After exchanging letters since the beginning of April, our 6th graders finally got to meet their community penpals on Tuesday, June 12. The students and guests were excited to finally meet the person they had been writing to for 9 weeks.
As the pairs shared cookies and conversation, some made plans to continue to correspond over the summer. As part of the feedback we received from both students and community members, nearly everyone said they would participate again next year! Dani Ligett, one of our penpals and a retired school counselor, shared her experience with the project in a Valley News article in May. She said, "It's been so lovely. I get so excited when the pickup days comes, I don't even wait to get home. I sit in the car and read the letter right away."
Our penpals this year were: Patty Jenks, Mark Tecca, Kari Allen, Peggy Little, Jennifer Boylston, Nora Gould, Faith Catlin, Tom Turkington, Lynne Parshall, Judy Danna, Anne Baird, Laurie Wadsworth, Susan Burke, Dani Ligett, Ronnie Lesser, Brian Rich, Jodie Rich, Cindy Valence, Sarahjane Dooley, Peter Tenney, Ghislaine Dematteo, Elise Tillinghast, Toby Summerfield, Brian Betournay, Molly Betournay, Shaun O'Keefe, Karen Keane, Tracey Saunders, Cynthia Bognolo, and Garrett Thrasher.
Thanks to all who participated in the penpal project. It was a treat to get to know so many Lyme community members through letters.
