Little Brothers Event Shines Spotlight on Social Isolation in the Elderly
Cincinnati, OH – November 11, 2015 – Saint Ursula Academy senior Marley Molkentin from Colerain Township has always been willing to share her photojournalism skills and passion with worthwhile organizations. Her talent in videography and her gift of story-telling propelled her to the global stage for the Little Brothers International Congress recently held in Cincinnati.
Marley first became involved with Little Brothers after speaking to her mother, a social worker, about the social isolation and depression affecting the elderly population. As she learned more about the organization and more importantly, the people served by the organization, she knew there was a story that needed to be told.
The story, along with the heartfelt emotion of those featured, was shown to the Little Brothers—Friends of the Elderly delegates from across the world on Friday, October 16 at the International Congress held in Cincinnati. The video received a standing ovation as Marley was able to capture the plight of the elderly population featured in the video.
Said Marley, “In a youth-centered culture, we tend to pretend that our senior population isn’t as relevant as other social issues, so we ignore their struggling. Social isolation affects so many seniors and we just aren't aware of what they are going through. I hope people can relate a little bit when they see the people in my video and hear their struggles.”
Marley will be graduating from Saint Ursula Academy in the spring, but hopes to continue to cultivate her passion for video journalism and video documentaries as she continues to pursue her interest while in college.
St. Ursula Academy is a Catholic, college-preparatory, secondary school for young women known for academic excellence and rich tradition. St. Ursula welcomes students from more than 70 grade schools in the Greater Cincinnati area. In 2002 the Academy was recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as a Blue Ribbon School. The campus, located at 1339 E. McMillan Street in East Walnut Hills has been the home of St. Ursula Academy and Convent since 1910. The Class of 2015 earned college scholarships totaling more than $19-million.
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Photo Caption: At the recent International Congress for Little Brothers—Friends of the Elderly, Saint Ursula Academy senior Marley Molkentin from Colerain Township presented a video she produced to bring awareness to the social isolation faced by the elderly population. She is photographed with Little Brothers Executive Director, “Yogi” Wess and Elderly Services Coordinator, Randy Yauss,