Grand Times Overview

Grand Times is an intergenerational program that provides opportunities for retired and older members of the community to share their time and talents with students and staff at Deerfield and Highland Park High Schools.

The program seeks to:

• Match senior citizens and/or retirees in partnerships with Deerfield and Highland Park High School students and faculty
• Use the strengths, interests, and experiences of older adults in mentoring/assisting high school students
• Provide senior citizens/retired persons with the opportunity to contribute their time, knowledge, wisdom and skills to the school and general community
• Encourage connections between high school students and senior citizens/retired persons in the community

The process involves:

• Grand Times interviews of prospective members
• Matching of volunteers with faculty requests through the use of liaisons at DHS and HPHS
• Appropriate placement of volunteers by Grand Times coordinators

Grand Timers have:

• Acted as election judges for a mock presidential election
• Gone on field trips to the Federal Reserve Bank and the Chicago Art Institute
• Mentored seniors as they prepared their final projects before graduation
• Recorded literature for use in the classroom
• Served as guest speakers in various classrooms regarding topics of study
• Volunteered at Focus on the Arts
• Conducted mock job interviews
• Acted as judges for the regional DECA competition
• Worked with students in the Peer Helping Program

For additional information, contact Gloria Gibson at 224-765-1006 or ggibson@dist113.org. 

Click here to download the Grand Times volunteer application!