Before the advent of Facebook and e-mail, letters were exchanged through snail mail between American students and their pen pals in Sweden, France and Australia.
There was something special about having a friend who took the time to write a letter.
The tradition continues in the Marysv
ille School District with a twist. Students write back and forth in the same town. The ELL pen pal program aims to help English Language Learners read and write.
In 2004, Staci Tuck, who teaches at the Marysville School District, said she had a middle of the night epiphany.
The former Spanish teacher, who lives in Snohomish, said she realized in her dreams that she could help children from other countries learn English, and about life in the U.S.A.
Tuck put bones to the program and presented her idea to a Friends of the Marysville Library. Would they consider becoming pen pals with a student who needed practice reading and writing?
“Everyone in the room signed up,” Tuck said. “I took a big leap of faith.”
She paired 15 students with adult pen pals. Now there are 60 students at six schools writing to 37 adults. She has help from members of the Sno-Isle School Retiree’s Association Unit 22.
“There’s a city councilwoman,” Tuck said. “It’s growing by leaps and bounds.”
Pen pal Brenda Leider, president of the retirees, was a reading specialist at Hawthorne Elementary School when she retired.
“Those of us who participated were on the whole pleased with the relationship we had with our pen pals,” Leider said. “I wish I had thought of doing this program when I was teaching.”
The National Retired Teachers’ Association, a sub-division of AARP, recognized the retired teachers for “outstanding service to youth” through the pen pal program by giving the group a “With Our Youth” award.
In the program, Leider said retired teachers made posters with pictures to introduce themselves. They shared likes, dislikes, favorites and family news with their pen-pal.
“The teachers shared how excited the students were when they got a letter,” Leider said. “Many had never received mail prior to this, nor had they written letters.”
In the Marysville District, Tuck said, they have more than 750 students who qualify for English Language Learner services. Those students speak 32 languages including Russian, Spanish, Turkish and Thai.
As part of the program, the pals read the same books.
Tuck’s husband, Aaron Tuck, is a pen pal. A student named Emily wrote to Aaron Tuck and mentioned she was excited that she was going to Guatemala for a visit. Emily asked Aaron Tuck if he thought the book was silly.
Alma also is a pen pal with Aaron Tuck.
“At school, I am writing poems,” Alma wrote. “The poems are cool and good.”
When adult pals go on trips, they often send postcards to their young friends, Staci Tuck said. Some have lunch together. One took their pal and classmates to the movies.
In May of each year, the gang gets together to meet one another and party.
“It’s been phenomenal,” Tuck said. “I never dreamed it would happen like this.”
She said her husband received a letter from one of his pals, asking the age of his wife.
“That’s OK,” the pal wrote. “Just tell me the year she was born and I’ll figure it out.”
Kristi O’Harran: 425-339-3451, oharran@heraldnet.com.
How to be a pen pal volunteer
Pen pal volunteers are needed in the Marysville School District.
For more information, contact Staci Tuck by e-mail at Staci_tuck@msvl.k12.wa.us or call 360-653-0887.
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