In a time of rapidly growing technology and there being a difference in the way the world is seen, there is an increasing gap between generations. But with the help of the Intergenerational Program, students are starting to see the importance of intergenerational relationships. The Intergenerational Program run by Mr. Blazer is a program that’s open to seniors where they are able to pair with seniors and learn from each other. The program started before the pandemic but stopped once it hit. But thanks to Mr. Blazer he was able to reach out to Carson Community Center and get it back running again. They meet on a set schedule of eight Wednesdays with an extra Wednesday for the seniors’ culmination.
“The idea is for the senior citizens to get a window into what it means to be a high school senior nowadays and for high school seniors to think about what these people went through, what was going through their mind when they were high school seniors, and how did that meet or not meet their expectations.”
The Intergenerational Program gives emotional support to the elderly participants through the interactions with the high school seniors and enhanced education to the students by listening to life lessons, societal changes, and things the elderly have experienced during their high school years.
As stated by Mr. Blazer, “We don’t work with them, we collaborate, and we get to know them, and we participate in activities together where we are equal partners in the conversation, as opposed to sitting there and getting lectured by a senior.”
“Intergenerational Program has been really good; I love those old people, they’re fun,” said Charlie Tabor, one of the seniors that is currently a part of the Intergenerational Program.
“I feel like it’s made me have a more open mind of older people experiences and I learned about their point of view more because the old person I’m partnered with is from Indonesia and through him I’m learning about different cultures,” he said.
With there being different ethnicities and cultures this program is an opportunity to learn more about what other cultures do and how everyone’s experience is different. And while learning from the senior citizen is informative, it’s also a away for students to form connections and bonds.
