October Blog: Senior Dance

•  I volunteered at the Senior dance on October 23, 2014. The senior center holds dances every First and fourth Thursdays of each month for $6 per person. It is an interesting and sweet experience attending the senior dances and a youth. 

• I would say that the senior center dances are the dance clubs for seniors. This is where they come at night to dance and socialize. Most would think it is probably like this..

• But it looks more like this...

• What I learned
• Senior center employees talked to me about their recreational activities and why they are important, just like the dances. 
• They are important because seniors want to continue enjoying the things they used too and everyone enjoys music and dancing no matter what age. this serves as their entertainment.
• The dances also bring camaraderie through socializing, and nostalgia because the dance music is provided by a live band who play classic songs of the seniors' times. Usually music from the 1930's to the 1950's.
• I also got to experience the business and managing side of the center. I helped count the money collected and separate it based on the percentage the band had to be paid.
• The money goes to the City, so that means it goes to the center because it belongs to the City of West Covina.

• At the dance, the seniors also received some refreshments and cake. The center also conducts a raffle with discounts and tickets for other events. 

• A good amount of seniors attended, it was about 50 people. I thought it was a sorbable to watch the couple and seniors ask each other to dance. Some dance can dance and move very well for their age, they enjoy it so much. I realized that most dance are like this no matter what age. The  seniors dances have the same characteristics that I have seen at my school dances. I found that interesting.

• The band that played at this dance is called Sentimental Journey. You can see one of their performances below.
• Sentimental Journey Dance Band

Blog 8: Research and Working EQ

1. What is your working EQ?

• My working EQ currently is - What is the most effective way to attract seniors to a senior center?

2. What is the possible answer to your working EQ?

• Senior Centers must offer services that cater to the needs of seniors such as healthcare, nutrition, education, and entertainment.
• Seniors must be informed of all the opportunities they qualify for, and about events created just for them. This should be done through advertisement.
• Senior Centers must create activities that cater to each generation of seniors.

3. What is the most important source you have used that has helped you come up with an answer to your working EQ?

• My most important source that has helped me answer my EQ is my mentorship. First-hand experience working with seniors has taught me a lot.  My local senior center has many aspects similar to a business, so I have observed how they try to attract seniors.  have also learned a lot from articles written by seniors.

4. Where are you doing your mentorship, and how does what you are doing relate to your working EQ? 

• I am doing my mentorship at the West Covina Senior Center. It relates to my EQ because I usually get to work at the front desk and I get to talk to seniors that have questions. Talking to seniors informs me on their perspective and what they look for at the center. I also get to prepare the intake forms, or applications to qualify for senior services in the Los Angeles County. These intake forms show me the many services currently offered to seniors. 

Independent Component 1 Approval

1. Describe what you plan to do of you 30 hours:

• First I plan to create a survey and distribute it at my senior center and others locally.
• The survey would collect information on seniors' generation, demographics, and what they like and would like to see at there centers
• The questions in the survey would be based from my previous research and reading on my topic
• Second, I will collect the data and create a plan for a new event, activity, or class that most seniors would like to see at their center, based off of the surveys.
• Third, I will speak with the manager at my center to pitch my addition to the senior center, based from my surveys.
• Fourth, I would be involved/ run with the organization and preparation of the event, class, or activity.

2.  Discuss how or what you will do to meet the expectation of showing 30 hours of evidence:

• I plan to:
• Provide an example of an anonymous completed survey
• Provide my collected data (charts/notes) and other tools I will use to introduce my idea to the manager of the senior center
• Take pictures of the event, activity, or class

3. Explain how what you will be doing will help you explore your topic in more depth:

• My essential question is: What is the most effective way to attract seniors to a senior center?
• My independent will help me start getting input from seniors on what they would like to see at their senior center. Also, it would tell me what works and what doesn't.
• This project would also help me test different ideas and apply them to my center to see their populartiy. 
• These ideas would be the class, event, or activity.

4. Senior Project Hours