A full-circle journey
Some of Marleigh Schmidt’s childhood memories are the days and hours she spent with the grandmas and grandpas, as the children endearingly referred to them then, at the Hesston Intergenerational Child Care Center on the Schowalter Villa campus, where she attended preschool and pre-K.
“I remember every day after school going home and telling my grandma about the things I did that day with the grandmas and grandpas,” said Schmidt. “We would do arts and crafts, play together or eat ice cream. Those are good memories.”
The unique feature of a child care center on a life plan community campus has given 20 years of children special and memorable experiences with intergenerational relationships, and may be the spark that launched Schmidt’s full-circle story with Bluestem Communities.
Fast forward from the days of childhood, Schmidt, now a student at Newton High School, found herself back at Bluestem Communities, this time as a Life Enrichment volunteer, and still finding the same delight she gained from interacting with residents more than a decade earlier.
Schmidt’s return to Bluestem Communities was through her grandma, Lisa Rowley, who began working part-time in Kidron Bethel Village’s Life Enrichment department in fall of 2024. Rowley saw other young people working with residents and thought it might be an opportunity for Schmidt as well. Before long, Schmidt was again doing arts and crafts, playing games and eating ice cream with residents.
After a few months of working in Life Enrichment, an open position in Dining Services caught Schmidt’s eye, and in May 2025 she began working as a server in addition to her Life Enrichment position.
“I love it here,” said Schmidt. “I’m a people person – I love talking to them and hearing their stories. I also love the atmosphere of Bluestem Communities and the expectation of treating each person with respect.”
As if roles in two departments weren’t enough to keep a high school student busy, Schmidt soon noticed classmates from school working as CNAs at Kidron Bethel, which gave her new ideas and aspirations. She enrolled in CNA classes offered jointly between Newton High School and Hutchinson Community College. In late December 2025, she passed her state certification exam, and plans to eventually pursue a CNA role at Kidron Bethel Village as well.
Schmidt will graduate from high school in May, then plans to enroll in the two-year physical therapy program through Hutchinson Community College while also continuing to work at Kidron Bethel Village.
“It’s been so amazing to see Marleigh’s journey unfold over the last year at Kidron Bethel Village,” said Rowley. “I don’t think CNA was on her road map before working here, but being here has revealed to her so many career options and opportunities. Now she is able to come to work and directly apply the things she’s learning in her classes at school. It’s really helped her begin to plan a future and gain practical experience.”