Elk Grove High School’s Leadership Through Service (LTS) course once again brought generations together during its annual Senior Olympics. Led by educator Joe Bush, the LTS program teaches students to lead through hands-on service, giving them opportunities to plan and carry out real projects that make a meaningful impact.
For this year’s event, LTS students spent the day at the Sheila Ray Adult Center, partnering with 16 senior citizens from the community for an experience centered on connection, creativity and friendly competition. The day began with an opening ceremony where mixed-age teams designed their own flags, setting a collaborative tone before the games began. Participants then rotated through four activities: Wii Bowling, Bocce Ball, Football Toss and Bags.
Students shared that the experience offered much more than just fun and games. “Our senior citizens are a treasure trove of information, history and experiences,” said Elk Grove High School senior Ramis Yaqoob. “It’s good to spend time with them because they did so much to take care of us and build us up. You can’t just forget about them. You’ve got to come back and spend time with those who shaped and molded you and the city you live in now,” Yaqoob added.
Participants at the Sheila Ray Adult Center also expressed their appreciation for the partnership and the students’ involvement. “This is great for us to get together and exercise, and these girls and guys who volunteered their time for the high school to help us out — awesome. I really appreciate this,” said center member Joe Schuster.
At the end of the competition, The Fighting Fedoras earned the top spot. More importantly, the day highlighted the heart of the LTS program: empowering young leaders through meaningful service and demonstrating the lasting impact of bringing people together across generations.
Watch the video of Elk Grove High School’s Annual Senior Olympics.