Four Salem high school students spent the summer planning neighborhood events that brought teens and older adults together through Center 50+'s Teen Summer Internship program.
Students from Sprague, West Salem, McNary and Silvia's River Charter schools each designed and hosted a community event as the program's capstone, the city announced Monday, Aug. 31.
Each intern tailored an event to their own neighborhood and opened it to residents of all ages.
The four events: a lemonade-and-conversation stand where neighbors could meet and talk, a potluck picnic for sharing food and stories, a board game social and a recipe swap where attendees exchanged favorite recipes along with the memories behind them.
The internship is run by Center 50+, a City of Salem department at 2615 Portland Road NE that serves adults 50 and older.
The program pairs high schoolers with older neighbors, aiming to reduce social isolation by giving teens and seniors shared activities and regular face-to-face time. It also focuses on building youth leadership skills, with interns gaining hands-on experience in communication, event planning and community outreach.
The interns created outreach materials designed to help future cohorts run similar events, though the city has not said whether the internship will return next summer.
Center 50+ Manager Marilyn Daily-Blair called the work proof that "intergenerational connection is … essential for building strong, livable communities." She credited the participating schools, neighbors and community partners in the city's announcement.
The city said it would publish personal reflections from each intern during the week following Monday, Aug. 31. Those stories had not yet appeared on the city's website as of Wednesday, Sept. 2.
Center 50+, formerly the Salem Senior Center, offers in-person and virtual classes, activities and outreach services, including a mobile unit called the WOW Van. Residents can reach the center at 503-588-6303 or [email protected].
Upcoming in Salem
- Pentacle Theatre holds auditions Sept. 26 for its Dickens comedy production.
- The Oregon State Fair continues at the Salem fairgrounds.
