This weekly letter exchange program promotes literacy development while giving WSU students a chance to become civically engaged.  WSU students are recruited to participate in the program to be correspondents and tutors. Correspondents write a new letter each week to an assigned 1st grader. Tutors are placed in a participating teacher’s classroom once a week to help the 1st graders read and write their letters.  The objective of the letter exchange program is for young learners to practice proper writing, reading, grammar, and penmanship. During the course of the semester, friendships develop through the letter writing.

 

Each semester, the CCE has openings for about 50 to 60 students to be a correspondent. Any WSU students interested in participating in Pen Friends must sign for an orientation on SLPro within the first couple weeks of each new semester. This is a popular program and slots fill up fast.

 

The Pen Friends program has partnered with Pullman School District for many years. Now in collaboration with the America Reads program, 1st grades from Colton and Colfax are now participating in the Pen Friends program.