Dear friend: Forest Elementary School pen pals connect generations

For nearly a decade, a special friendship has been growing between Forest Elementary School students and a group of neighbors just down the road.

Each year, Forest students are paired with residents of Broadway Court, a Robbinsdale community for adults 55 and older, through an intergenerational pen pal program. The program resumes in October of this year, connecting students and volunteers through handwritten letters, special traditions and an end-of-year gathering.

The pen pals will exchange letters monthly for most of the school year, with topics often centered around seasons and holidays. Forest teacher Kara Johnson and the school's lead volunteer, Linda Hrobak, coordinate the program.

Mindy Potvin, volunteer coordinator for Robbinsdale Area Schools (Rdale), who helps with the Broadway Court pen pal program, said letter writing has become a social event for the volunteers. They gather in the building's event space to write together, often sharing treats and enjoying each other's company.

“It's not just about writing letters,” she said. “It's about the friendships that grow from them and the joy everyone gets from being connected.”

The program has also developed some beloved traditions. In January, volunteers make fleece scarves for their student pen pals. In April, they write their letters on puzzles for students to assemble. And in May, students and volunteers finally meet in person, with each student receiving a book from their pen pal.

According to Potvin, residents even raise money for school supplies and gifts through bake sales. At the end of the year, Johnson assembles each student's letters into a keepsake to take home.

While the program gives students an authentic way to practice writing and communication, its impact reaches far beyond academics. Students and volunteers share stories, learn about one another and form friendships across generations.

The letter exchange and its traditions will continue this school year, giving another group of Forest students and Broadway Court residents the chance to build connections across generations. After 10 years of letters and friendships, it might be hard to say who benefits more, and, as Potvin put it, “that's part of what makes the tradition so special.”

Photo note: Photos included with this story are from last year’s pen pal program and end-of-year gathering.