By Harry Kane

Somerville schools receive extra guidance from a federal subsidized Catholic sponsored program called Foster Grandparents. The organization is comprised of volunteers, 55 and older. Foster Grandparents are a group of mostly women that help mentor young children in a school environment.

At a recent meeting the foster grandparents were visited by Roberta Robinson, a Reiki master, who aids in spiritual growth development to the older adults. Robinson provided them with tools and skills to lead longer and better lives, a lesson that they can use down the road when helping the students they mentor.

Somerville Superintendent Tony Pierantozzi personally thanked the grandparents for all their hard work and perseverance at the meeting.

“I wanna just thank you for your volunteerism. You make a huge difference in our schools. “It changes that ratio [in the classroom] from 20 to 1 to 20 to 2. It gives us a leg up when it comes to dealing with our students,” said Pierantozzi.

Special guest Roberta Robinson, from the Cambridge Health Alliance, presented a Reiki introduction, touching on the benefits of the eastern medicine. “Reiki is healing energy that works on four levels: Spiritual, mental, physical, and emotional,” said Robinson.

Robinson says benefits of doing Reiki are an increase of self-awareness, detoxification, reduction of anxiety, reduction of compulsive attitudes, a release of negative emotions, and an increase of spiritual connections.

“Spirituality begins in the physical body,” said Robinson. “That is our authentic self, our true self. The discord and disease that we feel is the distance between who we truly are and where we are in relationship to that.”

Few, if any of the Foster Grandparents had any knowledge of these Reiki practices but spoke about their experiences with they children they mentored.

Delphena Peniston, 81, assists with Pre-K. Originally from Barbados, Peniston works on puzzles with the children, shows them picture books, helps serve them breakfast and takes them to the park when the weather is good. Peniston has been working with kids for the past 21 years.

Jeannette “Jan” Forgione, 76, a retired teacher of 42 years, works at St. Catherine’s on Summer Street in Somerville. There are ten of the foster grandparents at that school, she said.

Forgione assists the Pre-K teachers by assembling craft materials, teaching them how to write and watching their social interaction. She asked, “what other types of jobs can you get a hug from everyday?”

Theresa “Terrie” Brown works at the Argenziano School at Lincoln Park. She says that giving back to the children has helped strengthen her connection with God. Having children in her life again means a lot to her. “The love is returned to you. One little boy said, ‘if you don’t go into third grade with me I’m not going’ and he cried for half an hour.”

Superintendent Pierantozzi wants the foster grandparents to “pass it forward.” He thanked the grandparents for the “patience they had for the high need and high risk students who come some real tough places.”

Pierantozzi concluded by saying, “Continue good health, and continue good work and thank you for everything you do for our kids, and remember what you do for our kids also helps all the adults there too.”

Roberta Robinson finished her introduction to Reiki with the statement, “We want to love life by design but not default.”  By following Robinson’s teachings, the Foster Grandparents can pass their love onto the kids of Somerville.

– Video by Harry Kane