BETHEL — Senior citizens and Telstar middle and high school students presented a series of collaborative intergenerational projects to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Western Mountains Senior College on May 2.

Among the organizations present at the school were the Western Mountains Senior College, the Bethel Senior Citizens, the Telstar Middle School ArtReach class, the Mahoosuc Kids Robotics, the Bethel Dog Park committee, the Telstar Rotary Interact Club and the Mahoosuc Land Trust.

Nancy Davis, president of the Senior College, said the ArtReach class, led by teacher Melissa Prescott, chose to work with senior citizens in the area. The students presented plays, original poems and music.

Residents Jim and Ruth Bebko collaborated with Telstar Middle School students Bailey Daniels, Ana Rossow, Marta Opie and Anna Montagne on writing poems.

“Creative writing is normally something done on an individual basis,” Jim Bebko said before the reading, “but for this, we were working collaboratively. It was difficult, but we were able to come up with something.”

Bebko and the students read a series of haikus centered around the theme, A Good Day, ending with a limerick written by Ruth Bebko: “Regardless of age, be it, youthful or grayed, we just wish you a very good day.”

The Eddy school in Newry collaborated with members of the Senior College Senior Players on a play titled “After the Tone.” Eddy students featured in the play included Abbie Blauvelt, Ellie Bailey, Tristen Lilly, Cassidy Webster, Luke Hayward and Sam Weafer.

Telstar’s Rotary Interact Club, which includes Alyssa Brands, Maisey Griffin and Samantha Mallory, said they are planning to reach out to senior citizens.

“May 18 is Volunteer Day, and we’re planning on spreading out and helping elderly people who many need help or can’t do certain things on their own,” Griffin said. “Whatever they need, we’ll be there to help. Our goal is to reach out and put smiles on the community’s faces.”

Bonnie Pooley, chairwoman of the planning committee for Wednesday night’s event, told the audience that the celebration started as a dream last fall and was put together by a great committee.

“We definitely couldn’t have done this without Melissa Prescott, whose tireless energy made a lot of this possible,” Pooley said.

She lauded students and senior citizens for coming together and proving it’s possible for different generations to work together.

“This is cutting-edge stuff right here,” Pooley said with a smile. “Getting two different generations to work together doesn’t happen anymore. I hope this is the first of many more collaborations.”

mdaigle@sunjournal.com