Sweet Readers CONNECT

With this week’s theme of games, we want to give you all five fun exercises to get your brain working! During stressful and busy times like this, we all often feel exhausted. Make sure to keep your brain healthy and active! Here are five more brain teasers that will get you thinking without a doubt:
A bus driver came down a street. He went right past a stop sign without stopping. He turned left into a street with a no-entry sign. He passed a police car on the wrong side of the street. Still, he didn’t break a single traffic rule. Why not?

If you have me, you want to share me. But if you share me, you don't have me. What am I?

Turn me on my side and I am everything. Cut me in half and I am nothing. What am I?

What can be seen once in a minute, twice in a moment, and never in a thousand years?

There is a word in the English language in which the first two letters signify a male, the first three letters signify a female, the first four signify a great man, and the whole word, a great woman. What is the word?

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Even though many of us live in the city that never sleeps, we need sleep!! At all hours of the day, light illuminates the city streets, putting its dwellers in a festive mood; however this can interfere with a restful night’s sleep. The question is: how do we keep our brains healthy and active in a time of restlessness and festivity? Brain puzzles and teasers are your answer!! Swipe for a fun one! ____________________________________

This past week’s theme was music and harmony! Music has a very special and important impact on one’s brain, inspiring positive thoughts as well as increasing brain function. At Sweet Readers, our music curriculums create so much among its participants. On this topic, last Tuesday was the culmination of a Sweet Readers program at the 80th Street Residence in Manhattan. Sweet Readers from the LAB school in Chelsea and Chapin Sweet Readers had been coming to the home weekly to discover the residents through music, stories and in this final session, a community table.  

Five sessions in, the group had developed a rhythm and quickly gathered around the table. Duets and trios added to the collective harmony: 8th grader Daisy easily chatted in Spanish with resident Sarah and 7th grader London stepped in to ease the stress for Stuart who was missing his wife Wilma and longing to be back home.

Lodged in a lovely dining room apart from the bustling city outside, the various challenges both the students and older adults faced in the course of their day and even amongst all of the colorful and crowded supplies, there emerged a special kind of harmony. A peaceful calm and beauty. The harmony of belonging, of having purpose and a place with friends, of being heard and contributing to a caring community.  

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Love, love, love! Love and connection are two very important aspects of our lives; they work hand-in-hand. Our Sweet Readers and adults experience love in all of its shapes and forms: familial, romantic, platonic, and more! The relationships we have all made in the programs are so dear to us and so strong that they have stuck and will stick with us for the rest of our lives. This week we want to recognize all of our loved ones, and, as more holidays approach, we want to express our gratitude for all of our family and friends. See this link for a video that encompasses some of our love for Sweet Readers and everyone in our community: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AzAB-BJGjyg ____________________________________

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Happy Thanksgiving everyone! In honor of this wonderful holiday, we wanted to share this story with you all: This is Michelle Haynes, the principal of the Sisulu-Walker Charter School in Harlem. When faced with the crisis of suddenly increased rent, Ms. Haynes secured a new home for her school and was able to fill it with colorful artworks and warmth for her students. It’s actions like these that really make us feel grateful. Sweet Readers is also starting a Fresh Fruit drive to bring fresh fruits to Sisulu-Walker. Please contact Gladys Lamb ([email protected]) to make a fruit donation. We hope you all had a Thanksgiving filled with warmth and love! ____________________________________

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Hi everyone! The time has come! Make sure to check out Caitlyn and Cara’s podcast, Sweet Readings!! They already have five captivating posts so clear your afternoons!! Here’s a quick description: Inspired by their work at Sweet Readers, a public charity that connects trained middle and high school students with adults living with dementia through the arts, Caitlyn Tablada and Cara Lieberman bring you Sweet Readings. A blend of both science and personal stories, Sweet Readings shares stories from the Sweet Readers programs and science to inspire optimal brain health and creative human connection. ____________________________________

endisolation

The time has come!! The Sweet Readers Podcast, spearheaded by young leader Caitlyn Tablada, is finally out! Here is a quick description: Inspired by her work at Sweet Readers, a nonprofit that aims to tackle the isolating effects of dementia, Caitlyn Tablada has released her debut podcast, Sweet Readings. A blend of both science and personal stories,
Sweet Readings aims to educate the public on brain health and outline ways to make a larger impact in the field. Through informative and powerful interviews with scientists, brain health specialists, and young leaders who are committed to making a difference in this area, Caitlyn investigates how brain health has affected all facets of our lives and seeks out ways to collectively improve the stigma around neurodegenerative disease. ____________________________________

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Special Announcement: Young leader Caitlyn Tablada has released the first episode of her podcast, Sweet Reading! Be sure to check it out on spotify! Here is a quick description: Inspired by her work at Sweet Readers, a nonprofit that
aims to tackle the isolating effects of dementia, Caitlyn
Tablada has released her debut podcast, Sweet
Readings. A blend of both science and personal stories,
Sweet Readings aims to educate the public on brain
health and outline ways to make a larger impact in the
field. Through informative and powerful interviews with
scientists, brain health specialists, and young leaders
who are committed to making a difference in this area,
Caitlyn investigates how brain health has affected all
facets of our lives and seeks out ways to collectively
improve the stigma around neurodegenerative disease. ____________________________________

endisolation

On Tuesday, May 3rd, Sweet Readers will be hosting STAND BY ME! The winter has passed, the weather is warm and beautiful again, and we want to invite you all to our celebration. There will be music, poetry, a live podcast, and much more! It will truly be a day of engagement and inspiration! This community experience will take place in Central Park at the Naumberg Bandshell from 11 AM to 3 PM so don’t miss it!!

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building

Today, young leaders Kate, Hannah, and Lindsay sang with the “Unforgettables” at St. Michael’s church. The intricate design of the church coupled with the beautiful singing and people of the choir made the experience one of a kind! ____________________________________

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We are so happy to announce that the SWEET READERS PODCAST is in its final stages of completion!! Young leaders Caitlyn and Cara have been working so hard to produce their podcast, Sweet Readings. Here’s a quick description:

Who are each of us behind the masks we all wear?  Since 2011 Sweet Readers has been challenging middle school students to use a set of tools to discover the people behind the masks of aging and Alzheimer's - the results are fascinating!  How does one read a person?  Listen in as high school Young Leaders Cara + Caitlyn unlock the secrets and share the science and stories uncovered during interviews with the experts, ranging from neurologists to the middle school Sweet Readers and the families with whom they have connected.

Stay tuned for its release!!

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endisolation

It is important to keep your brain healthy so it can function properly and perform processes like the release of serotonin and dopamine. One way you can do this is through reading. Not only is reading a great way to keep your brain active, but it also enables valued learning experiences. So whenever you have a few minutes, try curling up on the couch with a good book!

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#2022

Happy New Year to all! The Sweet Readers Instagram is back and ready for a 2022 filled with laughter, love, and -as our theme for the month of January highlights- JOY! Each month of the new year, we will focus on a different theme and this month, we cannot wait to share all of our JOY with each and every one of you! ____________________________________

#2022

Happy New Year!! We wish you all a year full of endless joy, laughter, and love! This year we will focus on themes such as these every month. Stay tuned for the upcoming newsletter and more posts. We also have some exciting news: Sweet Reader’s brand new podcast comes out this year! We are so so excited about this and cannot wait to share it with all of you. Lastly, to introduce our theme for the month of January, we will be focusing on JOY!!
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#2022

We are so grateful to everyone in our communities for all of the love, care, support and kindness you give.

From our homes to yours, wishing you and your loved ones the happiest of Thanksgivings!

With love,
Sweet Readers

Sweet Readers has the best Leadership Council on the planet!!

Young Leaders zoomed in to friends' and families' homes from Manhattan, Queens, the Bronx, Brooklyn, Utah, Greenwich, Upstate New York, Massachusetts and Toronto to share their interactive curriculums and community building and amplification skills. Young people powered by technology and transcending the glitches to connect generations!! Swipe right for a glimpse into our Dance program in Queens, Nature in Brooklyn, collaborative art as part of the first French Sweet Readers program and Music in Connecticut. Thank you Leadership Council President Ella K., Amplification head Hannah, the entire council for stepping up and shining and our wonderful friends & family for great support!!

The time has come: Tomorrow night is THE NEXT STEPS GATHERING! This will be a night of pure inspiration and learning. All divisions of our Leadership Council will share their stories and goals/plans for the upcoming year. The young leaders will do this through fun and engaging activities and are super excited! The event will be held on zoom so make sure you have the link if you are planning on joining us! If you aren’t already planning on attending, please feel free to email Sam Kritzer ([email protected]) for more information for this free event! Stay tuned for some content from the gathering!! ____________________________________

Young Leaders rise!
Our Leadership Council kicked off the school year with a two day retreat. Young Leaders came to Manhattan from all over the city, upstate New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Utah and Toronto to learn centered leadership skills, collaborate, bond, develop curriculums and plan for the year ahead...

We are developing new Sweet Readers communities and growing and sustaining communities we started in the past.

And tomorrow we will share our work at the Next Steps Gathering! Comment below to receive an invitation if you are not already joining us!

Welcome back!
The school year is in full swing and we are delighted to spotlight Brunswick Sweet Readers! This Sweet Readers community, now in its 8th year has continued to expand! Thanks to remote access, Ethan and Sean, in school in Connecticut, were able to connect with Edi and Janet in Newton Center, Massachusetts. Together they enjoyed political poetry and discussed the challenges of harmonizing natural and unnatural resources.

Breakouts!
Today we spotlight one of the most special aspects of Sweet Readers CONNECT - the intimate breakout sessions. While we are all so happy to have a little break from Zoom, this year, some of the special connections happened during breakout sessions. Meet Beryl, Bella, Emily, Maddie and Kathryn. This Canadian group was dispersed throughout Canada, all quarantined and Zooming in from their individual homes. Beryl took the lead in breakouts as did each of the St. Clement’s Sweet Readers and together they all felt empowered, heard, full of purpose and joy. Thank you St. Clement’s Sweet Readers and the lovely Amica homes! ____________________________________

Sweet Readers En Español!
2021: After two successful fall pilots of Sweet Readers En Español, we brought the program to the Nightingale Bamford School and engaged 20 high school Spanish students who became our first high school aged Sweet Readers - setting the stage for many high school level programs ahead!! - Ms. Maclean and Mr. Hernan did a fabulous job facilitating and the students connected with adults from the Tejano Center in Houston - lots of singing, dancing and joy!! ____________________________________

Here’s a throwback to one of our weekly sessions at the Jewish Museum! When Friday finally arrived each week, these six Trinity students had the opportunity to spend time with the amazing adults involved in this program. They did crafts together as well as observed the exhibits in the museum. All of their outgoing and enthusiastic personalities fit perfectly with every activity they embarked on. These sessions were so incredibly meaningful to all who participated and the memories and friendships created in them will last a lifetime. ____________________________________

2011: The Art & Poetry of Music at The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Six months after we started Sweet Readers we received a call from the Met asking ask we could bring the Sweet Readers to the museum for a weekend workshop, celebrating the peace quilts of Faith Ringgold. For years Sweet Readers did weekend workshops at The Met exploring themes of music, art, poetry, crafts - all creative tools of engagement for our participants to discover the people behind the masks of age. The Met was almost like a second home for Sweet Readers. In these photos, we celebrate Ethical Culture Sweet Readers who we trained at the school and then brought via bus to the museum to create art based poetry, music in the galleries and an old fashioned community sing-along to wrap up the program - a beautiful bonding of communities. ____________________________________

Today we honor the many fathers and grandfathers in our community. To all of the fathers out there, honestly, one day isn’t enough to show how grateful we are for everything you do. When June rolls around every year, we are given the opportunity to show you how much you truly mean to us. You are there every day, all year long, and throughout our lives. Thank you for all of the laughs, smiles, and the endless joy that you bring. Whenever we fail, you are always there to pick us up and put us back on the right path. As the years go by, our love and gratitude for you only grows. Happy Father’s Day!
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’sDay

We are so excited to be developing Sweet Readers COLLEGE this summer!! We hope you will support our efforts - Every dolllar and donor counts! link: https://connect.sweetreaders.org/sweet-readers-college/ ____________________________________

SWEET READERS TAKES THE MET!
2015: Sweet Readers joined dozens of other youth organizations to “Take the Met”, sharing our mission with New York City youth, our Young Leaders helped to create a giant Sweet Readers heart - each flower included a young person’s message of hope - in the Temple of Dendur! ____________________________________

This 10 Year Tuesday features the Eagle Hill School! From the start, we wanted any child anywhere to be able to be empowered by the engagement they could have with older adults, especially those struggling with the isolating effects of Alzheimer’s and related dementias.  For our training and Method to work, it would have to be universal.  So we stepped outside of urban Manhattan and into suburban Greenwich, CT and partnered with the Eagle Hill School to see if a group of middle schoolers, each with their own special learning difference, could be empowered to change a life for the better.  The Eagle Hill faculty team, led by Dave Kates, was marvelous.  Trained special needs teachers, they were already familiar with many of the challenges and were able to facilitate our curriculums with ease.  In this photo, taken at Atria Darian in 2011, Carolyn and Deb helped to bridge the two communities through portraiture and good old fashioned sharing of stories and life experiences.  Adult participant Chalice commented “I just wanted to feel comfortable and I do with him [Sweet Reader Mark]."

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2011:
After a spring pilot at the American Folk Art Museum (AFAM) and a summer pilot at MoMA, we had our first of many weekend workshops at The Met. The Sweet Readers were invited to create a special community quilt with older adults living with Alzheimer’s in conjunction with a special exhibition of Faith Ringgold’s poetry peace quilts in honor of the 10th anniversary of 9/11. We held special trainings for the Sweet Readers in the Met studios...centered on the arts, poetry, movement and human engagement - so much fun! Families joined in for the culminating weekend workshop - a wonderful feeling of community across four generations - everyone mattered, everyone cared and everyone had a joyful purpose.

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Can you solve this brain teaser? Try and find out! The answer will be posted tomorrow… good luck! ____________________________________

This week’s brain health tip is an easy one: Keep your brain active! You can do this by reading, spending time with friends, playing games, or even trying out some brain teasers. Make sure to see ours tomorrow! ____________________________________

This Saturday we have the St. Clement’s Sweet Readers! This program was lead by the 6 Canadians on our Leadership Council. They created strong partnerships and bonds during the tough times of the Pandemic. Bringing their program to life, they also brought so much joy to so many isolated people across generations. ____________________________________

2016:
Sweet Readers London is launched with the Alleyn’s School! We put together a goodwill delegation comprised of high schoolers from the Brunswick School and their then middle school head, Sarah Burdett, the Sweet Readers Liaison, who first brought Sweet Readers to the Brunswick school a few years earlier, Erin Withstandley and our Sweet Readers team from New York. Sophie spearheaded much of the training and with help from videos Sophie recorded of Dr. Petsko, we were able to blend science, the arts and creative human engagement. Those Alleyn’s Sweet Readers overcame tremendous obstacles and broke through to meaningfully connect with Castlebar residents living with progressed Alzheimer’s, several who at first appeared speechless or deeply frightened, revealed their tender hearts as the international communities from London, Connecticut and New York blended. Driving back to the airport from that first pilot we gained tremendous insight into our feelings of fulfillment.
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Throwback Thursday - 2012! Trinity Sweet Readers is launched! Neuroscientist Dr. Greg Petsko spearheads training for the entire 8th grade, explaining how Alzheimer’s impacts a person’s brain and how the demographics for our aging population will have profound impact, using dump trucks, soda cans and building blocks - Dr. Petsko commented that some of the questions from those middle schoolers surpassed the caliber of questions he was receiving from MIT graduate students! Ahhh the power and possibilities if youth!
So much impactful engagement from those Trinity Sweet Readers as they fanned out across New York City engaging with older adults through the arts in major museums, Eldercare centers and even in Trinity school classrooms. We’ll never forget that first year when Sophie and her fellow 6th grade Spence girls marched into Trinity to give those 8th graders the next level of training - what became our famous role play with the top ten tips. The role play was inspired by out first trainings with Mount Sinai social worker Ella Jolly and the top ten tips were derived by observing the way Sophie was powerfully engaging with adults living with various stages of dementia. ____________________________________

2011:
Holton Arms and Landon Sweet Readers connect with older adults at the Kreeger Museum in Washington, DC through music, art and poetry. In training we discovered that the human engagement skills we were teaching the kids for engaging with their adult partners were helping them to engage with their peers as well! The while thing was simply magical!

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