expression
THE ARTS
BRIDGING THE GAP Partnership promotes intergenerational learning by SARA SANTORA
H
oly Comforter Episcopal School (HCES) has undergone many changes since it opened in 1956, but its mission has been a constant. The school, located off Fleischmann Road, is dedicated to making children productive, compassionate and empathetic members of society. Recently, that focus led the school to establish a partnership with Westminster Oaks, a retirement community located less than two miles away. In September, HCES’s middle school acapella choir performed at the Westminster
Oaks memory care unit. The all-girls group, led by choral director Jessica ApplegateOgden, sang tunes familiar to audience members. That experience, said HCES Director of Advancement Ida Thompson, was special for both the students and Westminster residents. The event “really made our memory care residents smile,” said Peggy Hsieh, a retired Florida State University professor, Westminster Oaks resident and partnership liaison. “They were happy and wanted to know if the students would be coming back again.”
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↑ As the partnership between Holy Comforter Episcopal School (HCES) and Westminster Oaks endures, HCES Director of Advancement Ida Thompson said art will remain a core focus. “I just think it’s something they can all do together, and I think that’s important.” photography by THE WORKMANS