We are very excited to be in the Case 100 and have the opportunity to promote our intergenerational dialogues! Strong communities require strong connections between youth and adults, and among all the diverse segments within the community. Yet many people feel disconnected. Our intergenerational dialogues will involve all segments of the community are designed to help people connect. Seniors and youth are a natural pairing for dialogues on community and citizenship. Youth are looking for meaning, purpose, and opportunities to develop and use skills; seniors have experience to share, and are looking for legacies and opportunities to stay connected as the world rapidly changes. Yet there are few places in our communities where youth can informally engage with the older generations outside of their families. Those teens that have intergenerational relationships, particularly relationships that help them connect with community networks and organizations, have an easier time learning, growing, and becoming involved. Those who do not can become better connected to the community through dialogue. As an example, this summer I hosted, with the juvenile office, a set of “movie dialogues” for a small group of teens who were under court supervision. Evaluations filled out by the teens indicated that the dialogues contributed to greater awareness of how they communicated with themselves and others, and encouraged critical thought about the film. Interviews with some of the participants after the program confirmed that the teens wanted to be heard, felt that they were heard in the dialogue process, and thought additional dialogues would be worthwhile. Dialogues that engage youth and build intergenerational relationships have the power to improve not just our community here in Columbia, but our national community as well. We will be posting more about our project, so be sure to check back in!