USCHS Students Bring Smiles – and Tech Support – to Local Seniors

Fourteen students from Upper St. Clair High School visited the United Senior Citizens gathering on Wednesday, March 25, 2026, at the McLaughlin Run Activity Center to assist seniors with smartphones, smartwatches and other technology devices. As soon as the students were introduced, hands quickly went up with questions ranging from sending text messages to navigating apps and adjusting settings.

The students, members of the high school’s Student Council, included Kayla Berrott, Nate Bode, Nick Donnelly, Gianna Flood, Thomas Garces, Sophie Hicks, Myles Owens, Harish Rajaganapathy, Claire Reyes, Oliver Rockenstein, Valeria Rosales, Paola Ruiz Lopez, Rex Wantje and Charlotte Worner. They were led by Mrs. Brooke Tarcson and Mr. Doug Kirchner from the high school activities office.

“I love bridging the generation gap by having our high school students hang out and talk to the older generation in our community,” Mrs. Tarcson said. “The senior citizens are so excited to spend time with the high schoolers, and the high schoolers are so kind and patient with the seniors, answering their questions and showing them ways to use their technology.”

For students, the opportunity to help others and connect with community members was especially meaningful.

“I enjoyed bonding with them and seeing how happy they were to get the help they needed with questions they seemed to have for a while,” sophomore Paola Ruiz Lopez said. “We taught them patient, step by step solutions and seeing them handle their own daily tasks easily was incredibly fulfilling.”

Sophomore Gianna recognized how technology skills can help seniors remain independent and connected.

“Helping at the event showed me how important it is for seniors to learn technology because I saw how much it meant to them to be able to do new things on their own,” Gianna said. “Even just learning how to use their phone to text or call family made them really happy and feel more confident. I think that this event helped the seniors feel less out of touch and more connected with today's world.”

The technology help session has become an annual tradition, with both students and seniors looking forward to the opportunity each year.

“The event is a success because both generations enjoy spending time with each other,” Mrs. Tarcson said. “The students love to share their knowledge with the seniors and the seniors love to meet and talk with the students. The seniors are very interested in what our students are studying and what clubs and activities they are involved in at the high school, often comparing their experiences with their own high school or their children’s experience.”

The United Senior Citizens program is coordinated through the Township of Upper St. Clair Department of Recreation & Leisure Services. Led by Paula Henderson, the weekly program offers activities designed to entertain, educate and enhance the lives of senior citizens throughout the community.

Through simple acts of service and conversation, Upper St. Clair students helped build connections across generations – proving that sometimes the best technology lesson is simply spending time together.