Page 14 - Talk of Tequesta- May '23

Page 14, The Talk Of Tequesta

good worKs

Building Community Means Assisting Many Generations

At The Edna W. Runner Tutorial Center

Teaching children about trade schools and jobs that might
not require a four-year degree has become an initiative at Edna
W. Runner Tutorial Center which is run by the West Jupiter
Community Group, Inc., a 501(c)(3) organization that has been
providing services for the young and older residents in the area
since 1986. The tutorial center, which is named after their leader,
Edna W. Runner, is a provider of after-school, spring break, and
summer camp services for children in grades K through 8 along
with hosting a plethora of special events each month for their
senior citizen group.
This past year, the Edna W. Runner Tutorial Center received
a grant made possible by the Community Foundation, to develop
an educational program called the T3: Touch, Tech and Trades. At
T3 classes elementary students learn about different trade jobs to Ed Hocevar with the kids Senior Christmas tour
broaden their awareness of pathways and future career options.
Students work on a variety of trade areas including culinary, Garden, and preserve area which was made possible by a grant Sandra Lee, whose mother, Jessie, also attended events at the
electronics, fashion design and sewing, design and drafting, auto, from Impact 100 – The Palm Beaches. The children even took Edna W. Runner Tutorial Center.
carpentry and home renovation. home the vegetables they grew to cook them at their homes and Intergenerational opportunities also allow community senior
The T3 program was developed to help the students at the share their lessons with their families. citizens and the students to learn from one another. Students listen
Edna W. Runner Tutorial Center understand that college is not the “Ashton brought home sweet potatoes and collard greens that to the stories from the seniors about how they remember hearing
only pathway to success. Sixty-eight percent of business owners we washed and prepared for dinner,” said Joe Sirmans, father to Martin Luther King’s speech for the first time, or how the Civil
have struggled to hire skilled workers and more than one-third, student Ashton Sirmans. “It was the first time we cooked together. Rights Acts of the ’60s affected their lives. These memories
35 percent, are slightly or extremely understaffed. Over half Now Ashton gets to help with preparing meals.” and experiences strengthen the bond between generations and
of tradespeople, 52 percent, say a lack of available workers is The tutorial center also offers a senior citizen program to empower the students to learn about community leadership. Just
stunting their growth and 68 percent say they could grow their people in the West Jupiter area. With enrichment activities ranging this past February, West Jupiter Senior Citizen Group member,
business if they could find more available workers. Skilled trades from health and nutrition education to holiday celebrations, the Iris Etheredge, spoke to the students about her experience as
are a needed, mobile, lucrative, and fulfilling way to be a very center is ensuring that elders continue to remain connected with the first Black to attend Jupiter High School back in 1961.
productive member of a community. Exposure to opportunities their community. For the last 18 years, the monthly events offer Strengthening of intergenerational bonds make a community
and hands-on learning projects from partners like Florida Atlantic the senior citizens a learning experience, some time to socialize, stronger for everyone.
University, Lockheed Martin, and area businesses have proven a complimentary lunch with friends, and sometimes dancing. “It is important we have the seniors and children together to
to increase grade point averages and self-esteem in the students Connectedness to others is a critical element to wellness and help bridge the generation gap. There are valuable lessons to be
at the Edna W. Runner Tutorial Center. the senior citizens at the West Jupiter Community Group have learned from each generation, and we need to make sure those
Ed Hocevar, a former engineer at Pratt Whitney and currently a many opportunities to share and connect. During the Christmas stories and experiences are passed down to our children and their
tutor at the center, volunteers to teach the students about carpentry. holiday, the seniors were invited on a bus tour around Jupiter children,” said Edna W. Runner, executive director of the West
Hocevar established a hands-on curriculum to explain how to where they shared dinner with the congregants of the First United Jupiter Community Group. “Community grows and thrives on
build a bench, and shared basic information from selecting the Methodist Church of Jupiter-Tequesta, received gifts from the family values and those values need to be passed down from
wood to using tools to cut and measure the materials needed. residents at Jupiter Inlet Colony and sang songs with current and generation to generation.”
“I have been pleasantly surprised at the students’ enthusiasm past teachers from Limestone Creek Elementary School. They “The students at the center learn so much from the seniors.
and continued interest in the program. They always want to also enjoyed a holiday light tour while they drove around the city Understanding the struggles of other generations helps students
know when the next class is going to take place,” said Hocevar, of Jupiter. see their own pathway to overcoming obstacles,” said Travis
who is also a board member of the West Jupiter Community “I thank Edna Runner for inviting me to join the West Jupiter Conway, program director at the Edna W. Runner Tutorial Center
Center. “I have also found it great that the girls in the class have Community Group. I didn’t know what I was missing until I and former student of the center. “When I was a student at the
taken an active role wanting to be hands-on with the tools and attended a program, and now I hope to attend many more,” said center, I remember one senior telling us that people used to throw
materials. This has been a rewarding experience for both me and trash on the same land where the center is today. They used to
the students.” say, ‘You can make a treasure from someone else’s trash.’ And
Aurellia Wiggerton, a fifth grader, who attends the Edna W. we have made a treasure, a gem, here in our community, with
Runner Tutorial Center, has enjoyed the T3 program, stating, “I the Edna W. Runner Tutorial Center.”
have a feeling of accomplishment after building the bench. Now For more than 35 years, The Edna W. Runner Tutorial
I can build more things by expanding on what I learned.” Center has brought the community together and helped the next
In addition, students learned how to plant a variety of fruit generation to succeed. Edna Runner herself has rallied the support
and vegetables in the center’s garden, named Simon’s Giving of local business and nonprofit organizations to ensure the success
of the programs which benefit the young and old. The seniors
enjoy their time interacting with others while parents, principals
and teachers appreciate the extra structure and support the tutorial
center provides to the students, and many children have reached
greater school success as a result. Visit https://www.ewrunnerctr.
org to learn more. > edwardjones.com | Member SIPC
Culinary lesson Photos courtesy of Edna W. Runner Tutorial Center
> edwardjones.com | Member SIPC

> edwardjones.com | Member SIPC > edwardjones.com | Member SIPC

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Finished bench 1851 W Indiantown Rd Ste 106
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IRT-1848H-A Sally S Stahl, AAMS™
Financial Advisor

IRT-1848H-A 1851 W Indiantown Rd Ste 106
IRT-1848H-A
Jupiter, FL 33458
561-748-7600

IRT-1848H-A