Cornerstone at Hampton Makes a Splash with “Under the Sea” Intergenerational Prom
HAMPTON, NH— Cornerstone at Hampton Assisted Living recently made a splash with their intergenerational Under the Sea Prom. The senior community joined together with students from Winnacunnet High School and hosted a vibrant gathering filled with ocean-themed decor, stunning dresses, and upbeat music.
The prom was part of an ongoing partnership between Cornerstone and the Winnacunnet students known as the “Wisdom Warriors Project.” Last year, these Wisdom Warrior students interviewed the residents and learned about their life stories, ultimately compiling beautiful hardcover storybooks filled with text and images in honor of the residents’ legacies.
In the days leading up to the prom, the students visited Cornerstone and worked with the residents to make decorations by hand. They painted cardboard seahorses, fish, and coral, created jellyfish with ribbons and lights to hang from the ceiling, and blew up lots of ocean blue balloons! The residents also enjoyed watching the students take some dance lessons to prepare for the big night.
On the night of the prom, the Cornerstone at Hampton residents welcomed the Wisdom Warriors and residents’ families to the community, which had been transformed into a magical underwater scene! Bright orange coral, blue balloons, sparkling jellyfish, and colorful fish adorned the dance floor. The food was a delicious pizza buffet, with shell pasta salad, and the dessert bar was a delight. There were sand dollar sugar cookies, beach-themed cake pops made by Doddy Dots, blue jello with gummy sharks, and festive cupcakes. DJ Scott Langlois played the best music from the 50s and 60s that the students and residents had picked out, as well as some modern songs, and the residents and students alike had a blast dancing the night away. One of the highlights of the evening was when the students, along with Cornerstone’s Senior Executive Director, Katrina June, performed Taylor Swift’s “Love Story” for the residents!
The Under the Sea Prom was a fantastic way for the Winnacunnet students to continue connecting with the Cornerstone residents for an evening of intergenerational bonding. Between making the decorations, planning for the event, dancing, and learning even more about the residents’ lives, the students expressed that their time at Cornerstone was even more fun than their own school’s prom! The residents greatly enjoyed getting to know more of the students and cannot wait to host the event again next year.
