By Hayleigh Gowans
Staff Writer
Dozens of East Syracuse Elementary students and their senior friends involved in the intergenerational learning program celebrated a year of activities with a picnic at Hanlon Park on June 9.
At the end-of-the-year picnic, students and seniors gathered to enjoy lunch and the students perform an array of songs conducted by retired ESM music teacher Beverley Halderman, including “Yankee Doodle Boy,” “Three Little Fishies” and “You’re a Grand Old Flag.”
Denise McGinley, a third grade teacher at East Syracuse Elementary, said she started this intergenerational program nine years ago as a way to promote learning between elementary students and their elders. The program is carried out as a joint effort between the school and the East Syracuse Parks and Recreation Department with help from Director Tom Richardson.
Throughout the year, students from Mary Albanese’s second grade class and McGinley’s third grade class gather with a group of senior citizens once or twice a month to do various activities based on different themes. Activities include learning and performing music, reading poems, writing to their partner and doing crafts, among other activities.
Providing an opportunity for students to build relationships with their elders helps them learn and develop leadership and social skills they can use for the rest of their lives, said McGinley, and, in turn, provides seniors an opportunity to build relationships and continue learning in their later years.
“The students are learning far more than reading, writing or math at East Syracuse Elementary. They are experiencing something more than words can describe, but the smiles, love and compassion for one another can be felt and seen beyond the school walls and into the community,” said McGinley. “This experience is a true image of what the aging and youth can gain from one another. The children at East Syracuse Elementary look forward to continuing and fostering their friendship with their senior friends for years to come.”
In 2008, the program won the “Intergenerational Award” from the Onondaga County Department of Aging and Youth.
“A program like this truly aligns with the district’s strategic plan to give students opportunities to grow and learn in a 21st century community,” said Donna DeSiato, ESM superintendent. “Students take away valuable information for growing to be valuable leaders in their communities.”
Both the students and the seniors, as well as parents of students, see value in this program.
“I’ve always loved kids,” said Joan Tolhurst, who has been involved with the program since its inception and is also known as “Grandma T” by the students. “It keeps me going and learning. I take away the knowledge of the younger generation and I hope I’m able to teach them a bit about my generation and what it was like in their community in the past.”
Senior are able to share history of East Syracuse, including information about the East Syracuse High School that is now East Syracuse Elementary and the Heman Street Senior Apartments that were once the Heman Street School that many of the seniors attended there in their youth.
“I’ve learned a lot about history and how it was to grow up in the past,” said third-grader Tori Dolan. “It feels really good to know we are making someone’s day.”
“I think this program is so wonderful,” said parent Kay Gallery, who has had three of her children involved in the program. “It shows just how great a school East Syracuse Elementary is and the opportunities that the students have to learn.”
