Lamplighter Extra - Connecting Across the Generations
This photo is one of several taken on the Dock campus during his morning walks by Dock Woods resident Ron Ludwig, who would later send them to his Dock Pen Pal, Jacob Monastero ('21), as his answer to the prompt, "What is beautiful to you?" More of Ron's fantastic photos appear below.
A class project connecting Dock seniors with seniors citizens at neighboring Dock Woods Community leads to meaningful experiences, growth and wisdom for both groups.
Some of the handwritten cards and letters exchanged between Dock students and their Pen Pals at Dock Woods.
about the family living pen pal project
Inspired by stories of other Pen Pal projects that surfaced during the pandemic in Spring 2020, seniors in Mr. Bower’s fall 2020 Family Living course started their own Pen Pal project with residents from Living Branches next door. The project began with students and residents exchanging introductory letters as a way to begin their correspondence.
For two months, letters, some email and some handwritten, were exchanged between Pen Pals. By the end of the two months, Pen Pals engaged in a synchronous final project interview using Zoom or Facetime.
After the Pen Pal project was completed one student wrote:
“This exchange with my pen pal has been a great experience. She is just like my grandmother to me. The best thing about the second interview that we had is that we actually ended up Facetiming, so we could see each other face to face instead of just hearing each other’s voices.”
Photo credit: Ron Ludwig, Dock Woods resident and Pen Pal of Jacob Monastero ('21).
Abby Lanning interview
Elyssa Bochnowicz interview
Student feedback to the Pen Pal project
Photo credit: Ron Ludwig