Students in the Community Based Instruction class at Kellam High School are building relationships with residents of a nearby veterans home, the Jones & Cabacoy Veterans Care Center.
Teacher Kathleen Lambert’s class also engages in functional activities by visiting the post office and bank and by taking a ride on the light rail train. Both the veterans and students look forward to the activities, which have included a pumpkin painting, holiday ornaments and creating a tree decoration with thank-you notes.
Recently they rode on adaptive bicycles provided by the local nonprofit, Spinclusion. Kellam student Jada Gunn rode on a carriage bike with one of the residents, and then she took a spin with fellow student Grayson Gallego.
“That was fun,” she said.
Ethan McPherson also took a ride.
“That was good,” he said.
More than 120 veterans live at the center, which opened on Nimmo Parkway about a year ago. Lambert stopped by and asked Kathryn Shear, the center’s director of activities, if her students could come for a visit.
“It blossomed, and now they come nearly every week,” Shear said. “The residents love it, because they see it as giving back to the kids in the community. It’s mutually beneficial.”
“This is a neat thing,” said resident John Hartz, an Air Force veteran.
“I like seeing the kids’ smiles,” said Navy veteran Perry Wallace.
“I like seeing them enjoying themselves,” said Leon Tucker, who served in the army. “When they painted pumpkins with us, I realized some of these kids are very talented.”
Around Veterans Day, center residents visited Salem High School, where students joined them for lunch and made posters with thank-you notes for the veterans.
Lambert said there is a symbiotic relationship between the vets and the Kellam students, and both are eager to participate.
“The holiday season can be difficult for some and if we can make someone smile, then we have accomplished the mission,” she said.
To inquire about educational partnerships with the Jones & Cabacoy Veterans Care Center, contact Kathryn Shear at Kathryn.shear@dvs.virginia.gov.
