The Allen ISD Silver Eagles Club was launched in 2021 with the goal to connect local senior citizens with the school district.

The full story

Through the club, members can participate in special events and activities around the school district, Community Services Director Ashley Crowson said. Senior citizens aged 55 and older can sign up for the club at no cost, according to Allen ISD’s website.

“We organize events and activities for them to take part in every month,” she said. “In addition to that, we have volunteer opportunities throughout our district that they can sign up for.”

Those events have included a behind-the-scenes look at the Allen Performing Arts Center as theater students prepare props and costumes for an upcoming musical. Members also receive information directly from district officials about initiatives and campus renovations, Crowson said.

“It’s an opportunity for our Silver Eagles to connect with all members of our school community,” she said.

Some context

The idea for the Silver Eagles Club came from Superintendent Robin Bullock, Chief Communications Officer David Hicks said. After the COVID-19 pandemic, officials knew that community engagement with its students, staff, parents and community was “going to be paramount,” he said.

“We know that in order to be a successful school district, we have to embrace all members of our community,” Hicks said. “That’s where the idea was formed.”

The club is run by Crowson and the Community Services Department. The program’s success comes from Crowson and the work of Silver Eagle Ambassadors like Sylvia Gage, Hicks said.

“When we started this four or five years ago, there was the desire to be able to share information about our school district with our senior citizen community,” he said. “I can’t tell you how amazing it is to see how the program has grown.”

Diving in deeper

Gage said club members come from a variety of backgrounds and many of them have grandchildren currently attending an Allen ISD school. While they get some perks from being part of the club, members have also made an impact on the district through volunteering, she said.

“Word of mouth has proven that the Silver Eagles’ volunteer support has made a huge difference in our school district,” she said.

One volunteer opportunity is helping students with reading comprehension at different elementary schools, she said. Club members will work with students ranging from kindergarten to second grade on reading comprehension for 30 minutes a week as part of an initiative called Study Buddies.

“We need to start tracking some data on this because our kids are performing way above where they were because we’ve sat and read to them and with them,” Gage said.

Some Silver Eagle members were also present on the district’s Project Kids Citizen Bonds Committee, which recommended multiple district projects for two bond proposals passed by voters in 2024.

Projects included renovations at multiple schools, such as Anderson Early Childhood School and Curtis Middle School.

Get involved

Residents who qualify can register for the program through Allen ISD’s website. Membership includes a Silver Eagles membership card that grants access to most Allen athletic events held at home, excluding varsity football games.

Members will also get a personalized Silver Eagles name badge to wear at events and activities. Members have flexibility in determining how they want to be involved in the program, Crowson said.

“People get themselves involved in whatever way they see fit,” she said. “Some of them strictly utilize the free pass to athletic events. Other ones have dived in 100% full throttle and they are doing everything.”

To learn more, visit www.allenisd.org/o/aisd/page/silver-eagles.