Last Wednesday, for the fifth year, Bromfield’s High School Student Council invited local senior citizens to the school for an afternoon of conversation, musical performances, and a meal prepared by Bromfield’s Chef Paul Correnty.
Luncheon attendees were treated to music played by pianist and Student Council member Bin Han as well as the high school choir.
Student Council started the event nearly five years ago to encourage communication between the students and seniors of Harvard.
One common topic of conversation among the eight tables sparked a heated debate: whether the students or the seniors look forward more to the event. Among other events the Student Council organizes throughout the school year, such as the chocolate sale on Valentine’s Day or the winter semi-formal, the luncheon is special for the Student Council members because, they say, it gives them a chance to get more involved in the community.
“Like the last few years, I really have been looking forward to today’s luncheon,” said Bromfield senior and fourth-year Student Council representative Jack Landry. “I enjoy conversing with the senior citizens and learning about their past experiences.”
Emily Guyett, a resident of Harvard since 1969, said that she, too, like many of the other guests, also excitedly anticipates the luncheon each year. Guyett, the mother of two Bromfield graduates, has attended every year since it started.
“The camaraderie, meeting the students, and the food,” are the reasons she keeps coming back each year, Guyett said. “We get to know the students, what is going on with them, and their expectations on life.”
Seventh-grade geography teacher and co-advisor of the High School Student Council Janis Dyer grew up in Harvard, moved away after college, and then returned to raise her family. “Organizing the luncheon is fun for me because I get to see faces that I have not seen in a while,” Dyer said. “Students are so busy with their schedules that the luncheon gives them the opportunity to make connections with senior citizens in town.”
“I welcome any opportunity for intergenerational contact,” said Audrey Ball, who has attended the luncheon four times out of the last five years. When asked her favorite part of the afternoon, she responded, “The meal. A sit-down meal like this is not something I would usually do at home on a regular basis, so it is special to have such a great lunch.”
The senior citizen luncheon has become a tradition at Bromfield and within the Harvard community as it helps to “bridge the gap” between Bromfield students and senior residents of Harvard, participants say.
