Teeniors, the Albuquerque startup that employs tech-savvy teens to assist seniors with smartphones and other devices, is getting a global media boost from this year’s “Make Better Today” competition by TakePart + Lenovo.
TakePart, a digital news and lifestyle magazine, sponsors the annual contest to highlight organizations that use technology in creative ways to better their communities. Teeniors, one of two 2016 winners, earned a $5,000 grant, a Lenovo Yoga 910 laptop and a blast of free media exposure.
TakePart operates as a digital hub for Participant Media, a leading entertainment company that has produced more than 75 films, such as the documentaries “An Inconvenient Truth” and “Food Inc.,” and feature movies like “Lincoln” and “Spotlight.”
TakePart is filming a short documentary-style video about Teeniors and its founder, Trish Lopez, that will be highlighted on TakePart’s website, in its newsletter and on its social media channels. TakePart will also publish weekly blogs, photos and other social media updates about Teeniors for five or six weeks to allow TakePart’s audience to follow Teeniors’ progress after winning the Make Better Today award.
Lawrence Wong of Participant Media said Teeniors was the “perfect candidate” in the competition, because it’s using technology creatively to make seniors’ lives better while also providing part-time jobs for teens.
“That in turn creates great relationships between the teens and seniors,” Wong said in an email.
