For those of us of a certain age, the most magical moment in June was when the teacher would roll in the hulking TV and VCR cart — the official signal that they’d given up on trying to teach us, and we’d all be watching The NeverEnding Story until that final bell rang, releasing us for the summer.
Not so for Gina Posey’s Grade 6/7 class at Maple Bay Elementary.
On June 22, her students skipped screen time and instead paid one last visit to their friends at Deertrail Cottage, a small seniors’ residence in Crofton. It was their fifth and final visit of the school year, capping off a program that turned into something much deeper than anyone expected.
The connection started in December, when the students were asked to write holiday cards to the residents. But instead of stopping there, they organized a visit, and then another. By June, it had become a year-long, five-visit friendship built on laughter, letters and shared stories.
Most of Posey’s students are 11 or 12 years old. The residents of Deertrail range from their 80s all the way to Betty, who just turned 102. Despite the age gap, the conversations flowed easily and the connections were real.
The class brought potted flowers and colourful planters to brighten the facility's courtyard. Working side-by-side with the residents, the students asked questions, made decisions and got their hands dirty.
“Do we want both the same colour or two different colours?” Mia asked, consulting with Laurie — a resident nearly 10 times her age — as they replanted flowers into bright new planters. She wasn’t uncertain or placating; this was teamwork. It wasn’t performative or polite; it was authentic collaboration.
When asked how she was feeling about the final visit, end-of-year exhaustion brought emotions right to the surface for teacher Posey.
“I have mixed emotions about it. Oh, you’re going to make me cry! It has been better than I could have ever anticipated,” she said. “These kids think of them as grandparents and they think of them as grandchildren. It's just been so positive. I can't think of one negative thing.”
Each student wrote a personal letter to the residents for this final visit. Ethan, a Grade 7 student, said his letter included mention of a turtle memory game, a favourite of both generations.
“I said that I liked playing the turtle flipping game,” Ethan said. When asked if he lets the residents win or if they let him win, he gave a sly grin and answered, “Both.”
Athena is winding up Grade 6 and found herself getting upset as the visit ended. She wiped away tears and explained what triggered her emotions.
“Saying goodbye to all of them,” she said.
She has grown particularly close to one resident, Helen, but struggled to articulate why.
“I don't know,” she said quietly. “Something just connects. My granny and grandma both live on the mainland, so I don't see them often. It's just nice to see Helen once in a while.”
Posey reflected on how meaningful the experience has been, not just for the students and seniors, but for her as well.
“I leave with goosebumps after watching them interact. I just leave with such a great feeling,” she said. “I had a wonderful relationship with my grandparents and I have people in my life, in my children's lives, who are adults that act as grandparents. I see that with these kids. I see that real, genuine affection and it's coming both ways. It's just amazing.”
For Posey, this project has been a powerful counter to the generational divide she often sees in society.
“Generationally, we have so much disconnect," she said. "Whereas, once upon a time, you know, families lived together. The generations were in one house and kids learned from their grandparents. They had that respect for elders and they had that love. I think that’s what I’ve seen here: a lot of love.”
She added that the kids aren’t just being polite because they've been told to, they’re practicing empathy, respect and patience.
“We talk about respecting your elders, but they're putting it into place,” Posey said. “And to see the seniors seeing the positive in young people… because we hear all the negative stuff, but that's not what I see on a daily basis. In 30 years of teaching, that's not what I've seen.”
Resident Owen, himself a former teacher, said he finds the visits “interesting” and looks forward to connecting with the students. His young friend Ethan agreed.
“We get to interact with people, and it makes them happy. Sometimes they're crying from how happy they are.”
Like many of the students, Ethan seems to understand the deeper purpose of their time at Deertrail Cottage. It’s not just about fun and games, it’s about simply being there.
He gets why the seniors sometimes feel emotional.
“One of them said that they were lonely here,” he said.
There’s no sugar-coating in that response, just quiet awareness. These students aren’t visiting out of obligation, nor are they shielded from the realities of aging and isolation. They understand, at least in part, the impact of their presence.
Ethan will be moving on to Grade 8 at a new school next year. He’s sad that class visits with his senior friends have come to an end but he’s confident about his new chapter.
“I feel good,” he said. “I'm excited.”
Posey said she hopes to return next year with a new class.
“It won't be the same class,” she said. “But maybe it'll be a class that needs it even more than this one.”
While many students finished the year with movie marathons and countdown clocks, Posey’s class ended theirs with dirt under their fingernails, tear-streaked cheeks and memories that will outlast many summers to come.
