Metro Atlanta arts and crafts program connects high school students with senior citizens

SMYRNA, Ga. - A lot of high school students spend their weekends hanging out with friends or playing sports, but one pair of metro Atlanta juniors are choosing to spend their time making art with senior citizens.

It's all inspired by one of their grandparents.

When Campbell High School junior Akanksha Manna's grandfather was diagnosed with cancer during the pandemic, she said she felt very isolated.

"While I was there for my grandfather, I know that was not the case for many other seniors," Manna said.

That's when she and Pace Academy junior Claire Jiang thought about using art to help keep seniors connected. They started their program called Sketching with Seniors in 2021.

"I think the basis of our organization really revolves around connection," Jiang said. "So, it's not just the volunteers connecting with the seniors themselves, but also connecting with art."

Sunday's class at the East Cobb Center for Nursing and Healing is just one of about 15 locations across Georgia where the students serve. Each week, they bring in other high school students to interact with the senior citizens.

"The socialization aspect of it is huge and getting them out of the room so they're interacting with people, talking, laughing," Caitlin Piland, certified therapeutic recreation specialist, said. "Some of it can be a little bit of a reminiscence therapy too for our residents that used to enjoy doing arts and crafts, kind of bringing them back to those leisure hobbies."

For residents like Lannell Babbage-Torres, her time with the students is priceless.

"I'm usually a chicken. I don't usually come to the craft things, but I'm glad I came today and it's just a lot of fun," Babbage-Torres said.

The students told FOX 5 it's just as meaningful for them, too.

"It just reminds me of my time with my grandparents and I find it as a way to kind of honor that connection," Manna explained.