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Schools

Sayville Students Enjoy a Special Pen Pal Program

Elementary students and nursing home residents form unique relationships.

Every other Monday morning at Sayville's Cherry Avenue elementary school, the Student Council Members have been teaming up with the residents of Good Samaritan Nursing Home on Elm Street to become pen pals. The ten- and eleven-year-old students have been writing to the seventy-five to one hundred-year-old residents in hopes of learning about their childhood lives and to share with them a little bit about what it is like to grow up in 2013.

“The students were overjoyed to read the residents’ mail!” exclaimed Ms. Jeanette Anderson, one of the three teachers acting as student council advisors. Adding their comments were fifth-graders Liam Cummings and Thomas Schilling: “Pen pal Benny grew up in the 40s and enjoyed handball as much as we do!”  While fourth graders Taylor Banks and Shelby Cooke appreciated their pen pal Jeanette’s advice, “Go to college and be kind to all!”

Ms. Anderson, along with co-advisors Ms. Fee and Ms. Metzler, launched this activity to help students reach out to the Sayville community and develop a true sense of service. Resident Recreation Director, Christine Schomber, who collaborated with the teachers, shared in the joy of this successful community outreach project.

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The Good Samaritan Nursing Home and Cherry’s Student Council are now creating artwork to exchange with each other. The students are making watercolor paintings of their favorite places in Sayville, while the elderly residents are making paintings at their weekly art class. One thing is for sure, the students and residents are certainly looking forward to meeting this Spring.

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