GONZALES — Area senior citizens with the Senior Community Service Employment of St. James Parish recently went off to college.

They enrolled in a day-long computer class at River Parish Community College, where staff and students helped them learn how to use a computer and mouse and how to navigate the computer’s interface.

Several senior citizens took part in the specialized computer classroom at River Parish Community College’s main campus on Edenborne Drive in Gonzales.

Each RPCC student sat next to a senior to provide one-on-one help while professor Rosie McGhee used a large class monitor to walk participants through various computer procedures and the Internet.

“This is a great morning,” said Yvette Steib, job developer in St. James Parish, who coordinated the trip.

“Our members are excited about learning the basics of computer use. Some of them are more than 70 years old.”

The seniors spent a few hours on the computer to learn the basics of computing and surfing the Internet, organizers said.