit organization that produces educational resources about Islam in Spanish (hablamosislam.org). She has written, illustrated, and published over a dozen children’s books and lives with her family in Maryland. Follow Wendy Díaz on social media @authorwendydiaz and @hablamosislam.
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