"C is for Coast"
A fantastic initiative called “C is for Coast – Photo Share” was launched to bridge the gap between the youth and the seniors of the Lower North Shore. The goal was to instill in the youth a sense of community and family that goes beyond the immediate household.
The students in the region are becoming less aware of the life of their grandparents and great grandparents. This initiative helped create a sense of self-esteem in youth and seniors through the sharing of their own individual knowledge, while creating a connection and breaking down isolation between the two groups.
Specifically, grade 2-4 students at Mecatina School sent invitations to local seniors, prepared snacks and prepared a PowerPoint presentation about the Lower North Shore in which students used pictures from the "'C' is for Coast" project website. (To see the presentation.. Click Here.)
The seniors brought their own pictures and stories to share information and memories about local places, moments and landmarks. The stories brought much needed understanding to places, in a humourous & personable way that is hard to replicate in a typical history class. The event was a relaxed environment that allowed both groups to come together in a meaningful way, demonstrating the power of intergenerational collaborations. Students enjoyed demonstrating their expertise with new technologies and the seniors were please to share some “old fashioned know how”.
CLC Coordinator Molly Organ said:
"The project was a huge success and watching the seniors and students present with such pride in what they were sharing was one of the best parts of the day."
Without the aid of the involved Seniors from the community, this project would not have been possible and a generational gap would have continued. Now as a result of this initiative, students have made a bond we hope they continue to maintain.
