Western Montana RSVP, Hamilton, MT

To kick off this joint project of Hamilton Middle School and Western Montana RSVP, a group of seventh-graders did preliminary research on the dangers of the Internet and how to avoid predators. Based on what they learned, they prepared a list of guidelines suitable for all ages. Next, senior volunteers were invited to join the students for an E-mail Set-up and Safety Day, consisting of several activities: 1) Students and seniors jointly reviewed the student-generated safety guidelines and modified them for distribution to the community. 2) The students taught the seniors how to set up, access and use free e-mail accounts. 3) Together, participants of all ages laminated e-mail and Internet safety cards and distributed them at a community booth at the Hamilton Spring Fair, as well as community computer labs at libraries and senior centers.

Altogether, 18 middle-schoolers and five older adults worked on the project. While 80 percent of the young people admitted they were nervous before the seniors arrived because they had never worked with older adults before, 98 reported afterward that they enjoyed working on the project with the seniors. One hundred percent of the seniors said it was a good way for them to connect with youth and make a difference. Perhaps most importantly, this project opened the door for future collaboration between Hamilton Middle School and Western Montana RSVP, spurring the latter to add service-learning projects as an impact area for FY09. Plans are already underway to implement three to five new intergenerational projects!