When it comes to technology, we can always keep learning. Technology is an ever changing field that we all must keep up with because if we don’t, it may leave us in the dust.

For the first time, the Sumner School District hosted Technology Days where they offered free technology classes throughout the community.

The idea behind these Tech Days, Chief Technology Officer Sandy Maynard said, was that the district was hearing a lot of feedback from parents that they were unfamiliar with some of the programs their students were using.

“Those statements expanded our thinking,” Maynard said. “We brainstormed what people in the community would want to learn or know about using technology. So (we) came up with classes we thought parents and community members would enjoy.”

Besides holding classes at schools within the district, Maynard said the district was able to partner with senior centers and public libraries.

On Wednesday, Jan. 22 a workshop on using your digital camera and Smartphone was held at the Sumner Senior Center.

This class featured students from Sumner High School helping community members, not only senior citizens were in attendance, learn the features of their camera or phone and learn how to download and send photos via email.

The workshop lasted an hour and was very evenly matched, there was one student per community member and they were split up based on the members’ need and the students’ knowledge.

Senior Katherine Marroquin was partnered with Puyallup resident Lee Brown.

Brown brought his digital camera with him and Marroquin worked with helping him use it and helping teach him how to download and send photos that he has taken. She also showed him ways to save the photos on a computer so that he will never lose them.

Brown said the senior center is a “terrific place” and he was pleased that he came to the workshop. He said, he learned more than he knew before.

Marroquin said she enjoys working with people.

She said working with Brown was “pretty great.” She added, we were able to make a connection and overall, it was a great experience.

This was the first time that Marroquin had volunteered during the Tech Days.

Maynard said the district didn’t make their sign up goal of 200 people but she said the overall feedback from participants has been positive.

“Most of our trainings had some element of addressing their individual needs,” she said.

Maynard added that the district, with sign up numbers so low, will be looking at other times of the year to hold these free technology classes.

The district has scheduled classes for Feb. 22 during the STEM Fair at Sumner Middle School.

Titles of the classes have yet to be determined, Maynard said, but they will include basic training of Word and Excel.