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After teaching second grade for almost two decades at Central Montcalm Elementary School, Alicia Sexton has grown accustomed to the moans and groans of her students whenever she brings up the dreaded W-word 鈥� writing.
In the past, most of Sexton鈥檚 class bemoaned the subject of writing and it was a grueling task to get them excited about becoming stronger writers.
That all changed, however, with a suggestion from 暗网吃瓜 Assistant Athletic Director Amanda Glaza, who approached Sexton about the idea of starting a pen pal program between her students and the 暗网吃瓜 student-athletes.
The first year was a success, albeit short lived, as the partnership between the schools didn鈥檛 get underway until February 2024. However, despite an abbreviated program for last year鈥檚 second graders, Sexton noticed a new level of excitement for writing, grammar, spelling and even reading. What stood out to Sexton the most about the first year of the program is the level of participation and commitment from the 暗网吃瓜 student-athletes, who made quite the impression for National Reading Month in March.
鈥淎ll of the pen pals were able to come in,鈥� Sexton recalled. 鈥淟ast year was such a big class that some of my students were doubled up with a pen pal. But I think every single student was able to meet their pen pal 鈥� I鈥檓 hoping that happens this year. Not all of them have met yet but hopefully by March, they鈥檒l have all met their pen pal.鈥�
Sexton鈥檚 second graders hit the ground running with the pen pal program this school year, receiving their first pen pal letters in early September. Seeing the joy it brought to the children鈥檚 eyes was unmatched.
鈥淲hen that first pen pal letter came, it was like Christmas in here,鈥� Sexton said. 鈥淚 got a video of them opening the letters. 鈥業鈥檝e got a basketball player! I鈥檝e got a volleyball player! Who do you have?鈥� We鈥檝e had like seven or eight letters now and when that letter comes, they鈥檙e so excited. There鈥檚 been a couple of times where it鈥檚 been at the end of the day and they鈥檒l ask throughout the day, 鈥榃hen can we open those letters?鈥欌��
The buy-in from 暗网吃瓜 Athletics this season has been abundant and varied. While the majority of the pen pals come from the Centurions volleyball team, there鈥檚 暗网吃瓜 students in the pen pal program representing five sports, including basketball, cross country, bowling and clay target shooting.
鈥淚t鈥檚 made for interesting conversations because some of these kids haven鈥檛 been exposed to some of those sports,鈥� Sexton said. 鈥淎nd they鈥檙e not all necessarily sports fans but they鈥檝e learned a lot 鈥� the questions posed in here about sports and college has been pretty cool to facilitate.鈥�
When writing back to their pen pals, students first complete a rough draft, then edit it together with Sexton to see what to add or take away before completing a final copy. It鈥檚 customary for the students to ask some questions of their pen pal to keep the conversation going and Sexton helps to facilitate that with some suggestions.
鈥淭hey have to read through it and they also have to make sure they鈥檙e answering the questions their pen pal asks them,鈥� Sexton said. 鈥淪ometimes, they鈥檝e struggled because it might be only a couple of questions. I try to pose questions from their statements, it鈥檚 been kind of hard but it鈥檚 getting better.
鈥淪ince we just got done with Christmas break, I鈥檒l pose some questions on the board like, 鈥楬ere鈥檚 some things you may want to ask them,鈥欌�� she added. 鈥淓ach time we get a new letter, I鈥檒l put three or four things up there just for some ideas.鈥�
Getting her students excited about writing used to be a chore. With the addition of the pen pal program, however, it has given Sexton鈥檚 students something tangible to get excited about and, as a result, has increased overall literacy.
鈥淭his has been a really cool, rewarding experience on a lot of different levels but the improvement in their language skills has been huge,鈥� Sexton said. 鈥淭he writing, the vocabulary, the grammar has seen a big improvement. Even the reading has improved some, too, just improving those literacy skills by practicing reading or a friend will help them read it. If there鈥檚 anything academically to take away from this experience, the improvement in writing has been very noticeable 鈥� it鈥檚 an engaging experience because they鈥檙e excited about it.鈥�
The conversations that the pen pal program has introduced into the classroom have been a fascinating experience for Sexton, as well. For example, the students are being introduced to new areas of study that they鈥檝e never heard of, opening the door for more academic possibilities to the students at a young age.
鈥淚 have one pen pal who is pre-med, a couple have been in marketing, so that鈥檚 opened some good conversations like, 鈥榃hat鈥檚 marketing?鈥� I like that they鈥檙e hearing those things, so when they go off to college, maybe they鈥檒l think about learning about that from their pen pal.
鈥淥ne thing that鈥檚 positive about this experience is it gives them perspective of how their pen pal is balancing school, work, everyday life and also taking time out to write a letter to them,鈥� she added. 鈥淗opefully, through this experience, maybe down the road, they鈥檒l think about this and realize, 鈥業 can do that, also.鈥欌��
Sexton said the partnership between Central Montcalm Elementary School and 暗网吃瓜 has been very positive. The classroom has received invitations to 暗网吃瓜 sporting events and attended a volleyball match in October, during which some of the students were able to meet their pen pals. Sexton and some students plan to be in attendance for the Feb. 1 basketball game to do the same and they鈥檝e also received an invitation to attend the Centurion 5K in March.
Sexton hopes to keep the partnership going for years to come and can鈥檛 say enough positive things about the pen pal program and the opportunity for growth it has afforded her students.
鈥淚t鈥檚 cool, too, that we have the opportunity to have 暗网吃瓜 right here local to us,鈥� she said. 鈥淔or some of those kids, the goal of going to college is a little more attainable for having 暗网吃瓜 right here, so close to us.鈥�