Intergenerational Program Database

NJIO is an “Orchestra for All” which welcomes musicians of all ages and skill levels into a nurturing artistic environment. Through multiple ensembles, we encourage our diverse group of players to move along the musical continuum. Our members, from earliest beginners to most accomplished instrumentalists will grow musically from their NJIO interactions with musical professionals and each other, while advancing together towards the common goal of achieving artistic excellence within their capabilities.

Residents mentor the 4 yr. old children in math. Teachers provide worksheets and the "grandma's & grandpa's" sit with a child and assist as needed. This program builds relationships as well as pattern building & logic skills. Math Magic also gives residents the opportunity to give back to the community. Parker at Stonegate is an EDEN Home and this program gives residents the opportunity to give as well as receive care, the antidote to helplessness.

From its inception in 2008, the Intergenerational Prom has been a favorite event for Bernards High School Students. The prom is the brainchild of Bernardsville resident Greg DiGioacchino, a member of the Somerset Hills School District Board of Education. Senior citizens from the school district’s four sending towns – Bernardsville, Bedminster, Far Hills and Peapack-Gladstone – are invited every year. “The purpose of the evening is to treat (the) senior citizens to dinner and dancing,” she said. “It’s just mingling, interaction between the generations. Many generations just coming together to have a night of fun.”

Students at Secaucus Middle School and High School volunteer their time and tutor seniors on computer basics. Computer workshops are offered once a month in the Middle School computer lab, where students are paired up with senior citizens to work one-on-one. Each workshop begins with students discussing with the seniors what computer skills they most want to learn or improve upon. For some seniors, the S.A.I.L. workshops are their first experience with computer technology.

1. "Living Legacies:" Students (differing age group depending upon topic) interview residents of differing housing communities, ethnic communities, and veterans; translate interviews into monologues and then into a theatre piece. The students present/perform the piece before audiences of seniors, students and parents at the Senior Center and the housing communities. 2. "In A Kaleidoscope:" Middle School students collaborate with senior citizens to create poems and stories generated in an arts based language arts workshop. 3. "Opera Encore:" Elementary School students (K-5) study age appropriate opera repertoire in preparation for the annual Spring Musical at the Senior Center. As part of an afternoon interlude of well loved Opera and Theatre presented by professional singers from Opera NJ, the young students join with the opera vocalists in singing the songs they have learned in a an exciting shared performance. 4. "Continuing Cultural Conversations:" Middle school students interview parents/families from our large diverse community (64 different languages and dialects are spoken) to learn about eating customs and foods. At the annual international night, families bring these foods for consumption and include a brief description of what the food represents (holiday, religious, etc.). The school produces a cook book of these recipes which is available to the entire community.

Storied Lives pairs service-minded high-potential students who love to write with the elderly living in residential care homes, who are often lonely and want to tell their stories. Over the course of a program, the students will spend quality time with their assigned elderly person, getting to know them, writing a story about their life, and finally, presenting the story to their resident at the program’s closing ceremony. The program was founded in 2012 in Morris County, NJ, pairing students from West Morris Mendham High School with elderly residents at Morris Hills Center in Morristown, NJ.

Grandparents Day Grand Prix- this was held on Grandparents Day to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Annual Walk for All Ages, designed to raise awareness of issues affecting older adults. The Prix included a variety of intergenerational activities to take part in.

This is an annual intergenerational event that is the culminating feature of several months’ of preparation between high school students and senior citizens. Every spring, an original theatre performance, “Living Legacies” created and performed by high school students, brings different themes to the seniors at the South Brunswick Senior Center. Each year, it features a different theme such as: The Veterans’ Stories; Immigration, Our Common Bond; People, Places & Events: South Brunswick’s History; and for 2013 - Celebrating Our Cultural Diversity. The school gathers students and the senior center and their volunteer partner organizations to identify seniors within the Township to participate. They use the theme as the starting point for conversations and begin to meet regularly. Wonderful conversations are held, new things are learned, perspectives are shared and a bond begins to form. Seniors are interviewed by the high school students during their English classes. The students then translate what they learned from all these interviews into monologues and then finally into the theatre performance piece presented at the senior center for all seniors in town. A reception follows, so seniors can then mingle with the students and discuss the show, which continues to foster the learning experience.

Older adults from Spring Hills Cherry Hill Assisted Living garden with students from Cherry Hill Alternative High School. Teenagers and seniors collaborate to keep the garden in good condition. The school garden provides multiple opportunities for high schoolers. Plants are examined for science classes, school pride grows along with the harvest, and students are taking an initiative in "going green."

In addition to the Child Development Center, other intergenerational programs include a pen-pal program with a local elementary school , friendly visits from senior students from local high schools. Their activities include letter writing, decorating, and helping with planned activities. Additionally, 6 high school students from Beijing volunteered in the Fall of 2013