David’s Temple Missionary Baptist Church helped blend the old and the new during their inaugural Critical Thinking Summer Project, but it wasn’t exactly centered on church services. That project connected members of all ages in a unique problem-solving initiative — the construction of pig houses.

Pam McDonald, the youth advisor for David’s Temple, participated in the summer project which lasted for nearly a month — starting July 11 and ending Saturday, Aug. 3. The event was for every member of the church, with the ages of the participants ranging from 5 to 90 years old.

“I loved it — I learned something from them and they learned something from me, but I think I learned more from them,” McDonald told The News Courier. “It was wonderful to see the younger kids work with the older members to get the job done.”

The Critical Thinking Summer Project not only fostered an environment that promoted intergenerational collaboration, but it incorporated various Science, Technology, Engineering and Math skills and lessons to help bridge the gap between the ages.

“STEM is common for the younger people now, it’s taught in their schools and classrooms on a seemingly daily basis,” McDonald said. “But, I was trying to emphasize to the older members that they’ve really been doing STEM all of their life. They just might not have known what to call it when they were growing up.”

The project encouraged members, both young and old, to reach deep into their imagination to come up with the best pig house design and build. More than 20 participants divided into groups of four, with each group consisting of members of all ages, to build the pig houses that will be judged Monday, Aug. 12.

“It was enlightening to see the pride on the young kids’ faces when they hammered the first nail,” McDonald said. “When they learn from older members, or mentors, they carry that with them for the rest of their life. That’s what this was all about, making a positive impact on their lives.”

McDonald called the summer project a success, hinting that she is looking forward to continuing the project in the future to ensure more summers of fun, fellowship and imagination between the people of their church and the entire Tanner community.

“I would love to do something with the young and the old all the time, that’s how we move forward, by connecting everyone,” McDonald said. “As a community, we need our older folks talking with the youth. I think continuing this will allow for that, and I for one am looking forward to keeping it going.”