The Heyman Interages®Center is a program
of JCA® - Jewish Council for the Aging of Greater Washington.
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THE INTERAGES CONNECTOR
STAYING CONNECTED
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Staying in Touch
Hello, JCA Interages Volunteers,
May is a month filled with celebration as it encompasses both Jewish American Heritage Month and Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month. These observances provide an opportunity to honor the contributions and cultural richness of these communities.
The official website for Jewish American Heritage Month, which combines the efforts of the Library of Congress, various National Archives, and the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, serves as a comprehensive resource for exploring Jewish American history, culture, and achievements. To see the site, click here. There is also an official site for the Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month, a collaboration of Congress and the National Archives. To see the site click here.
These dual heritage months promote inclusivity and diversity, fostering a deeper understanding of the unique experiences that have shaped the United States and encouraging unity and appreciation for the diverse identities that make up the American tapestry.
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COFFEE MEET AND GREET!
BRING FRIENDS!
The coffee is on us! Come meet and greet with JCA Interages staff and volunteers. Learn about our new summer volunteer opportunities and share your ideas.
Thursday, May 25 at 10:00 am
JAVA Nation
11120 Rockville Pike, Rockville, MD 20852
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Opening Minds Through Art (OMA)
SEEKING VOLUNTEERS
AGED 16 - 24!
The JCA Heyman Interages Center is looking for adult volunteers to join us this summer for an award-winning, evidence-based, intergenerational art-making program called Opening Minds Through Art (OMA). Volunteers will work alongside JCA staff to support our first OMA intergenerational program.
High school and college students will partner with JCA's Kensington Club members (older adults with early stages of memory loss) as they create abstract art projects that engage the mind and break through cognitive barriers. OMA is a failure-free program designed to provide older adults with opportunities for creative self-expression and social engagement.
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High school students and college-aged volunteers are needed to serve art supplies and provide artistic choices to the intergenerational pairings as well as help with set-up and clean-up. The following eight dates led by trained OMA facilitators will be held at the JCA in Rockville and all sessions are required to participate. Please contact [email protected] for further details.
Thursday, June 29th from 10 am - 12 pm: Volunteer training
Six Fridays in a row: June 30th - August 4th from 9:30 am - 12:00 pm: OMA art classes
Friday, August 11th, 10:00 am -12:00 pm: Art Show
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SEEKING MIDDLE SCHOOL AND
HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS!
Close-up Collage Intergenerational Workshop for Middle and High School Students
Explore the world around you with Arts for the Aging teaching artists Jason Horowitz and Jackie Steven in Close-up Collage. This four-week intergenerational, interactive workshop series combines digital photography and traditional collage techniques to create individual and collaborative photo collages. Jason and Jackie provide hands-on guidance as participants explore basic digital and photographic skills using iPads. Participants will combine their printed images with magazine clippings, watercolor markers, and other art materials into hand-made photo collages.
Students will assist older adults with memory loss at Kensington Club Parklawn in the use of technology, clarify any directions, engage and encourage participation, provide hands-on support if needed, and create original works of visual art that will be shown in an annual art exhibition in January 2024.
These workshops are suitable for participants of all abilities. Participation is customized to each individual’s needs and all materials are provided. SSL hours are available.
Kensington Club Parklawn and Interages 4-week workshop series:
One hour Volunteer Orientation: Date TBD
Tuesdays, July 11 - August 1 at 11:00 a.m.
Location: Kensington Club Parklawn, 12320 Parklawn Drive, Rockville, MD 20852
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SEEKING CARDS AND MESSAGES FOR SENIORS
In JCA’s Eli’s Loaves of Love program volunteers make monthly challah deliveries to senior adults. We are seeking cards and messages on stationery from anyone who is interested in providing the decoration to deliver along with the challah. You could write from a number of sayings such as, “You are awesome,” “Have a wonderful day,” “You rock,” and “A bit of sunshine for you,” as some examples. Please send your cards and notes to:
Colleen Kemp
Kensington Clubs’ Main Office
12320 Parklawn Drive
Rockville, Maryland 20852
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Redland Middle School Dialogues: Engaging Minds and Fostering Connections
Dialogues Across the Ages at Redland Middle School - World Studies Class (One of two Dialogues programs at Redland Middle School)
Volunteers and 7th-gradeth grade World Studies students completed our first Dialogues Across the Ages program at Redland Middle School at the end of April. Small groups discussed various topics such as education, career, music, fashion, finances, and technology. We received extremely positive feedback from their teachers and students, and we look forward to partnering with Redland for another Dialogues program next year.
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Resource Class/Alternative 1 Class |
In a dynamic session of the Redland Middle School Dialogues with the Resource Class/Alternative 1 Class, a series of thought-provoking questions emerged, capturing the attention of participants. Among the notable inquiries, the question "What do you think love feels like?" stimulated an engaging exploration into the intricacies of this profound emotion. Another captivating question, "What is your favorite memory of someone else?" evoked heartfelt reflections as individuals recounted cherished moments.
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SHARE (Students Help and Reach Elders) with Kensington Park Senior Living and Silver Creek Middle School
Silver Creek Middle School students and Kensington Park Senior Living residents wrapped up another SHARE season at the end of April. Students walked across the street weekly to visit residents and participate in various activities, games and conversation. We value our partnership with Kensington Park and Silver Creek, and we look forward to continuing SHARE with them next school year.
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Wheaton Woods Grandreaders is a success!
Every Tuesday, a group of remarkable volunteers aged 50 and better gathered at Wheaton Woods Elementary School for the Grandreaders program. This intergenerational literacy initiative has been a resounding success. Paired with enthusiastic second-grade students, the volunteers read captivating books like "As Best Friends Do" by Ann Jackman and Terrie Manchester, fostering a love for reading and enhancing comprehension. The program's impact is immeasurable, with friendships formed, confidence boosted, and a lifelong passion for reading ignited.
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VOLUNTEER HIGHLIGHT
We thank Shiela Patel for her time and efforts in volunteering with Interages. Through her involvement in these Interages programs, Shiela Patel demonstrates her commitment to education, community engagement, and the well-being of children.
Shiela Patel is a dedicated pharmacist with a specialization in long-term care and nursing homes. In addition to her professional responsibilities, she actively participates in volunteer work, specifically with the Interages programs.
Shiela has been involved with the Interages Harmony Hills Elementary School Readers Theater program enhancing children's literacy skills and confidence. Similarly, she has also volunteered with the Whetstone Elementary School Readers Theater program. This program follows a similar format to the Harmony Hills program, providing students at Whetstone Elementary School with opportunities to develop their reading and communication.
Additionally, Shiela participated in the Wheaton Woods Elementary School Grandreader program, where she read with an assigned second-grader for the length of the program. This program aims to promote a love for reading and improve reading comprehension skills among young students. She particularly enjoys the challenge of reaching students with reading difficulties.
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In an inspiring display of compassion and community spirit, volunteers from the Interages Redland Middle School Dialogues (Resource Class/Alternative 1 Class) are joining forces with the school's cafeteria to alleviate the burden of some student cafeteria debt. The volunteers recognize the financial challenges faced by some students and their families.
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See volunteer opportunities anytime through our Volunteer Portal:
Please note, all opportunities require
preregistration and a background check.
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Would you like to volunteer this summer? Please take a moment to fill in our Summer Volunteer Survey to help us gain a better idea of the community's availability and interests.
Thank you!
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Out in the Community
Aliesha Morris, Program Manager of the JCA Foster Grandparent Program, and Indira Dingledine, Volunteer Manager of JCA Heyman Interages, participated in the Interfaith Works Volunteer Resource Fair at the Islamic Center of Maryland. They recruited volunteers and established connections with fellow organizations, contributing to the promotion of community service and interfaith collaboration.
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MONTHLY READING TUTOR TRAINING SERIES
We hope you will join us on Zoom for our monthly Reading Tutor Training series. We are so grateful to presenter Megan Bainbridge, Reading Specialist of the Captain James E. Daly Elementary School, who is providing the sessions. Each session focuses on a different Reading Tutor Training topic, and lasts about an hour. Pre-registration online is required.
Please note, these sessions are providing broad tips and are not intended to be certification level training.
RECORDED SESSIONS
September 2022 [Already recorded] TOPIC Science of Reading (Shift to Structured Literacy from Balanced Literacy).
October 2022 [Already recorded] TOPIC Decoding
November 2022 [Already recorded] TOPIC 3rd- 5th grade Intermediate Reading Skills
January 2023 [Already recorded] TOPIC Gathering data to inform instruction.
February 2023 [Already recorded] TOPIC Warm-up Exercises by Grade Level.
March 2023 [Already recorded] TOPIC Obstacles and Solutions.
April 2023 [Already recorded] TOPIC Assessments you can use.
UPCOMING SESSIONS
May 23, 2023 at 1:30 pm TOPIC Understanding School Literacy Testing
Registration Link
Register on this link and you will receive a login link, you will also receive an email with a recording of the session.
Things You Can Use
A teacher with a wealth of resources about phonics instruction and the science of reading.
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Make a gift to support the good work that we do.
You can designate your gift to intergenerational programs on the donation form.
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“The smallest act of kindness is worth more than the greatest intention.”
- Kahlil Gibran
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For your convenience, past issues of the JCA Interages Connector are available on the JCA Interages website.
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Jewish Council for the Aging of Greater Washington
"Jewish Council for the Aging," "JCA," "Helping All Seniors Thrive" and "Interages" are registered trademarks of the Jewish Council for the Aging of Greater Washington, Inc. Visit us at AccessJCA.org.© 2023 Jewish Council for the Aging® All rights reserved.
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