Whittier Union Adult Transition Program Spreads Valentine’s Day Cheer to Seniors

Whittier Union High School District Adult Transition Program (ATP) students spread love and joy throughout the community by designing, writing, and delivering Valentine’s Day cards to local senior citizens through the American Association of Retired Persons’ (AARP) Wish of a Lifetime Cupid Crew initiative.

ATP students delivered more than 200 Valentine’s Day cards to Whittier Meals on Wheels, the Whittier Senior Center, Palms Senior Living, and La Habra Senior Center from Feb. 10-13.

“For me, it was special to see the individualized cards and the care and time our students put into creating a meaningful memory for seniors,” ATP Department Chair Steven Ducoulombier said. “They were very aware of why they were doing this and were genuinely excited to help create a special moment.”

All 11 ATP classrooms participated in the project, totaling more than 100 students. Frontier High School’s Associated Student Body leadership class also joined the effort by creating cards that were distributed alongside those made by ATP students.

“Our students were able to make an impact in the lives of community members in a way that was both meaningful and memorable, bringing awareness to our program and the abilities of our students,” ATP teacher Sarah Peel said.

The initiative aligned naturally with ATP’s community-based instructional model, which places students out in the community five days a week to build workplace readiness, social, and functional life skills. Many ATP students already volunteer regularly at local senior centers, assisting with meal preparation, meal delivery, and social engagement.

“This was really a way to say thank you to our community,” Ducoulombier said. “Delivering the cards gave our students another opportunity to interact with community members and show appreciation for the partnerships that support our program.”

Creating the Valentine’s Day cards also provided an opportunity for ATP students to strengthen their creativity and functional literacy skills by writing messages, copying text, and designing artwork.

Ducoulombier said the positive response from both students and seniors has inspired ATP leaders to consider expanding the card initiative to additional holidays in the future.

“Our ATP students did an incredible job exemplifying the values of service, connection, and inclusion that define Whittier Union,” United Sierra Education Center principal Margie Moriarty said. “Thank you to everyone who participated and for making this Valentine’s Day a meaningful and memorable experience for our senior community.”

PHOTO CAPTIONS

WUHSD_VALENTINES1: Whittier Union High School District Adult Transition Program students spread love and joy throughout the community by designing, writing, and delivering Valentine’s Day cards to local senior citizens.

WUHSD_VALENTINES2: Adult Transition Program students delivered more than 200 Valentine’s Day cards to senior citizens at Whittier Meals on Wheels, the Whittier Senior Center, Palms Senior Living, and La Habra Senior Center from Feb. 10-13.