By Melissa Gloudeman
Great Lakes Higher Education Corp. & Aff.
A popular pen pal program that paired students at Gompers Elementary and Black Hawk Middle schools with employees at Great Lakes Higher Education Corporation & Affiliates engaged nearly 350 participants this year.
Students in Grades 3‒6 were matched with Great Lakes employees in the fall. They corresponded every other week in notebooks that were traded back and forth. As the pen pals learned about each other’s interests, families and future plans, they developed a bond.
“The pen pal program gave students an authentic audience to write to and communicate with,” said Gompers Principal Jackie Smith. “Kids feel important when they connect with someone one-on-one, and they worked hard to respond to questions. They couldn’t wait to see what their pen pals wrote back.”
“The pen pal program engaged our students in reading and writing and helped build relationships with our community partners,” said Black Hawk Interim Principal Jamie Sims. “This, in return, supported our social and emotional learning work at Black Hawk.”
Gompers and Black Hawk students first had the opportunity to connect with a Great Lakes pen pal in the spring of 2015. During the 2017-2018 academic year, 174 Great Lakes employees volunteered for the program. Many have participated more than once. Pen pals are matched each year to provide the chance to meet someone new.
“Our employees care deeply about the well-being of Northside students,” said Stephanie Hayden, employee giving manager at Great Lakes. “The pen pal program is an easy way to get involved in something worthwhile because employees participate during work hours.”
Anticipation built with each notebook exchange as spring approached. The more the pen pals got to know each other in writing, the more eager they were to meet in person.
This year’s pen pals will meet in May. Busloads of Great Lakes employees will travel to the joint campus of Gompers and Black Hawk for a special year-end celebration. Together they’ll enjoy ice cream, crafts and playground games.
“The celebration is a fun way to wrap up the year, for the young and the young-at-heart,” Hayden said.
To learn how your organization can become an Adopt-a-School partner and start a pen pal program, visit the Foundation for Madison’s Public Schools at fmps.org/adopt-a-school.