Uniting Seniors and Students in a Gift of Storytelling

Laguna Blanca School Presents ‘The Sarah House Journals’

‘The Sarah House Journals’ team at the entrance to Sarah House | Photo: Courtesy

The culminating event of a year-long collaboration between Laguna Blanca School and the hospice Sarah House will be performed in the Unitarian Society’s Parish Hall, May 27-28. Laguna Blanca serves those in early phases of life, whereas Sarah House serves those in life’s final phase, so how and why did these two seemingly polar opposite institutions unite?

It all began when Paloma Espino, the longtime manager and radiating heart of Sarah House, was prompted by board member Robert Valerio to share some touching stories about a spectrum of residents, revealing how diverse each person’s life story, family situation, and inner approach to dying can be. Paloma’s dream was to create a theater piece incorporating these vignettes within a plot line involving students volunteering at the hospice and then sharing their observations.

Laguna Blanca theater teacher Dana Caldwell, center, with two of her participating students | Photo: Courtesy

As a retired theater maker, I found the idea captivating, but the challenge of creating fictional student characters seemed daunting. After reading a Santa Barbara Independent story about Dana Caldwell, Laguna Blanca’s brilliantly innovative theater instructor, receiving the Teacher of the Year award, I suggested that instead of Paloma creating characters, we should contact Dana to explore having actual students from her theater program spend volunteer time at Sarah House and then create a theater event to share their experiences, while also incorporating Paloma’s stories.

Paloma loved the idea, and Dana responded with explosive enthusiasm. At our first encounter, potential aspects and rewards of such a project snowballed: beyond the learning opportunity for young people to witness end-of-life situations, the project could be a community outreach activity for Laguna, the performances could serve as fundraisers for Sarah House, and so much more. A crucial first step for the community outreach effort was securing a performance space in Santa Barbara, and Julia Hamilton, minister at Unitarian Society of Santa Barbara, enthusiastically agreed to host two performances at Parish Hall, underscoring a current public interest in end-of-life care issues.

Dana describes her early considerations: “Embarking on this journey was unknown territory. There were so many questions to ask: What does death and dying look like through the eyes of our youth? How do we find meaning, purpose, and joy through this work? How do we learn as students and grow in our capacity through service? How do we actively build empathy? How can we use the arts to connect and contribute to our greater Santa Barbara community? The risk was high, the basic premise unheard of for a high school: exposing students directly to death and dying by choice, by design. To ask these young people to look death squarely on, when notions of mortality are but a distant and abstract notion to most of them.”

The first meeting of Laguna Blanca students with the Sarah House team. | Photo: Courtesy

Paloma and Dana easily got the staff and boards of directors of their institutions involved, and Dana’s sharing the idea with theater students was met with resounding enthusiasm — 12 signed up immediately and the first visit to Sarah House only strengthened their commitment.

“I will never forget our first meeting at Sarah House, when at the end one student shared that ‘this has been the most eye-opening experience of my 15-year-old life,’” said Dana. “From then on, I knew we were on the right path. And now we are arriving at this culminating moment for our students. These are their stories, and we are honored to share these reflections and experiences with the Santa Barbara community.”

“Youth and death seem like polar opposites, why would anyone who is starting to spread their wings ever be interested in the last flight?” said Paloma. “Part of the beauty of this collaboration was to invite young souls to sit with souls who, regardless of their age, are looking at their final flight. To sit with the array of emotions that come when the end is near. To witness the journey and to experience the departure and resilience of the human spirit. The students walked this journey with an open heart and a welcoming mind — with the compassion and kindness that is part of this home and this community.”

One of the students, Ada Green, took on an extra task as her Senior Honors Project — composing the script and directing the show, which also involves music and visual effects. “This project has been the most important thing I’ve ever done. Being at Sarah House has literally changed how I live and how I think about death. It’s been an unbelievable opportunity to have in high school, and I will carry what I’ve learned for the rest of my life.” said Ada. “Sarah House is the most beautiful place. I am so honored to share these stories and that beauty with the community.”

“At Sarah House, you become family,” Paloma explains. “We may be the final hand to hold, offer the last food some will taste, a final physical home for many. At Sarah House, we respect and honor each individual’s unique journey. Our service to each person is to meet them exactly where they are, and honor the experiences that have shaped them into the person they have become. At the end of life, most of us just need a home where one can feel safe, feel accepted and feel the warmth that comes from love — that place is Sarah House. We have a big responsibility and commitment to the Santa Barbara community, to be here when we are needed, but we would hope that community members feel the same way towards Sarah House, feel some responsibility for helping us remain functional, so that when they come knocking on our doors — for a friend, loved one, neighbor, or themselves, we are still around to help them.”

Sarah House depends greatly on private donations and grants because it accepts many residents who cannot pay for their stay. The proceeds from ticket sales for both performances will go entirely to Sarah House, but ticket prices are moderate to allow more people to see the show who otherwise can’t afford it. Therefore, we trust that the show will inspire the audience to make additional donations. Perhaps even readers of this article will be inspired to do so.

See The Sarah House Journals: End of Life Care Through the Eyes of Laguna Blanca Students at the Unitarian Society of Santa Barbara Parish Hall, 1535 Santa Barbara Street, May 27-28 at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $15 and can be purchased at lagunablanca.org/sarahhouse. For more information about Sarah House, see sarahhousesb.com.