James D. Adams Middle School in Prestonsburg, KY was the recipient of the Peter R. Marsh Foundation grant and from that planned a day to perform for and visit with elders in our community.
From the website: “The Grantee and their middle school music students (within grades 5-9 only) are to provide a minimum of three musical and visitation engagements to senior audiences. At least two of the engagements must take place at senior facilities (retirement communities, senior centers, care facilities, VA/VFW, etc.) in their local or nearby communities during the current school year. At the Grantee’s discretion, one of the three required senior performances may be held at another venue, such as a veteran’s event at your school. Each engagement is to include the essential post-performance student/senior visitation period. Optimally, each of the Grantee’s middle school music students (within grades 5-9) will participate in at least one performance, as performers or observers.
(https://www.prmfoundation.org/music-grant/)”
We planned the day for a week before our concert, going to the Senior Citizens Center and to Prestonsburg Healthcare (a local nursing home). I took 38 students in grades 6-8, both band and choir students. My husband helped us transport equipment. At each venue, we performed several holiday songs and then spent just as much time visiting with the elders, making connections with those supporting our elders. It was a wonderful experience. To capture the experience, I did student interviews where they volunteered to speak about what it was like performing and visiting with the elders. Some talked about how nice it was, one talked about how scared he was but then he felt better once he got there. It was just so neat because some of them had never done a performance before; some had never been in a senior citizens center or nursing home before. It was so meaningful to me as their director to see them make those connections. I want to do this every year!!!
Greta Gilbert
James D. Adams Middle School
Floyd County
Grades 6-8
