Ashland’s Oral History Project Unites Older Adults and Youth

Ashland high school students, older adults, family members and supporters of Ashland’s Intergenerational Oral History Project gathered on June 14 at the Ashland Public Library to celebrate the completion of the project.
The oral history project started in early spring, bringing together generations of Ashland residents in a dialogue about history, family, and community. Eleven Ashland High School youth and 16 Ashland seniors participated in videotaped, one-on-one interviews exploring relationships, historical events and culture, and the shaping of Ashland throughout the decades.
The June celebration provided an opportunity for participants to reconnect with one another and share the outcomes of these conversations.
“They put together a booklet and a video compilation of the interviews, which will be archived at the library and the historical society,” Steve Mitchell said.
Mitchell was invited to plan the project as a representative from the Board of Selectmen and Arts! Ashland Alliance. “We all agree that the project should continue. A number of seniors said they would like to participate, and the students were a pleasure to work with, a great group of kids.”
The project was made possible through a grant from Bridges Together, a non-profit organization dedicated to educating, empowering, and connecting generations.
Last spring Bridges Together granted the town a Community-Wide Intergenerational Leadership Team grant. Sponsored by the Massachusetts Association of Councils on Aging, the grant helped create the community event designed to unite older adults and youth. Bridges Together provided ongoing support and training, as well as help publicizing the event.
Bridges Together Founder and Executive Director Andrea J. Fonte Weaver led a full-day training at the Ashland Community-Senior Center for the Ashland Intergenerational Leadership Team, comprised of representatives from Ashland Elder Services, Friends of the Ashland Library, Ashland schools, Youth and Family Services, Ashland Recreation Department, Ashland Historical Society, Decisions at Every Turn Coalition, Ashland Farmers Market, Arts! Ashland Alliance, Ashland Lions Club, Ashland Garden Club, Ashland BNI, Ashland Business Association and Ashland Center for Entrepreneurship.
These organizations planned two events: The Ashland Garden Club partnered with a preschool and the Recreation Department to create a pollinator garden and the Historical Society partnered with Youth and Family Services and Decisions at Every Turn to work on the oral history project with adults aged 80+ and youth from the middle and high schools.