Teddy lives in Florida with her husband and three kids. Her son visited a retirement home to collect some oral histories from residents, as his civics project.

“Tai met an older gentleman and they really connected. The man told him about learning to play chess in the park in New York City. Tai was on the chess team, so this was really interesting to him. We’re from New York and we go back to visit all the time, but this conversation prompted Tai to ask me, “why didn’t you take me to the park where they play chess?”

Tai had to do a reflection as part of the civics project. He asked his teacher if he should reflect on what he did at the retirement home or how it made him feel or both. He spoke about why he chose this project — he gravitates towards older people because he says they know more. And then he said how it made him feel – sad. He’d learned that some of the people don’t have family to come visit them. That made him decide to go back.

We went back twice, but since COVID we haven’t been able to go. We’re going to see if Tai can Zoom with some of the residents.” 

– Teddy in Florida