Back row, from left, are Lutheran Foster Grandparents Donna Ensell from Olean, in-service speaker Michele Starwalt, Brenda Weiler, Foster Grandparent Program project coordinator, Henrietta Graziano of Brocton and Gabby Yeager of Ashville. Seated in foreground is Ernest Batchelor, project support.

Foster Grandparents from Chautauqua, Cattaraugus and Allegany counties joined together recently for a “Lunch and Learn” session in Jamestown.

Foster Grandparents are older Americans serving with children to help them to be successful in school. The approach is to foster the learning process by matching a struggling child in either an elementary school, Head Start program or pre-elementary setting with a foster grandparent. Each Foster Grandparent Program volunteer tries to establish a positive one-to-one relationship with their assigned children. Teachers or site supervisors use their skills to identify those in need of extra help and partners the child with a foster grandparent.

Continued learning is part of the Foster Grandparent Program and in-services are required. Michele Starwalt of MDStar Presentations chatted with the group about the many “learning styles” of children. Scenarios of adult to children interactions discussed with the gathering invoked questions and enticed discussion.

The Foster Grandparent Program is a part of Senior Corps guided by the Corporation for National and Community Service, the federal agency for volunteering, service, and civic engagement. The agency engages millions of Americans aged 55 and older in citizen service through its AmeriCorps and Senior Corps programs and leads the nation’s volunteering and service efforts. For more information, on local initiatives, call 665-5354. The local program is housed at Lutheran, 715 Falconer St., Jamestown.