About
CoGen Creations, a partnership between Lifting Hearts with the Arts and Innovation 80, is designed to facilitate intergenerational learning through art-making, encouraging open communication to counteract stereotypes and increase understanding between generations.
This pilot program (established in Fall 2023) has two different groups of participants--one to meet over the first academic semester; one over the second. Based on mutual interests and hobbies, ten high school students are paired with ten senior residents at a local care facility in Chicago, Illinois. Pairs first meet during an ice cream social, create a first art piece together and later attend 4-5 private art-making workshops located at the care facility. Participants will get to know each other by engaging in dialogue and by expressing themselves through different mediums. Each pair will create a final piece and brief statement for display in a showcase at the care facility. At the end of the school year, these pieces and statements will be displayed along with photos of the artist pairs, first in an art fair at the high school and then at the senior care facility. The hope is that seniors and students might build long-lasting, intergenerational friendships that will enrich their lives.
This pilot program (established in Fall 2023) has two different groups of participants--one to meet over the first academic semester; one over the second. Based on mutual interests and hobbies, ten high school students are paired with ten senior residents at a local care facility in Chicago, Illinois. Pairs first meet during an ice cream social, create a first art piece together and later attend 4-5 private art-making workshops located at the care facility. Participants will get to know each other by engaging in dialogue and by expressing themselves through different mediums. Each pair will create a final piece and brief statement for display in a showcase at the care facility. At the end of the school year, these pieces and statements will be displayed along with photos of the artist pairs, first in an art fair at the high school and then at the senior care facility. The hope is that seniors and students might build long-lasting, intergenerational friendships that will enrich their lives.
Chicago Team
Zayd Patel
Chicago Program Director My name is Zayd Patel, and I’m a senior at Lane Tech College Prep in Chicago, Illinois. I began volunteering with LHA and was immediately inspired by the work that LHA does with residential homes and high schoolers nationwide. I currently oversee the programs around Chicago. In my free time, I like to golf, listen to music, and cook. Dani Fingard Programming Coordinator Hi, my name is Dani and I am a senior at Lane Tech High School. I love to volunteer in my free time and I am super excited to help with coordinating activities for LHA! Besides volunteering, I do cheerleading both for Lane and outside of my school, and I love to listen to music and spend time with family and friends! Ayden Gray Outreach Coordinator |
Photos
Ice Cream Social
Observational drawing activity