Good deeds: Celebrating unsung heroes
Students from Springfield Plains Elementary School in Clarkston visited the residents of the Oakland County Medical Care Facility. The teachers said the kids learned wonderful life lessons.

CLARKSTON -- Students in Gloria Lacy's fifth-grade class have learned what it's like to hang with the older crowd.

Residents at the Oakland County Medical Care Facility received a party, a new water fountain and a little company from 18 students in Springfield Plains Elementary School this school year.

"The compassion, friendship and affection they gave our residents was enough to bring a tear to your eye, and it did to many of us," said Diana Fleming, the facility's assistant activity coordinator. "It is comforting to me personally to know that these children have compassion and respect for those in a long-term care setting."

In May, the students interviewed residents and planted 25 flats of flowers on the facility's patio. Earlier this month, they presented the residents with the written interviews and threw them a party to celebrate the fountain they purchased for the center.

Lacy fit the visits into her curriculum through the Learn and Serve program, which supplied a $400 grant for expenses. In order to put the grant money toward the cost of the water fountain, Lacy arranged for the class to visit the center after school and recruited parents to drive.

"It was wonderful for me to see how the children acted with the residents," said Springfield Plains parent Katy Dixon, who volunteered for the second visit. "You don't think that some of these kids have that sensitive side."

Dixon's daughter, Riley Dixon, was paired with two residents at the center: one woman with difficulties walking and talking and another who is blind. The 11-year-old said she enjoyed talking with them and learning about their families.

She also learned a more important lesson, Katy Dixon said.

"It's real life," she said. "At some point in their lives, (the students) will probably have to go through having a grandparent in that situation."

As the last part of the project, students researched different decorative fountains and gave the residents a list of options to choose from. The fountain was the perfect gift, Lacy said, because "everybody, no matter what their state, can enjoy it."

This was the first time Lacy integrated the project into her classroom.

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