On Thursday February 12th the Grandfriends program was hosted by the grade five students of division five. This day was carefully selected to combine the themes of celebrating Valentine’s and Flag Day in advance of the two special days. Students made the Canadian flag their valentine for the year as we are all celebrating the fiftieth anniversary of the Canadian flag and the celebration of Flag Day. Students shared skits about how flag etiquette dos and don’ts, and presented an essay about the history of the Canadian flag. Grandfriends were invited to introduce themselves and to share their memories of when the Canadian flag was adopted in 1965. Stories that were shared included a military perspective, coming back to Canada to finding out the flag had changed, and the European perspective on the matter, from grandfriends who were living abroad at the time the maple leaf flag was adopted. Grandfriends and students sang Oh Canada together and then shared activities and show and tell which included knitting, kinetic sand and creating a glass mosaic of the flag, which will remain in the classroom as a memento of the day.
The Grandfriends Program at BICS is celebrating twenty years of creating inter-generational connections in the community. In the 1994-1995 school year Mrs. Yvonne Woodhouse and then Community School Coordinator Gail Gallander stated: “Senior citizens also enrich children’s learning by sharing personal experiences that cover decades of history-making events.” A grade two student in 1994 commented “I can always count on my grandfriend to listen to me and talk to when she comes to my class,” and students today feel the same way. The Grandfriends program makes important social connections between the younger and older citizens of our community. There is much to learn from each other, and much to share. Many youth living on Bowen do not have the opportunity to see their grandparents, and many seniors living on Bowen have limited opportunities to socialize with youth, or to see their grandchildren. It’s an important skill to be able to socialize and empathize in and intergenerational context, and an important building-block of having a healthy, friendly community.
The Grandfriends program has always welcomed people in the community 55 plus, who are old enough to be grandparents, but do not necessarily have to be grandparents. Off-island grandparents are welcomed to visit Bowen and participate in Grandfriends, and last week one stalwart grandfather made his way to Bowen on his own vessel, all the way from Pender Island. The program has evolved from classroom visits-only to a mix of days at BICS and students going out into the community to visit with Grandfriends at S.K.Y. (Seniors Keeping Young) at Bowen Court. This year’s program consists of two classes singing Carols at SKY, two SKY story exchanges, and two Grandfriends events at BICS hosted by grade five students.
The next Grandfriends Program at BICS is scheduled for Thursday April 2nd at 1pm. Please sign-up with Community School Coordinator Sarah Haxby at 604 947-0389 if you are interested in attending.
