Rye Country Day Seniors Illaria Liedtke ’27, Parker Maritzen ’27, and Tancrede Weinstein ’27 were named recipients of the Carnegie Young Leaders for Civic Preparedness Fellowship for their work creating an intergenerational pen pal program through their nonprofit and Rye Country Day student club, Tiles for Hope. 

Their initiative, “Letters Across Generations,” connects local elementary school students with seniors in local retirement homes with the goal of reducing loneliness among senior citizens and giving individuals across different generations the opportunity to have meaningful conversations and build relationships with one another. Illaria, Parker, and Tancrede were one of 71 teams selected for this fellowship and received a grant that includes a full year of support, funding, and coaching from the Institute for Citizens & Scholars (C&S). 

Illaria and Tancrede first started Tiles for Hope, originally named the Mahjong Club, in the fall of 2023 at Rye Country Day School, with the goal of uniting students with a love of Mahjong and a shared appreciation for Chinese culture. The club began its first initiative in December 2023 at the Broadview Senior Center in Purchase where RCDS club members would connect with senior citizens through a game of mahjong. 

Over the last 2 years and 10 months, the club has evolved into an official 501(c)(3) non-profit and continues to launch initiatives that study the effects of aging adults and take action to advocate for them. In addition to “Letters Across Generations,” Tiles for Hope also launched the “Gray Matters” initiative, a platform featuring student work on systemic issues affecting older adults, including ageism, digital inequity, and neurodegenerative disease.