Decades Throwbacks

When we think about what our junior high and high school students, aged 12 to 17 years of age, gain from having an intergenerational relationship with a senior in their lives the list is long, but at the heart of it, it’s about connection.

Both students and seniors offer each other something that is so rare in a world that they often feel rushed: their full attention. They listen to each other without checking the clock. They sit together and truly see each other. Students make time for the seniors’ stories – even if it’s the ones that trail off, and circle back. That kind of presence speaks volumes. 

THE CAUSE ( and how our idea will create a “Pay it Forward” effect in our community)

Our seniors’ ideas are invaluable and need to be shared with our  younger generations.

 This year, our seniors will be ‘teaching/sharing” with their linked students their past hobbies and special times in their childhoods. Supplying the seniors with small car model sets, sewing kits, painting canvases and assorted paints, photo books, Crochet kits, woodworking kits, crib boards, jewelry kits and coloring books, our seniors will spend many hours conversing with our students and will be describing the hardships of their early years and the joys of their childhoods.

We’ve seen students grow in confidence simply because they had an opportunity to become friends with a senior. Someone who may be anywhere from 60 to 80 years older than themselves. We have seen shy teenagers begin to emerge. We have seen students who are struggling begin to look forward to visiting with their linked senior.  Students begin to see themselves as capable because they’re actually learning from another person.  And then there’s the joy. So much joy. They giggle during a simple board game, and hug when they arrive at the senior’s facility. These are the little things that we witness when our seniors and students connect.

Our seniors may not understand how much they’re impacting the lives of our students. They may think that they’re just helping out for an hour or two a month but what they’re really doing is helping to shape the community of tomorrow.