Making a Connection with Younger Generations

Local elementary schools are taking advantage of seniors in the classroom through a pen pal program to help third and fourth graders with their reading and writing.

For some Hamilton elementary school students, connecting with their elders is also a connection to improve reading and writing skills.  Local schools are partnering up with the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP), a non-profit program connecting seniors with classrooms where they can make a difference in students’ lives. Part of the program is the growing Pen Pal Project, which matches seniors with third and fourth graders. Volunteers exchange letters with a student once a month for the school year, which culminates in a pen pal party where the students and seniors meet each other. “For the students, this is a writing lesson where they can work on their communication skills, paragraph formation, and gain experience with mailing …

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Patch Whiz Kid

The Peanut Butter Pyramid

Students collected 350 containers of peanut butter for the food pantry.

Each week, Menomonee Falls Patch and Sussex Patch will seek suggestions from readers for individual kids, youth groups, teens, and even sports teams that wow us with their accomplishments. We want to hear about these amazing children and teens, and select one each week as the Patch Whiz Kid. Submit your nomination in our comment box below or e-mail the information to Editor Mark Maley. Who: The Marcy Leadership Group: Madison Adams, Halle Steiner, Isabela Costa, Taylor Laboy, Mathieu Ackaouy, Jared Wesline, Noah Kristensen and Kinnan Lassiter. Schools: Marcy Elementary School Accomplishments: The students collected 350 containers of peanut butter to donate to the food pantry, where the donation will provide nutrition to local families in …

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Pen Pals Take Part in Project with a Purpose

Hamilton seniors pair up with third-grade students to promote reading and writing.

“I’m educating my third-grade pen pal Kyle for the 21st century, so he can be as cool as me some day,” joked Hamilton High School senior Alex Crane. Alex was one of nearly 100 students from Hamilton and Maple Avenue Elementary School who created connections with each other over the last six weeks of the school year by being pen pals. “When I told them about the project they (Hamilton students) were so excited to have a third-grader to write to. Many of them grew up in Sussex and even went to Maple Avenue, which made it even more special,” said Hamilton communication arts teacher Rachel Hermann. The high school seniors and third-graders exchanged six letters each. They wrote about things like what they did over spring break, what they want …

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