SAGE students and residents gathered around a long table making Christmas wreaths together at The Contemporary

SAGE

High school students spending time with Miami's seniors, every week.

Join Us
  • 500+ Residents reached
  • 4 Partner sites
  • 150+ Visits since Mar 2025
  • 900+ Volunteer hours
  • 4 Schools represented

Our Mission

SAGE started in March 2025 with a few high school students and a simple observation: a lot of older adults in Miami can go days without a real conversation. So we started showing up. Every week, our volunteers visit seniors at four sites across the city to talk, play games, and listen. The people we sit with have decades of stories, and most of them are glad to share. We keep going back because the visits matter to them, and because we learn something every time.

SAGE students gathered around a table with residents at Waterford, in a room decorated for Halloween
SAGE students with residents at Waterford

Where We Visit

Waterford

We have spent two hours at Waterford every week since August 2025. Some weeks we bring cards or put on music, and sometimes we give short presentations. Other weeks we just pull up chairs and talk. After more than 50 visits, residents greet us by name, and we know theirs.

Exterior of Signature HealthCARE Center of Waterford

The Contemporary

We started visiting The Contemporary in August 2025 and have been back more than 50 times. Ms. Valdes, the spirit coordinator, usually has an activity planned, and we join in, whether that is a game, a craft, or the Christmas wreaths in the photos below. Plenty of visits are just conversation. Students from 4 different schools rotate through, so residents see the same faces week to week instead of a new group every month.

Exterior of The Contemporary senior living community
A SAGE student sitting at a table in The Contemporary's common room, talking with a resident in a white sweater
A student talking with a resident at The Contemporary

Galenos Medical Center

Galenos is a primary care clinic with a recreation center for its patients. We started visiting in March 2025 and have been back more than 20 times. Much of our time there goes to our oral history project: we sit down with patients, ask about their lives, and listen to the stories they want to tell. The rest of the visit is games and company.

Doctors in white coats standing in front of the Galenos Medical Center sign

Nesly Home Care

Nesly Home Care is a residential care home in a house, and we started visiting in December 2025. With only a few residents, the visits are small and close. A handful of students, a living room, and time to talk.

Exterior of Nesly Home Care, a single-story house with a front lawn

Oral History Project

Every person has a story worth telling. Through our oral history project, SAGE students sit down with seniors and ask about their memories, their experiences, and the lessons they have picked up along the way. With each resident's permission, we listen and help preserve their voices for the next generation.

Our flyer is in both Spanish and English so every resident can read it.

  • Front of the SAGE Oral History flyer: 'Una oportunidad para compartir su historia y sus recuerdos' and 'A chance to share your journey and memories', with a date line and the Columbus and SAGE logos
    Flyer, front
  • Back of the SAGE Oral History flyer, describing the program in Spanish and English
    Flyer, back

Moments From Our Visits

  • A SAGE student with a laptop sitting across a table from a resident in a white sweater during an oral history session
    Oral history session
  • Students and residents gathered around a long table with a red checkered tablecloth, making Christmas wreaths at The Contemporary
    Making Christmas wreaths at The Contemporary
  • A student leaning in to help residents add red flowers and ornaments to their Christmas wreaths
    Decorating wreaths side by side
  • A SAGE volunteer leaning across the checkered table to help residents arrange red poinsettias and ornaments on a wreath, as other students look on
    Arranging poinsettias with residents
  • Residents and SAGE students working on Christmas wreaths together at a festive table at The Contemporary
    Christmas wreaths, made together
  • SAGE students and residents smiling around a long table with a blue and white checkered tablecloth at The Contemporary
    Sharing a meal at The Contemporary
  • A group of SAGE high school students standing together with staff members and a resident
    SAGE students with staff and a resident
  • Three SAGE students standing at a table and speaking to residents in a room decorated for Halloween at Waterford
    Halloween visit at Waterford
  • SAGE students in school uniforms reading from papers as they present to residents at Waterford
    Presenting to residents at Waterford
  • A SAGE student and a resident watching a Family Feud game on a large screen at The Contemporary
    Family Feud at The Contemporary

How to Join

Want to join? Email or text the contact information below.

  1. Reach out by email or text

    Use the contact information below to let us know.

  2. Join a visit with the group

    Come along and spend time with the residents.

  3. Come back weekly

    Residents get to see familiar faces every week.

Email Us

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