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Students pen memoirs for seniors in biography project by John Bkila Oakville Beaver Staff 9 | Friday, June 7, 2013 | OAKVILLE BEAVER | www.insideHALTON.com There may be several decades between them, but for a few local Grade 11 students, they found out they had a lot in common with five seniors. White Oaks Secondary School (WOSS) students in a gerontology class were recently tasked with meeting seniors in the early stages of memory loss at the Oakville-based Alzheimer Society of Hamilton and Halton to capture their stories in a biography as part of an intergenerational memoir-writing program. "My favourite part was not only hearing their stories, but it was more about being able to relate to them," said WOSS student Kai Helsdon, in a closing celebration of the Biography Project June 3 at the local Alzheimer Society. Student Chelsea Grimmett said it was a great experience to put together her senior partner's life stories and present them in a bound biography album. "I was nervous at first," she said, admitting she who didn't know what to expect. "But once we got to know each other, it was such an amazing experience... and it was special to be able to give them something they could look back on." Both youths are in a gerontology class taught by Jodi Vail, who helped co-ordinate the memoir-writing program with the local Alzheimer Society and an organization called Storylines, which runs intergenerational programs. "Opportunities like this for high school students don't happen all the time, so we're eternally grateful," Vail said. "The premise of this project was creating memories and I can assure you these White Oaks students will have memories that will last a very long time for them. They are so thrilled to have had the opportunity to meet and make new friends." The program, funded by a grant to the Alzheimer Society of Hamilton and Halton from Great West Life Insurance Company, had students meet with a senior partner weekly for five weeks and talk about that person's life, from childhood through retirement, and the special people in their lives. "The students were gathering not the whole story, but the highlights," said Storylines founder and facilitator Nora Zylstra-Savage. "They were building relationships every week getting to know their senior better -- finding out about them and also the senior finding out about the students, and that was very special." Prior to meeting their senior partner, students had three training sessions around communication, aging, stereotypes, dementia, interviewing, and memoir writing. "They got the information, tested and roleplayed and learned the things they needed to see Students on p.13 Alzheimer Society of Hamilton and Halton client Bob Langlois leafs through the biography White Oaks Secondary School students, from left, Alex Webster, Haylee King and Cheyene Bemister, wrote for him. photo by Hannah Yoon ­ Oakville Beaver (Follow on Twitter @halton_photog) Protect your family. Prepare for their future. We can help with both. Stop by for your free State Farm Insurance and Financial Review®. Get to a better StateTM. Get State Farm®. CONTACT A STATE FARM AGENT TODAY. THE SUMMER HEAT ARE YOU READY? Replace your Furnace and Air Conditioner! 10 YEAR PARTS & LABOUR WARRANTY * IS COMING ! w o N t Ac 46 years Backed by Coleman's 2013 2013 Darryl R Demille Ins Agcy Ltd Andrew J Heideman, Agent Angelo Gualtieri, Agent Bartucci Ins and Fin Svcs Inc Stacey Sutherland, Agent Darryl R Demille, Agent 905-829-0018 Deborah Bartucci, Agent 905-339-3276 905-257-7773 www.insuranceinoakville.com 905-842-1020 www.andrewheideman.ca www.angelogualtieri.com 905-337-3276 www.autoinsuranceoakville.ca www.darryldemille.ca 100% Satisfaction Guarantee* *Limited time offer; O.A.C. See store for details Best Heating/ Air Conditioning Company We Service All Makes of central air conditioners and gas furnaces SPECIAL OFFER We will pay the HST for your next home comfort system maintenance Limited time offer. Can not be combined with any other offer. · 24 HOUR EMERGENCY SERVICE · QUALIFIED MECHANICS · QUALITY WORKMANSHIP · Bronte Rd Bronte Rd Stephen Ostapchuk, Agent Michelle Cooper Ins and Fin Sv 905-238-5643 Michelle Cooper, Agent www.stephenostapchuk.ca 905-826-4900 www.michellecooper.ca Grant Leslie, Agent 905-469-4499 www.grantleslie.ca Daniel Durst, Agent 905-847-1898 www.danieldurst.com SYSTEMS hours 905 Oakville 905-825-1893 Burlington 905-335-3203 Third Line Third Line APPLEBY Showroom Hours: Mon-Fri 8 am - 5 pm Sat 11 am - 4 pm Showroom Phone: 905-825-1929 2086 Speers Rd. Oakville 24 HR. HOTLINE QEW Speers Rd Lakeshore Lakeshore Rd Rd statefarm.ca® 1201622CN State Farm, Canadian Head Office, Aurora, Ontario www.applebysystems.ca