Cross-Generational Partnership

High Schoolers at DSST: Stapleton have been visiting the Balfour Senior Living Center in Stapleton as part of both the Critical Skills Development (life skills taught in 11^th grade) course and the Service Club, the trips are led by staff Lara Thomas, Cory Hofschild, and Marla Lee.

Thomas organized these visits to honor her grandfather, who’s life work was to open retirement homes with high quality patient care at an affordable cost to families. Tom Bowlus, her grandfather, has been deceased for 5 years, but coordinating this collaboration continues to honor his life’s work.  

The trips are coordinated by an AWESOME organization called Bessie’s Hope (https://www.bessieshope.org). Bessie’s Hope does all the communication with the retirement homes and also provides a facilitator to lead activities with the students and residents. Thomas notes the visits have been very beneficial for developing leadership skills for the students, improving communication skills, and creating cross-generational friendships with the residents.

For more information on how to get your campus involved you can contact Bessie’s Hope directly.

Do you have stories from your campus that you want to share with the DSST community? Email MAC@scienceandtech.org!