Feb 15, 2017 3 min read

Hannah Migyanko, a Trinity High School sophomore, took a look around at her friends one day and noticed that they were all in their own world, listening to music through earbuds.

An idea she had been working on began to take shape.

Hannah, 15, was searching for a way to help senior citizens. She visited a senior living facility, where she noticed that a lot of the residents didn’t get many visitors.

“I think it’s a really good thing to help the people who helped us. (Elderly people) raised us and taught us so much, and a lot of times, people forget about them,” she said.

Hannah didn’t just want to donate money. She wanted to come up with a way to make people feel better. So, she did a little internet research and discovered that listening to music can increase dopamine and serotonin levels in the brain. The chemicals are responsible for feelings of love and companionship, and regulate mood and memory.

According to a study published by “World Journal of Psychiatry,” music-based activities can reduce psychological disturbances related to neurological disorders. Listening to music can lead to a reduction in depression and anxiety, and improvement of emotional expression, communication and interpersonal skills, self-esteem and quality of life.

“If you ask people how they cope with stress, they say music,” Hannah said.

Thinking of those friends listening to their favorite music, Hannah formed Songs for Seniors, a nonprofit that accepts donations of gently used iPods and other MP3 players, and money and gift cards to Walmart and iTunes.

The money will be used to purchase batteries, earbuds and chargers.

“My goal is to get enough raised to give every senior citizen access to a wide range of music,” she said.

Hannah plans to identify seniors who could benefit from listening to music, and download their favorite songs to the device.

So far, she has collected enough from family members to purchase five new iPods, and she almost has enough to purchase five more.

With the help of teacher Elizabeth Husk, she placed three donation boxes at Trinity High School and one at JK Musician’s Workshop, Washington, where she takes piano lessons.

Her mother, Lynn, said Hannah has always tried to help others.

“Hannah has a big heart for the underdog,” she said. “She always wants to help somebody.”

Hannah’s piano instructor, Karen Jardine, supports the idea, because, as she said, music is soothing.

“Listen to that,” Jardine said as a student strummed the guitar. “That makes everyone feel better.”

To donate to Songs for Seniors, visit www.giveforward.com and type “Hannah Migyanko” in the search.