Non‑Discrimination Policy
Retired Teacher Continues Teaching
Posted June 08, 2016
Gary Medeiros is a retired art teacher from Maui High, and currently an Adult Day Health client. He spent 32 years teaching students watercolor, pencil, charcoal, Indian ink and more, and said his favorite park about teaching was being a part of a class that the students actually liked going to, “they showed up happy and because they wanted to be there”. While Gary doesn't do much art these days, he was excited at the thought of helping teach an art class to his fellow clients in Day Health.
Gary provided a list of supplies that he needed for him and the clients taking the class and said “I chose to teach them how to draw and paint a flower using water colors, because it’s simple and everyone likes flowers”. He sat in front of his “students” and together their created their masterpieces, each one unique and different to reflect their own personal style.
What a great opportunity to give back and stay in touch with his talent and passion of art and teaching. This demonstrates that an Elder-Centered community creates opportunity to give as well as receive care, this is the antidote to helplessness. As well as, shows that meaningless activity corrodes the human spirit. The opportunity to do things that we find meaningful is essential to human health.