Students in the Human Services Career and Technical Education pathway visited residents at Deer Creek retirement home  in Schererville, Indiana, on October 30 for “reverse trick-or-treating.”

The students went through the retirement home, giving out candy and interacting with the residents, learning more about their lifestyle and what they used to do for a living. They met former Griffith teachers and revealed that they had children who attended Griffith High School.

Overall, the field trip impacts the students, bringing joy to both the residents and the students each year. The field trip allows students to see how the smallest actions can have big effects.

“I really enjoyed the trip,” senior Erik Estrada said. “It makes you feel good knowing you did something good for someone who needed it.”

“The trip brought both the residents and the students joy,” Senior Madison Morris said. “The residents were very appreciative of us just being there.”

Shannon Brand and Sara Jongsma, the original teachers of the pathway, began this annual trip because the retirement home was close, the school wanted to give back to the community, and Brand even had a family member who lived there. Before the Human Services Career and Technical Education pathway existed, the FCCLA and Education pathway sponsored the event.

The trip has been held annually since 2017, except in 2020 and 2021 due to COVID-19. Over the years, students have learned to communicate, show empathy, laugh, and even cry happy tears with the senior residents.
Brand said, “It is amazing seeing the students interact with the residents.”

Since the trip has been going so well for so long, there are no plans to change anything about it. The trip will happen next year and for many more years to come.