Fifth-Graders and Soldiers Bond Through Pen Pal Program
Fifth-grade students at Grace Episcopal Day School in Kensington, Maryland, have been exchanging letters with U.S. Army Reserve soldiers stationed in Kuwait through a pen pal program. The students and soldiers have formed strong connections, sharing hobbies and experiences, and will meet in person on May 9, 2025.
The program began in September 2024, with students practicing letter formatting and editing drafts. Each student was matched with a soldier volunteer based on personality and shared interests. The soldiers sent special patches featuring the U.S. flag and 'GEDS' to the students. The pen pal program also served as a geography lesson, teaching students about Kuwait's hyper-arid desert climate. Mail took two to three weeks to arrive in Kuwait and longer to arrive in the United States. None of the letters were individually sealed in envelopes for safety reasons, and all letters were read by fifth-grade teacher Rachel Martinez and Rev. Anna Broadbent, an Episcopal chaplain in the U.S. Army Reserve, before sending.
The soldiers involved in the pen pal program are expected to return to the United States within a week and will meet the students in person on May 9, 2025. The program has fostered a unique bond between the students and soldiers, providing a real-world connection to the military and a cultural exchange with another country.
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