Students brighten lives at Brighton

A group of Carmel Del Mar third graders shared music and fun with seniors at Brighton Gardens last Wednesday afternoon. Called the Junior Joy Givers, the students beat drums and sang old favorites with the senior living community, their fifth and last visit to the center this year.

The Junior Joy Givers was a pilot program at Carmel Del Mar, from the music therapy organization Resounding Joy. The organization, founded and run by Carmel Valley resident Barbara Reuer, brings the healing powers of music to people in need of a little joy, from patients in hospitals to the homeless through volunteers called Joy Givers.

They often work with seniors like the ones in Brighton Gardens. As Brighton Gardens is located right in the middle of tons of schools, they are no strangers to students coming to visit and perform.  But none of the visiting schools have included an interactive program that the seniors can participate in. 

“In all 25 years I’ve been here we’ve never had anything like this,” said Carol Pisnieski, activity director at Brighton Gardens. “It’s a whole new ballgame for us. I think it’s great and we would like to be included again.”

The Junior Joy Giver project started when third grader Stella Roth wrote a paper for school on an article that appeared in the Carmel Valley Leader about Resounding Joy.  Her paper led to an assembly with all third grade students and Carmel Del Mar’s special day class. From there, a group of Junior Joy Givers was born.

Eight students met after school learning music therapy techniques and have paid five visits to Brighton Gardens over the last twelve weeks. They engage them in song, play musical instruments and facilitate lots and lots of smiles.  

The Junior Joy Giver team this year included Roth, Atieh Rashandeh, Lauren and Nicole Estess, Lauren Brenner, Grace Lee, Dimitra Vithoulkas and Ryan Dusenbury.

Last Wednesday marked the Junior Joy Giver’s final visit to Brighton Gardens for the school year. They sat in a big circle with ten senior residents. The kids lead seniors in games and songs with egg shakers and drums. The students were very sweet with the seniors, explaining games to them and gently holding seniors’ hands to help them bang on drums or pass egg shakers.

Group leader and Resounding Joy intern Kymberly Tindall brought out a guitar and the group sang “I’ve Been Working on the Railroad,” “Home on the Range,” “You are my Sunshine” and “L-O-V-E.” People passing through the lobby couldn’t help but stop to listen and smile. Some other residents even came and sat close to the group to hear their music making.

“I like helping the old people and making them feel excited and happy and not, like, bored,” Lee said.

In their five visits to Brighton Gardens, the students have become friends with their senior partners.  Vithoulkas said a resident named Rose even thnaked her for coming one time by kissing her on her forehead. “She said I was beautiful,” said Rashandeh of her senior friend and partner. 

To close their last session with the seniors, the students gave drums they had decorated as goodbye gifts. "Oh sweetie, we’re going to miss you,” said Rose, giving hugs to the girls.

Hopefully the Carmel Del Mar Junior Joy Givers will return in the fall. All of the third graders said it was something they would like to do again. Reuer also has hopes that the program is something that could work at other schools in Carmel Valley, getting more students involved in spreading joy.  

If interested in volunteering for Resounding Joy or starting a pilot Junior Joy Giver program visit http://www.resoundingjoyinc.org