Published: June 28, 2008 11:40 pm      

Free Internet workshops set in Romney, Ridgeley

“The internet is maybe the most powerful technology for human interaction and enterprise ever invented,” said Sherry Watts, associate dean for Workforce Education at Eastern West Virginia Community and Technical College. “And we want to keep the Potomac Highlands up-to-date with the rest of the world.”

To advance that goal, Eastern will offer two free Internet and computer training workshops this month in Hampshire and Mineral Counties. “Surfin’ With A Purpose” will meet July 10 at the college’s access center in Hampshire High school, and July 17 in Frankfort High. Both workshops run from 6 to 9 p.m.

“Intro to EBay” meets at the same hours at the Hampshire site July 9, and at Frankfort, July 16.

“The Internet puts an enormous volume and variety of useful information literally at your fingertips,” said Amy Crites, who will lead the “Surfin’” workshops.

From home improvement tips and family history or genealogy to homework help, recipes and meal planning, parenting skills, job search and career development, and infinite topics more, “The World Wide web opens a virtually limitless realm of research, information and commerce,” she said.

Beginners and experienced surfers alike will profit from Crites’ focus on how to plan and optimize an Internet search, to bookmark and save useful sites for later reference, and to identify a “homepage” that best matches a user’s needs and tastes.

In “Intro To EBay,” participants will learn to navigate the EBay Web site efficiently and explore its multiple levels and departments to make any specific item search more productive.

“EBay is like a huge, virtual mall and worldwide bazaar all rolled into one,” said Sherry Watts, who will lead this workshop. She will also take users step-by-step through the process of setting up an EBay account.

All classes are free, and require pre-registration. Space is limited, so to reserve a seat, and for more information, call Lacey Ball at 434-8000, or toll free: (877) 982-2322. Be certain to ask about other Community and Continuing Education opportunities available at Eastern.