Expanding Connections: Grade 7’s Enhanced Partnership With A Little Help
Each year, Graland seventh graders participate in a meaningful service learning unit focused on building intergenerational connections. As part of this initiative, students partner with A Little Help, an organization that connects volunteers with senior citizens to help them thrive and age well in their homes.
Throughout the year, students spend time with their senior "buddies" raking leaves, shoveling snow, doing puzzles, and enjoying conversations. This year, the partnership has been expanded with an exciting new element: students from each Grade 7 advisory now meet regularly with Mr. Jake Dresden, former Graland educator and current Metro Denver director for A Little Help, along with his colleague, Mr. Walter Shumock-Bailey. During these meetings, Mr. Dresen and Mr. Shumock-Bailey bring pizza and work with students to brainstorm creative ways to strengthen their connections with their senior buddies. Ideas have included FaceTime calls, regular emails, homemade cards and treats, and even coordinating transportation (through A Little Help) to school events like sports games, theatrical performances, and the Grade 7 Memory Box presentation.
Additionally, every advisory is creating a Memory Box to honor their senior buddy, which will be displayed at the upcoming school event.
Keep up the great work, Grade 7, in showing empathy, building community, and fostering meaningful relationships across generations!
Graland Country Day School
Graland Country Day School is a private school in Denver, Colorado, serving students in preschool, kindergarten, elementary, and middle school. Founded in Denver in 1927, Graland incorporates a rich, experiential learning approach in a traditional classroom setting, emphasizing the development of globally and socially conscious leaders who excel academically.
