A Visit to Autumn Care: A Trip to Discover the Past and Serve the Elderly

     On March 22, Mrs. Hughes' 5th grade Cardinal Time group spent the morning interacting with the residents of Autumn Care, a nursing center in Marshville, NC. Becca Yanacsek, substitute teacher, spent the morning preceding the trip teaching the students about the importance of serving this part of the community.  They watched a video about a 102 year old dancer who saw videos of her in her youth for the first time. The video prompted discussion on the lives lived by the elderly and their wealth of knowledge about the past.  Students discussed how they learned much about the past  through the oral history part of the Fifth Grade Heritage Project completed last month.  Ms. Yanacsek suggested that the service trip was an opportunity to continue learning through oral history.  This discussion led to a "secret mission" where students were challenged to discover the history of the residents at Autumn Care.
     Once at Autumn Care, the students filled the cafeteria, armed with games, nail polish, or craft supplies.  Under the guise of activity volunteers, they used the time to ask the elderly residents questions. While playing checkers, or teaching Uno they tried to discover the ages and previous jobs of the residents.  "I met a lady who was 102 years old.  I did the math.  That means she was born in 1915!  She told me that she didn't have a car growing up, but did have a two seated carriage called a Surry," said student Shelby Brooks.
     In addition to learning about the past, students also learned the importance of serving this population. In the reflection circle after the project, students shared their experiences. Fifth grader Teigan Hatinen said, "I liked helping those people.  One lady said that her daughter and sister never come to visit.  I think she really liked that we were there."
     Everyone benefited from their time spent at Autumn Care. The elderly were entertained and felt respected and valued. The students were filled with compassion and learned a worthwhile lesson on caring for those who are older. During the service reflection circle, student Erin Collins summed up the experience with her quote, "I think it is important that we listen to their stories and pass them along.  They feel better having someone listen and I feel good for helping them."
     Union Academy is dedicated to creating good citizens for the future.  Service learning projects, such as this visit to Autumn Care, are a common experience for all UA students.  Through these opportunities, teachers and staff hope to expose students to real-world needs and  inspire them to create solutions.  Union Academy believes that community involvement is a fundamental tool for promoting the school’s core values and for developing leadership skills in students.