Pen Pal program in Randolph County aims to help increase literacy rates

ELKINS, W.Va. (WBOY) — Some may think writing a pen a paper letter and sending it through the mail is old-fashioned, but for students at Randolph County Schools, the Pen Pal program has proven to help students improve their reading and writing skills.

According to the National Assessment of Educational Progress ’ latest Nation’s Report Card of 2022, West Virginia was one of the states with the lowest percentage of students reading at grade level , with only 30% of students reading at grade level.

On Friday, at the Phil Gainer Center, the county hosted the last day of its Pen Pal Picnic, where students got to finally meet the pen pal they had been exchanging letters with all school year long. The picnic has been held over four days with around 1,500 students and 200 staff with different partner schools attending.

Students got to play games, play on inflatables, and even go through interactive tables set up by the Clay Center.

This is the second year for the Pen Pal picnic and program started by Randolph County literacy specialist, Cindy Bodkin. For the program, each teacher is paired with another teacher in the same grade at a different school, and students are partnered up with someone on a similar reading and writing level.

Teachers told 12 News they have seen a significant improvement in students thanks to the program.

“In first grade, at the beginning of the year, our Pen Pal program kind of looks more like a drawing with maybe a sentence or a few words, you know, with it,” said Brittany McCray, a first grade North Elementary teacher paired with Jodi Burke’s first grade class in Midland Elementary School. “And by the end of the year, they’re able to write whole paragraphs and it’s—we’ve changed how we do it a little bit, so now they’re like writing back and forth to each other and answering questions and really like getting to know each other and learning you know, about how you form friendly letters.”

Students were very excited to get the opportunity to finally meet their pen pals and get to know them outside of the page.

“We’ve been writing to our pen pals all year long and the chance to finally see them is really cool,” said Aurora “Rory” High, a third grader from North Elementary School.

“Really for me, it’s important about meeting new people who I’ve never met before,” said Addison Smyton, a fourth grade North Elementary student.

Although there are no current plans for the Pen Pal program next year, many teachers are hoping it continues.

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