Senior mentors find 'ohana in schools

By Suzanne Roig
Advertiser East Honolulu Writer

WAI'ALAE-KAHALA — What began with two senior citizens mentoring students at one school has grown to about 70 volunteering at four schools — with more than twice as many programs expected to be up and running within a year.

Retired University of Hawai'i professor Mel Ezer, middle, briefs Wai'alae fourth grade mediators before they move out to the playground, where they intervene in disputes between students using methods prescribed by Ezer. Bruce Asato • The Honolulu Advertiser

Other organizations offer similar services, but the FELLOWS program is unique in that it goes beyond pairing seniors with students to establishing a senior citizens center right on campus. That pays off both inside and outside the classroom — for both generations.

The seniors might offer something as simple as a hug and a cookie. But they also bring decades of life experience and specialized training to bear.

"The FELLOWS extend the curriculum by talking to the kids and having a discussion — a living history, if you will — especially for social studies, math or art," said Susan Minami, principal at Wai'alae School, a public charter school where the program began five years ago. "The seniors talk about what it's like in that period of history, or their trip to Japan, or learning calligraphy. They're an extension of the classroom."

Ed Krentzman, who founded the program along with former teacher Esther Yokoyama, said it's the concept of family that makes FELLOWS so successful.

"I used to tutor before FELLOWS, but the only one who appreciated me was the teacher and the student," Krentzman said. "What makes FELLOWS successful is we've made it a family. We have a place, a headquarters, for everyone to talk to each other. That's made a big difference."

That was the concept when FELLOWS was proposed to the principal of Wai'alae School, Krentzman said.

Mae Mendelson, state president of AARP and director of the Hawaii Intergenerational Network, likes the program.

"They're building a community by putting a senior center in the school," said Mendelson, whose nonprofit group is dedicated to promoting cooperation among generations.

Wai'alae School fourth graders Joshua Ocariza, left, and Shawn Boyles, both 8, observe the playground during recess, watching for arguments. The boys are part of a class exercise in which they have been trained to intervene in disputes. Bruce Asato • The Honolulu Advertiser

"What happens is that the students and teachers and seniors are all finding different ways to interact. This model makes a meaningful volunteer effort that is sustained."

This year, four schools are running a FELLOWS program: Pauoa, Kainalu, Pu'uhale and Wai'alae elementary schools. Five schools are organizing: 'Ahuimanu, Nu'uanu, Wai'anae and Webling elementary schools and the private Le Jardin Academy.

Krentzman said he had approached Pu'uhale initially to establish a program; the other schools contacted him to set up FELLOWS programs of their own, he said.

By this time next year, Krentzman said there could be nine programs or more.

"My initial vision was for only my community school," said Krentzman, 72. "I never dreamed it would grow. But by the end of our first year, I knew it was too good to keep in only one school."

Mel Ezer, a retired University of Hawai'i at Manoa professor of sociology of education, serves as an example of what a senior's specialized training can bring to schools. He came to FELLOWS last year to help mentor a student and wound up teaching the entire third grade how to be student mediators.

Ezer ran the state Department of Education's mediation program in the 1980s. Today, more than 100 schools have such a program in place, which has students help moderate disputes on the playground. And now Wai'alae has its own, Ezer said.

"Mel came in as a volunteer," Krentzman said. "He trained the kids to resolve conflicts between each other."

Mediators are recognized by their baseball caps and vests, and are entrusted with a book of guidelines to help students work through problems from hogging the ball to cutting in line to pushing, Ezer said.

"The principal is very, very supportive," he said. "This year we want to expand the program to train fourth- and fifth-graders and do the incoming third-graders. It really empowers the students. They have a feeling that they can make a contribution to a peaceful school."

Mediation programs are very successful in schools, said Glenn Tatsuno, a DOE administrator for Student Support Services.

But the state-funded program is no longer available because of a lack of funding, he said, and schools that want a mediation program must contract with experts out of their discretionary funds.

At Wai'alae School, Ezer shared his 28 years of experience with students for free. That is just the kind of specialized training that makes the FELLOWS program so meaningful to the school, Minami said.

"Look what would have been lost without Mel's expertise," Krentzman said.

Volunteers in FELLOWS can spend as little as two hours a week or every day, as Krentzman does. Ezer is at Wai'alae three days a week.

"I get more out of it than I give to it," said Ezer, 76. "Any volunteer does. I get a sense of being alive. Being with the kids rejuvenates you. It's a good feeling being around young people."

The senior center at Wai'alae School looks more like a day-care center. Kids hang all over Krentzman and the other seniors, gobbling lemon sandwich cookies. Students flock to the senior room at recess and before and after school to play board games, computer games, grab a cookie and cup of water, play a game of chess with Krentzman or just hang out.

They tell the seniors about their day, share things about their families and give — or get — a hug when they feel like it.

Wai'alae principal Minami said the relationships built are invaluable, something no amount of money could buy.

"A third-grader once told me that they liked having us FELLOWS around," Krentzman said, "because the teachers are paid to be there, their parents have to be there because they belong to each other — but the seniors are there because they love kids."

Reach Suzanne Roig at sroig@honoluluadvertiser.com or 395-8831.