EngAGE facilitates programs in Los Angeles and Orange County that connect seniors with kids. Here are two interesting examples in other locations that demonstrate the benefits of those kinds of connections.
Jacksonville, FL: “About 1,800 defendants have cycled through Teen Court in Jacksonville in the last five years. Most are first-time misdemeanor offenders… Instead of criminal records, defendants in the diversion program get sentences that include things like jail tours, essays and community service hours. But students who were helping in the computer lab on a recent afternoon said it didn’t seem like a punishment… Curtis Crawford is the Teen Court case manager who’s supervised this computer initiative for the past couple of summers. He said the behavior of students who have acted out in the past changes when they see how elders rely on their expertise. ‘That’s what the kids say: ‘They really need us, Mr. Crawford.'” Read more here.
Vernon, NJ: “The Vernon Senior Center hosted an interactive workshop presentation by the Center for Prevention and Counseling, funded by GCADA, the Governor’s Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse and sponsored by the Vernon Alliance Coalition… A total of thirty-two 7th and 8th graders from Glen Meadows Middle School were bussed to the Vernon Senior Center to socialize, laugh, play games, gain wisdom and interact with our most experienced community members – our elders.” Read more here.
