A little known program of the Waupaca School District has done much to bring happiness to many, both young and old in the area.
Called the Intergenerational Group, the program was designed by staff at the Waupaca Learning Center to increase greater understanding and awareness between young students and the elderly here at the Veterans Home in King. The program ended on May 7 for this semester.
Our first meeting was made easy and pleasant with the help of their teacher, Maureen Parent, who brought her third grade class in for a casual introduction with each of us, and let the conversation with the children and the participating members here at King proceed in a normal fashion. Questions and answers on both sides made instant friends and respect for each other. The students brought along examples of their classroom activities and shared them with us older folks on each monthly visit. Each meeting was a special and memorable one with the members of Wisconsin Veterans Home acting like loving grandparents to these great young students.
The citizens of Waupaca and the surrounding area are proud of their school system, as they have a right to be. The outstanding academic achievements along with a myriad of extracurricular activities show the forward planning of a competent and thoughtful administration and an outstanding staff of teachers as demonstrated by the actions of Maureen Parent, who led the children in the Intergenerational Group.
My wife Joann, thoroughly enjoyed the activity and became very fond of her two young visitors. Their names were Autumn and Jada, two very bright and pretty young ladies.
I especially appreciated visits with my friend Fletcher, one of the students from WLC. He is one cool guy. No doubt, he will grow up to become a credit to his family and school as well as a respected citizen in his adult years.