There was dancing, connection and joy as South Brunswick High School’s WISH Club visited Brandywine Princeton for a fall ball on Nov. 16.
“Every year we do three special events, this is one of them,” said Meryl Orlando, family and consumer science teacher at South Brunswick High and advisor of the WISH Club, which has been around for about 12 to 15 years.
WISH is an acronym for Working In Senior Housing.
“We have a large group of students who want to either work with seniors to be doctors, therapists … they are just nice kids.”
The students made cards for each of the seniors and served them food and drink during the fall ball.
Senior Angelina Thai is president of the WISH Club and has been involved in the club her entire four years at South Brunswick High. She shared she was really close to her grandparents when she was growing up. When one of her grandparents passed away, she felt a disconnect.
“In this club, it’s so nice to meet new people and connect with people who are older than me,” she said, adding the experiences of the older generation are “so interesting.”
Barsha Narepalepu, a junior and the club’s vice president, loves helping people.
“It has been a dream of mine to help other people since middle school,” she said, noting she used to volunteer in India every summer at her grandpa’s nursing home. “He has Alzheimer’s … I would go and volunteer every summer.”
With the fall ball, Narepalepu said she loves seeing everyone come together and the smiles.
Cathy Ritchey and Gerry Nagelberg welcomed the high school students.
“I think they are wonderful … they can come in everyday if they want to,” Ritchey said.
“We enjoy the kids coming,” Nagelberg added. “They are so beautiful and so willing to make us happy. It is really enjoyable.
Stephanie Gaber, life enrichment director at Brandywine Princeton, coordinated the visit with the WISH Club.
“It is really fulfilling for the residents, they enjoy the company,” she said “The children and residents form a great bond. It’s our second year that they have been coming to our community and it’s been very inspirational for both generations.”
The WISH Club offers members valuable hands-on experiences with seniors, whom they visit and interact with several times a month. Through activities like crafting, games, singing, and seasonal projects, these students bring companionship and creativity to the residents they serve. Annual traditions include sending holiday cards and gifts, potting flowers, painting pots, and hosting a spring carnival, all designed to spread cheer and build relationships.
