POB 9th Grader Improves Lives of Dementia & Alzheimer’s Patients

PLAINVIEW, NEW YORK—Plainview-Old Bethpage John F. Kennedy High School student Hailey Richman, grade 9, has been nominated for a Power of Children Award, presented annually by The Children's Museum of Indianapolis. The award recognizes and rewards students in grades 6-11 who are improving the lives of others through a selfless commitment to service and the betterment of their local communities, villages and cities around the world. Hailey was awarded this honor for work she did in the 2020-2021 school year, when she was just an 8th grader at Howard B. Mattlin Middle School.

Hailey volunteers for the nonprofit organization Puzzles To Remember and became the Executive Director for the organization in 2020. She created a program, Puzzle Time, that connects young adults with residents in memory care facilities as they solve puzzles together. Through her organization, she has helped collect 36,000 puzzles and distributed over 5,000 to nursing homes. Her efforts helped raise over $25,000 for Alzheimer's research. Before the pandemic stopped visits to facilities, the program had expanded to 36 states and four countries.

From a young age, Hailey became a caretaker for her grandmother who had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. They worked jigsaw puzzles together, and Hailey experienced the value of puzzles for people experiencing dementia. She discovered that completing puzzles gave them a rare sense of accomplishment and, according to some studies, can slow the disease’s progression.

By being nominated, Hailey will receive a $2,500 grant, partial four-year college scholarship to one of three Indiana universities, and recognition in an exhibit at The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis. Hailey is using the money from the award grant to supply puzzles to memory care facilities and to help publish a book she authored with guidance for youth caregivers.

For more information about the Plainview-Old Bethpage Central School District, please visit the District’s website at www.pobschools.org. Exciting activities happening throughout the District and programs celebrating student achievement can also be found on the District’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pobschools/.