“It is a great experience for everyone involved,” says fourth-year student Elyse Kadey about the Penpals program at Trent University in Oshawa. “It brings our school community together in a group setting and allows us to meet our peers. It also helps create a greater sense of identity for Trent students in Oshawa.”

Ms. Kadey is the senior coordinator of the Penpals program in Oshawa. Along with fellow student and junior coordinator, Tawny Weese, and faculty coordinator Dr. Rita Bode, she is matching 45 Trent in Oshawa student volunteers with students in grades one and two at Duke of Edinburgh Public School. Over the course of the school year, the two groups of students will exchange letters and will meet in person three times.

“The greatest highlight has been seeing the elementary students meet their penpals,” Ms. Kadey says. “It's very interesting seeing the level of attachment that develops throughout the year and how excited the kids get when they see their Trent penpals. “

Created by Dr. Deborah Berrill, founding director of the School of Education and Professional Learning at Trent, the Penpals program has successfully been running at Trent in Peterborough for 19 years. Last year, the program was launched on the Oshawa campus and it is quickly gaining momentum.

“The Duke teachers and principal love the program and the Trent penpals seem very enthusiastic and committed,” says Prof. Bode. “This is a student-run activity and so far the interest has been very strong.”

Citing that there are many goals of the Penpals program, Prof. Bode highlights that it aims to “complement the elementary school language arts curriculum and to foster the development of a human relationship.”

From the student volunteer perspective, the program also offers an opportunity to get involved, make friends, and gain valuable experience for future careers.

“My future goals are to become a teacher,” Ms Kadey explains. “The Penpal program will help me reach my goals by giving me the experience in planning and organization necessary for a classroom, by teaching me that things don't always go according to the plan and that you have to learn from the past experience.”

According to Ms. Weese, the experience she is gaining by being involved on the coordinator level is also important. “I’m not only gaining experience working with students, but also organizing events and setting deadlines,” she says. “This program is a great way to get involved and make a mark for our smaller campus at Trent in Oshawa. As a future teacher, I hope to implement a Penpals program with my own students one day.”

This story was featured in the November 2008 issue of Focus Trent. To read the complete issue, visit the publications website.