The Sixth Graders’ first day of Intensive Learning on Friday was all about delivering gifts of kindness to the residents at Cambridge Enhanced Senior Living. We spent the morning preparing more crafts and cards for the residents, which we had already started a few weeks ago. We also practiced how to play and present the game of charades before talking about how to carry on a conversation with brand new people! Lots of good advice from our Sixth Grade Advisors and students!
Then we headed out down Main Street for a brief walk to Cambridge. Safety first with Mr. Hanson and Ms. Wang!
Upon arriving at Cambridge, students were divided among two different eating areas and sat down with residents to enjoy lunch and a conversation. I’ve never been prouder of this group of kids than I was watching them interact with the residents! I had the pleasure of sitting down with Thannor Duke and three residents, one of whom is known as “Coach” on account of him coaching baseball and football before retiring. Coach and Thannor Duke got into the intricacies of running back plays in football. I also sat with Kellan, and we talked with Ms. Hess who had just turned 101! She recounted stories of living in Wyoming and Denver before moving to New Jersey with her husband, who was an engineer with Campbell’s.
After lunch, we all got together downstairs to enjoy charades and nail painting! Everyone had a great time, especially our acting specialists in the grade who mimed out some easy and some very difficult suggestions! Some of our students used their nail-painting skills with some residents who wanted some fresh new colors on their fingernails.
We had a wonderful day, and it was just a delight to see our sixth graders engaged in a meaningful service activity. In reflecting on our experience after coming back to school, many students expressed how nervous they were before we went, and just how easy it was once we were there to share joy. It felt natural and they could see how much the residents enjoyed our visit!
-Mr. Matt