Northeast students build bridges with retirees at intergenerational art show

December 4, 2024

Northeast High School students showcased their structural engineering knowledge this fall when they built relationship-based bridges with retired residents.
 
The Rockets used the construction tools of conversation, laughter and empathy to create memorable artwork for Eastmont Retirement Community residents. Dozens of people filled Eastmont’s performing arts center to view pottery pieces in “Bridging the Gap: An Intergenerational Art Show.” The room was full of smiles as retirees saw their personalized projects for the first time.
 
Northeast senior Issainah and Eastmont resident Joyce formed a genuine friendship during the project this semester. They connected for the first time in September during face-to-face meetings at Eastmont. That experience helped Issainah create a piece of pottery that brought a huge smile to Joyce’s face.
 
“It was very sweet,” Issainah said. “She was very kind, and I loved listening to her stories and realizing how much we had in common, like our love for music. We both enjoy music. We were both in multiple choirs growing up, and it was really fun to see that we’re almost like the same person.”
 
“It was very special to meet her,” Joyce said. “She’s just sweet, and she really does have a lot of talent. Just the intricate flowers that she did on her pottery were amazing. She’s really, really good. I hope she’s able to pursue and do what she wants in life.”
 
Northeast junior Skyler also said he enjoyed the intergenerational project. He made a brown pottery bowl entitled “Jazz” for the art show. He painted a yellow musical instrument next to a double note on one side of his kiln-fired piece.
 
“I just thought it’d be fun and they’d like it,” Skyler said.
 
Northeast art teacher Janai Robinson said the project was meaningful for members of her Pottery 1 class. Not only did students increase their artmaking skills, but they also forged friendships with people who walked in their shoes decades earlier.
 
“Even though our kids go to school, they’re still connected to the community,” Robinson said. “We’re not separated. We’re one, and them reaching out to the community is kind of giving back. They get to benefit from that by hearing their stories.”
 
Robinson and Eastmont Community Relations Manager Michaela Williams led a brainstorming session earlier this fall about the project. They created a plan that included personal interviews in September, a follow-up meeting on Zoom and an art show in mid-November.
 
“Anytime we can promote and host and collaborate with any school system of any age is a win for us,” Williams said. “I think humans need to be together at all ages, and intergenerational programming is what we really work to do here. We do that a lot with music, so it’s nice to do it with art too.”
 
Issainah and other students asked seniors about their personal experiences growing up. What was their first job? When did they get their first car? What did they enjoy doing in school? They then incorporated those answers into ideas for their artwork.
 
“It helped seeing the world through someone else’s eyes and getting to build a piece with a story from their life,” Issainah said. “It was a really good creative exercise, because it forced me to think outside of the box and not of just what I see, but of what she sees.”
 
After Issainah learned Joyce loved singing, she drew a heart-shaped bowl that was featured on a projector screen at the show. Her artwork was green and yellow and featured a full musical scale in the middle of it.
 
Issainah then created a second heart-shaped pottery piece that was tan, white and brown. It was displayed on a long rectangular table alongside other artwork from students. Visitors also viewed coasters that retirees made for their younger project partners.
 
Joyce sings in a local chorus throughout the year, and the group was wrapping up a performance at another assisted living facility when the art show started. Issainah watched with excitement as Joyce walked in the door after returning to Eastmont from the recital. Both immediately went over to Issainah’s pottery and began talking about their positive experience together.
 
“I think it’s very creative,” Joyce said. “It’s just great for the kids to have this opportunity.”
 
Each Eastmont senior could decide which personalized artwork they wanted to keep based on space in their living quarters. Northeast students kept the rest of the pottery and coaster pieces to display in their homes.
 
Joyce said the project reinforced her positive view of today’s youth. She said Issainah was a leader and role model for both older and younger generations in Lincoln.
 
“She likes music and art and acting and everything else,” Joyce said. “She’s very delightful.”
 
Robinson said she believes the relationship bridges that students built with seniors will remain strong for many years to come.
 
“They made the time and that’s what counts,” Robinson said. “That’s what matters. They may not see it right now, but it’ll make a difference for the community.”

To learn more about our art curriculum, visit our website at https://home.lps.org/art/. 
 
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