January ‘One Class At A Time’ winner bridges the generation gap

In a certain Palm Springs first grade class, kids are learning what it takes to become great adults. The six and seven-year-olds learn about responsibility and work ethic by singing . But they also get by with a little help from their senior friends, many of whom don’t get to see their grandchildren often.

The kids regularly visit a group at the Mission Hills Senior Living Center who have become adopted grandparents to these kids.

The teacher responsible for building this bridge across the generation gap is Mary Hawkins of King’s Schools in Palm Springs.

With the $500 award sponsored by Walter Clark Legal Group, Mrs. Hawkins says she plans on buying art supplies so the kids can continue to make art and friendships 70 years apart.

“It never ceases to amaze me how these teachers can be so original in their thining and the ideas they come up with,” Walter Clark said.

“It’s awesome to see these kids go in and hug them, climb up on their lap,” Mary Hawkins said. “They tell them stories, we sing songs for them. Last time we were there, the memory care patients made cards for them so when we went back, we made cards for them.”

It’s a classroom effort that reverberates far outside the school, and for that, News Channel 3 is thrilled to have Mary Hawkins as our January winner.