Foster Grandparent Program

Part of our Health Careers Program was a component called the Foster Grandparent Program.  Each student at the nursing facility was paired with a resident.  The teachers also had a Foster Grandparent.  It was wonderful to see the connections that were made.  Intergenerational and multicultural exchanges were wonderful to observe.

Hope you did not laugh too hard at my picture (circa 1980's) - Geriatric Jerry

Our inner city middle school had a unique Health Careers Program

For over 16 years the Sinnott Magnet School for Health and Health Careers has been involved in a community service and learning volunteer program.  Sinnott's seventh and eighth grade students make weekly visits to area nursing homes, day care centers, community outreach medical centers, and hospitals where they serve as volunteers.  An integral part of the program consists of students "adopting" a senior citizen resident at one of the area nursing homes and visiting that person on a weekly basis.  In 1994 Sinnott was the recipient of a state and magnet grant for the expansion of its program with the Educational Development Center in Newton, MA and Sinnott.  In 1995, the State of New York awarded Sinnott magnet school status, along with increased funding and the ability to enroll students from the entire city. (1997)

Classes involved went through a lot of classroom training before they went to their assigned facilities.

In the seventh grade students in the program worked in a day care center once a week throughout the school year.

In the eighth grade students split the year, once a week, visiting a nursing home or senior center. The other half the students worked in a health center or hospital.  Depending on their interest students worked either with health professionals or other services in the health facilities.  The students quickly realized that these health facilities had a wide selection of different jobs.  It was a very unique experience that gave the students a good idea of the work world.