Alumna leads ‘Recycled TeenAgers’ in more than dancing

Years ago, Valeri White wasn’t even sure what it even meant to be a social worker, but now she’s using her expertise in the field to change the lives of senior citizens in her community.

“To me, a social worker is really just a broker of resources,” said Valeri White, a 2005 graduate of Auburn University’s Social Work program. “We help people through life transitions, finding resources that allow them to be as independent as they can at any age.”

As the director of Senior Programs at the Opelika SportsPlex in Opelika, Alabama, White plans an extensive lineup of activities for senior citizens that range from painting classes and card games to grief support groups and European travel excursions. Having coined the name “Recycled TeenAgers” for the SportsPlex’s seniors, she helps lead them in their most public-facing activity: performing dance routines at halftime during Auburn Athletics events.

White didn’t know when she created the Recycled TeenAgers name that it would be so wildly popular, both with the members who wear branded tees in public and with the people they meet on their travels.

“I did a lot of research online when I was first hired at the SportsPlex, and I learned senior citizens don’t like to be called seniors or elders or anything like the ‘Old Age Club,’” White said. “And once you get to know them, you realize that name really fits, because they are like teenagers when they come into class, just talking to each other and making the most of it. We have shirts that say. ‘I’m not a senior; I’m a Recycled TeenAger,’ and people all over the world have tried to buy them off of us because they love them so much.”

A start in patient care, hospice

White’s interest in working with seniors began when she was a hospice volunteer coordinator at East Alabama Medical Center (EAMC). She helped to arrange a weekend in New York City for a patient with a terminal illness, and the joy that patient experienced made a real impact on her.

“That showed me how important a single day is and to make every day count,” she said. “I think that’s what carries over to my job now; every day they come to the SportsPlex could be the last day they’re going to be there. So, I welcome them and try to take time to talk to them, and I really think that comes from my hospice background, because my mentor, Nancy Penaskovic, taught me to care for others ‘gently, without judgment.’”

When EAMC offered to pay for her to attend Auburn, she turned down the opportunity to major in nursing. Instead, she heard about a program called “social work” and asked what it meant.

“They told me, ‘We think social work is just taking care of people,’ and I thought, ‘Well, I can do that,’” White recalled.

After finishing her degree, she began working at an assisted living facility and retirement community owned by EAMC and found she loved reinvigorating the community by introducing shuffleboard tournaments, card games and resident-led exercise classes. She realized her talents lie in identifying existing resources to solve almost any problem.

“The part that intrigued me the most was finding a resource that could fill a missing puzzle piece for them,” she said. “You just have to get a snapshot of what’s going on for them — whether it’s being lonely or grieving or not having enough money for medications or food — and then find a local resource that can make life a little easier. Social work was just a natural fit for me to be able to take care of people.”

Busy times at the SportsPlex

White has been at the Opelika SportsPlex since 2009, steadily increasing the activities and resources available for the Recycled TeenAgers. She sends birthday and anniversary cards to each member and cares for families when a loved one passes. She stays in close touch with Auburn’s social work faculty members, and each semester, she supervises as many as six interns who learn from her expertise in senior social work.

“I love being able to teach people,” she said. “The longer you’re in the social work field, the more resources you have and the better you become. I like the opportunity to share with the students how to build that portfolio and find the same kinds of resources when they move to another town.”

While day-to-day operations of the SportsPlex’s Adult Activity Center keep her busy, her duties leading group travel are one of her biggest responsibilities. In 2024 alone, White took senior citizens on three big trips: one to Nova Scotia, another to Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, and European tour with stops in Amsterdam, Germany and France. This year’s trips will include Egypt, California, Ireland, Alaska and “Christmas in London.”

White has had her share of emergencies on trips over the years, and even if she doesn’t speak the local language, her social work background always comes in handy. When travelers fall ill during group travel, White works with their families to get them healthy and get them home.

“Any time you take someone to a foreign country, it’s challenging,” she said. “Their insurance is Medicare, so it doesn’t work there, and there’s no ADA compliance, so I’m constantly like, ‘Watch out for the curb, use the handrail!’ But they really don’t want to live in fear, they still want to experience things as long as they can, and watching how proud they are of themselves that they made it through the airport and did all these things makes it worthwhile.”  

While international travel is exciting, the Recycled TeenAgers’ halftime performances might be the group’s favorite experiences. White, a former tumbling and trampoline coach for Opelika Parks & Recreation, started teaching line dancing to members on Zoom during the COVID-19 pandemic, and from there, interest grew. This past fall, the group performed a zombie-themed dance to “Thriller” at an Auburn women’s soccer game, and it’s doing a “Blues Brothers” number at two women’s basketball games this winter.

At each game, their bus pulls up to the venue and the Recycled TeenAgers disembark in costume; they receive high-fives from cheering crowds as they make their way through security to their own special seating area. For a population that’s been out of the spotlight for a while, and especially for those struggling with the loss of a loved one, the experience can feel like being the star of the show at the Super Bowl. And it’s not just special for the members; White says it’s been life-changing for her as well.

“At the two-minute mark, we come out of the bleachers and get lined up, and you can just feel their adrenaline and nerves and excitement,” White said. “Then, when the music starts, it’s thrilling, because they are out there showing the world that age is just a number; you can still learn and do fun things at any age. And even if they make a mistake, it’s still perfect to me.”