Members of the Jackson Middle School Student Council are participating in a new program called S.H.A.R.E. ( Students Helping, Aiding, Reaching the Elderly) at Jackson Manor.

Each Tuesday students come to Jackson Manor from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and visit with Jackson Manor residents.

The program was designed by Jackson Manor and the school to provide intergenerational programming at Jackson Manor and to provide community outreach and service opportunities for students at Jackson Middle School.

The program started on Tuesday March 10 and for the remainder of this year students on the student council will participate.

When school starts back in August all students will be allowed to participate.

"We know it's going to be a good program and we will try to expand it as much as we can," Dan Beard, principal at Jackson Middle School, said.

A staff person is assigned to the students for each visit. Students learn about the aging process and provide someone for residents to share their life experiences with them.

The students read and visit with bedfast residents. They also can share their special skills with others such as, music, art, singing, drawing and listening.

Students may be asked to help residents write letters, play games, do small chores and converse about past events with residents.

The students are asked to be courteous to the residents and show the residents respect.

On St. Patrick's Day, Natalie Profilet, a seventh grade senator of Team Pride, and Brad Eaton, a sixth grade judge of Frederick, Meyer and Lintner, participated in the program.

They visited with residents. They cleaned glasses helped paint nails and learned about the residents at Jackson Manor.

"I've enjoyed this," Profilet said of her experience. Eaton concurred and added that it was a very new experience for him.

"All the residents have their own personalities and they like doing different things," Eaton said.

Hilda Wallman, a resident, said she enjoys the visits by the children. Lettie Westrich, resident, added that for years she watched the children play in the school yard which is next to Jackson Manor and she really enjoys getting know the students now.

Beard added that the students are coming back from Jackson Manor expressing that they had a good time and a fun time.