Swampscott High’s 'Bridging Generations' class pairs students with seniors; art show set for Jan. 14

Hadley Woodfin, a health teacher at Swampscott High, and program partners described the second year of the Bridging Generations course at the Dec. 4 School Committee meeting, calling it an intergenerational program that connects high‑school students with older adults in Swampscott and nearby towns.

Sabrina Clopton, assistant director and outreach social worker at the Swampscott Senior Center, said the course began with a vision of dementia‑friendly training and has grown into a curriculum activity; "Now we have students that walk around with Massachusetts dementia friends, buttons on their backpacks," she said. Shavon McDonald, a certified OMA facilitator with Granger Street Studios, explained OMA’s focus on creative arts and legacy work for people living with dementia.

Multiple students described what they learn in the class — training on dementia, practical confidence interacting with older adults and the emotional impact of witnessing cognitive decline and supporting seniors. One student said the training made them "more confident going into a situation with a person with dementia." Presenters also reported positive mood improvements among participating seniors and stronger intergenerational ties.

The presentation invited the public to an art show and reception on Jan. 14 at the Swampscott Senior Center (event timing given as about 12:30 p.m.) to showcase works created through the course. Program partners said Swampscott is the only town in Massachusetts that has embedded OMA into the high‑school curriculum, and credited the school committee and the senior center for supporting the effort.