Shrub Oak International School maintains regular, ongoing visits to local nursing homes as part of its broader commitment to community engagement, service learning, and social connection. Through these visits, students and staff build meaningful relationships with older adults while reinforcing values of empathy, kindness, and civic responsibility. The school’s ongoing visits to Kohler Senior Center and Salem Hills have become an important extension of Shrub Oak’s educational mission, offering students structured opportunities to contribute positively to the surrounding community.
These visits are guided by a Shrub Oak staff member who has served for the past 12 years as the advisor to the Mahopac High School chapter of GlamourGals, a nationally recognized nonprofit organization dedicated to combating senior isolation. Founded on the principle that companionship and personal connection can significantly improve quality of life for older adults, GlamourGals organizes intergenerational programming that includes conversation, creative activities, handwritten notes, and beauty makeovers. The Mahopac chapter has been widely recognized for its impact, including receiving the New York Statewide Group Volunteer of the Year Award for its work with seniors at facilities such as Salem Hills.
Through this established partnership, Shrub Oak students participate in thoughtfully designed activities that emphasize human connection rather than performance or productivity. One current initiative involves students creating Kindness Cards for residents at Kohler Senior Center and Salem Hills. These cards include simple handwritten messages, drawings, or artwork intended to bring encouragement and warmth to seniors who may experience loneliness or limited social interaction.
For Shrub Oak students, the process of writing Kindness Cards serves as an accessible and inclusive form of service learning. Students are encouraged to reflect on how small gestures can have meaningful impact, and practice expressive communication in a supportive environment. The activity aligns with educational goals related to social-emotional learning, communication skills, and community participation, while also allowing students with a wide range of abilities to engage in service in a developmentally appropriate way.
The GlamourGals model emphasizes sustained relationships rather than one-time volunteerism, a philosophy reflected in Shrub Oak’s ongoing visits rather than isolated events. According to GlamourGals, its chapters aim to foster intergenerational bonds that benefit both seniors and students, promoting empathy, leadership, and mutual understanding through consistent engagement and personalized interaction (GlamourGals, https://glamourgals.org/). This approach mirrors Shrub Oak’s emphasis on continuity, structure, and meaningful connection within both academic and community-based programming.
By maintaining regular contact with local nursing homes, Shrub Oak International School reinforces the idea that service is not an occasional activity but an ongoing responsibility. These visits and projects demonstrate how intentional, relationship-centered community partnerships can enrich student learning while bringing genuine comfort and joy to others. Through small but purposeful acts of kindness, Shrub Oak students continue to play an active role in strengthening intergenerational connections within their local community.
