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September 2014

"Education is like gold: the more
you get, the richer you are"

by Cynthia Eaton

 

Danliker and POW GraduateDan Linker, coordinator of the Professors on Wheels program, hadn’t seen Jennifer Payne in years. He ran into his former student at The Arbors Islandia West on June 11 when she came to see her grandmother, Marion Smith, graduate from the Professors on Wheels program.

Smith, salutatorian of a class of twenty-two scholars, concluded her speech by asserting, “Education is like gold. The more you get, the richer you are. And I’m going to keep on collecting until I am a millionaire!”

Sebastian LaScalaClass valedictorian Sebastian LaScala (left) praised the Professors on Wheels program. A WWII vet who served as a combat medic in the Philippines, LaScala said, “It’s a good way to keep my brain working. I’m a big history buff, so I’d like to see more history classes.”

Ann Marie Brew, director of recreation, offered a special thanks to the FA members who volunteered their time at The Arbors: Bill Burns (English) “Hitchcock: A Master of Suspense,” Courtney Brewer (Psychology) “Understanding Sleeping and Dreaming” and “Understanding Memory,” Leslie Derenfeld (Early Childhood Ed) “Hidden Messages in Mother Goose” and “Your Brain: Use It or Lose It,” Gayle Sheridan (Media Services) “Storytelling with Photos and Music” and Jane-Marie Wright (Math) “The Quilt Trunk Show.”

POW GraduatesA similar ceremony was held at the Island Nursing and Rehab Center on July 22. Director of therapeutic recreation Lorrie Prescott highlighted the following FA members for having presented classes to their residents in recent years: Courtney Brewer (Psychology) “Understanding Memory,” Leslie Derenfeld (Early Childhood Ed) “Hidden Messages in Mother Goose,” Vladimir Jurukovski (Biology) “Stem Cell Research,” Regina Keller (Mathematics) “Rehabilitating Puppy Mill Survivors” and Jane-Marie Wright (Mathematics) “Civil War Quilts.”

This year, just over two dozen residents graduated from the program. Graduate Henrietta Cotgreave (below) saw me approach with my camera. She took a deep breath to collect her emotions, looked right at the camera, and said simply, “Well, what do you know? I did it!”

 

“Anyone who doubts this program’s impact,” said the son of graduate Marie Brischler, “just needs to look at the smiles on these faces.” Contact Dan Linker (dan@fascc.org) to help more seniors become millionaires.