A program that connected seniors with senior secondary students has been given a gold star.
The “Seniors to Seniors” project run by Salmon Arm Secondary photography teacher Brent Chudiak won a $1,500 prize from the BC Retired Teachers Association Golden Star Awards program this year.
The program had the photography students go to Hillside Village and Andover Terrace seniors residences and take portrait photos in different styles of seniors. In addition, the students then asked the seniors questions about what advice they would give students, what they would do differently if they could go back to high school and what was the best advice the seniors were ever given.
The award was presented to Chuidiak by retired School District #83 teacher Patricia Clough, who emphasized the difference these innovative projects make to the lives of students. The criteria for the award requires the program to feature interactions between seniors and students.
“My students come out on Cloud Nine,” Chudiak told the audience. “They have the time of their lives interacting with these seniors.”
He says the seniors also enjoy the experience.
“When you have a 93-year-old lady getting her hair done for her portrait, you know she’s engaged.”
The portraits and advice will be on display for the Salmon Arm Secondary Graduation.
“Our hope is that the words of wisdom from these seniors will really means something to our graduating students and give them something to think about,” added Chudiak.