Staten Island Knights Chris Ferreri and Tom Forlenza are happy to announce that the Staten Island Order of Malta Carlo Acutis High School Project was successfully launched at Carmel Richmond and Eger Rehabilitation Facilities, both sponsored by ArchCare. After being stymied by COVID, this high school project, which started in 2019, was rejuvenated this fall.

The project pairs up high school students with nursing home residents, to explore the wisdom each can give to the other. Chris and Tom were available to the high school students if they wanted guidance during their interviews with their residents. They did not need any assistance!

At the first session, rehabilitation staff members Ryan Cobb and Peter Alfonsin matched the students with their residents. After three half-hour meetings, the high school students wrote a 500-word essay describing their experience. Chris and Tom reviewed the essays and the students presented a five-minute summary of their feelings and observations after meeting with the residents.

Feedback was favorable as Executive Director Marybeth Francis, Carmel Richmond Rehabilitation Facility, and Executive Director Kristen Ortado, Eger Rehabilitation Facility, provided refreshments. The residents actively participated and showed appreciation for the project. Both facilities requested that we repeat these meetings soon and have more students participate.