NEW ROCHELLE, NY — While much of the world is tuning in to the Olympics on the other side of the world, 15 students from Isaac E. Young Middle School recently led the seniors at the Hugh A. Doyle Senior Center in their own competitive games.
The torch’s flame was made of crepe paper and the hockey sticks were inflatable, but the fun was real as the close-to-home Olympians competed in four games. They included darts; a hockey “slapshot” with an inflatable globe; the “Great Duster Balloon Battle,” which was like tennis, but with feather dusters and balloon; and finally, “bouncy ball,” in which they had to bounce a ball into cups with different point values.
The games were run by members of the IEYMS Student Organization, a community service club spanning all three grades in the school that visit the senior center several times a year.
“The students feel proud that they’re able to bring such joy to these people, and they see it when they’re together,” said Martin White, faculty advisor for the IEYMS Student Organization. “They got to know the seniors and were taking selfies with them. They really became pals with them while they were there.”
The games came complete with an opening ceremony, featuring flags of various nations. To the winners, the students bestowed gold medals made of chocolate, unlike those inedible awards handed out in the official Olympics.