Brooksby Buddies: Grade One Builds Meaningful Community Connections Through Intergenerational Learning
Thursday is an extra special day for first grade students at Shore Country Day School, and for a handful of residents of Brooksby Village, too.
Every week, seven residents from the senior living community in Peabody come to campus for a program coined “Brooksby Buddies” by first grade teachers Emily Glore and Kelsey O’Donnell. Students and residents partake in a wide range of activities including STEM-building challenges and art projects, each of which share a common goal — creating and nurturing a unique community connection with lasting impacts for all involved.
“We know the benefits of intergenerational learning and building relationships with people who might not be in their life if it weren’t for programs like Brooksby Buddies,” says Glore.
Data suggests that intergenerational programming such as service learning “improves academic performance and various dimensions of health” while strengthening compassion. The research from Generations United also says that benefits go beyond those directly involved, reaching “administrators and staff members of these programs, family members of program participants, and other community residents.”
In addition to reaping the benefits shown in the data, Brooksby Buddies is living out essential aspects of the Shore Community Code. Whether it’s students being open to making new connections with people who would not be in their orbit otherwise, or teachers having the freedom to initiate programs because they work and have meaning, the values of Shore serve as a compass.
“What I love about Shore is that we’re really seen as experts in our field,” says O’Donnell. “We’re trusted to bring in ideas like this and are met with positivity, and the support to make it possible.”
Despite it being O'Donnell first and Glore’s second year teaching at Shore, they began Brooksby Buddies in February and plan to continue the program next year due to the impacts they are seeing as well as the universal positive reception.
Glore’s great-aunt lived at Brooksby Village and says that on a personal level, the program is a way of honoring her. “We also know that there are so many people living in Brooksby Village who don’t get to have young kids in their lives,” Glore adds. “Every Brooksby Buddy comes in and scoops up the first graders like part of their own.”
Jean Hancock is one of the Brooksby Village residents for whom this program has had a special impact. Despite having grandchildren in her life, she says that her favorite part about the program is getting back to spending time with children in an educational setting.
For 37 years Hancock worked in private schools in California, Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. as a school counselor, religion, and physical education teacher, and sports coach.
“It has been a wonderful experience working with the first graders,” says Hancock. “I look forward to Thursdays. It has been fun, energizing, interesting, and rewarding. I hope to be part of this program next school year.”
The list of programming and activities that Brooksby Village offers its residents is robust, but Resident Life Manager Melissa Luke says that Glore and O’Donnell “captured something that wasn’t already there.” Luke echoed the benefits of intergenerational programming, and the mutually rewarding nature of Brooksby Buddies.
First grade student Aidan Bard says that Brooksby Buddies makes him feel “happy and excited” and starts looking forward to their visit “about two days before.”
As Bard and the Brooksby Buddies work on projects and play, they exchange stories about their lives. He noted that all of the Brooksby Buddies have different interests and things that make them special, just like him and his classmates.
Bard says that he will miss Brooksby Buddies next year, but offered a few words of wisdom to incoming first graders. “You're gonna have some Brooksby Buddies and they're gonna be nice to you. You will have fun with them and do different kinds of stuff. You will like them.”
Glore and O’Donnell say that they are excited for Brooksby Buddies in the fall. “We can’t wait to hit the ground running and see how these relationships flourish.”
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Brooksby Village resident Jean Hancock creates graphs with first grade students.
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Brooksby Village resident Rosalie shows an image of the first grade art she hung up in her apartment home.
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Shore Country Day School’s mission is to provide an education that inspires a love of learning and encourages children to embrace academic challenge. We seek to build character, cultivate creativity, and value diversity as we help our children become healthy, compassionate citizens of the world.
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