CI Connect LLP Students Mentor Texas Fourth Graders Through Pen Pal Program

LEXINGTON, Ky. (May 16, 2016) — Freshmen students in the University of Kentucky College of Communication and Information’s CI Connect Living Learning Program participated this past semester in a pen pal program with fourth grade students at Joe Wright Elementary in Jacksonville, Texas.

The program mutually benefited both groups. The CI Connect students played a mentor role to their pen pals, and the fourth graders had the opportunity to learn about college from a UK student.

“Ideally, I see our students reaching out and playing a mentor role for students that are less advantaged, less privileged, that may have no one in their immediate support group that have any connection with college,” CI Connect Director Alan DeSantis said.

In addition, the freshmen learned how they can positively affect those around them.

“What I’m hoping is this gives the CI Connect students a perspective to think about how they are influencing people, not just here on campus, but also outside of this context,” DeSantis said. “I think college students have a lot more influence and impact than what they give themselves credit for.”

The fourth grade students also benefited from the CI Connect students' firsthand knowledge.

“I think it is a great way for students to get some information,” Laura Essary, fourth grade teacher, said. “They can hear from real students and not just from a brochure.” 

“Telling these students about college and how it's a good idea to study and do all their homework is really how we are influencing these students,” CI Connect LLP student Jillian Jones said. “We haven't met face-to-face or Skyped with these students, so the only influence we have on them is what we write to them. Opening a letter written from someone (900 miles away even) is a great feeling because it's very personal and intimate.”

As a “No Excuses University” school, Joe Wright Elementary focuses on encouraging students to learn about college through various programs. To make students aware of different colleges and universities across the country, each classroom “adopts” a college and learns about it. Essary’s class chose to learn about UK.

In researching and contacting various faculty and staff at UK, Essary was put in touch with CI’s Communication Director Catherine Hayden. Formerly an advisor to the student authors of the University of Kentucky K Book, Hayden assisted with coordination of a pen pal program between that group of college students and a class of third graders in Illinois. After its success, she suggested a similar program for Joe Wright Elementary and the CI Connect LLP.  

Both Essary and DeSantis hope the pen pal program helped the fourth grade students realize that college is an achievable dream.

“These fourth grade students will be able to have at least one person in their support group, their social network, that has gone to college, that is encouraging them to go to college and answering any questions they may have about higher education that they may not have received before,” DeSantis said.

“I think the program was successful if it can spark excitement about college in even just one of my students,” Essary said.

DeSantis also hopes this program imparted a spirit of service to his students.

“I’d like my students to develop a greater sense of compassion for people, to feel connected to other people,” DeSantis said. “There’s something about giving to others that I think changes us.”

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MEDIA CONTACT: Whitney Harder, 859-323-2396, whitney.harder@uky.edu