The Pen PALS Organization intends on continuing its purpose of mentoring students in the Columbus area. Credit: Lantern File Photo
Children who claim they don’t like school are enthusiastic about writing back to their Ohio State pen pal, and the executive board of Pen PALS at Ohio State said it is rewarding to see the excitement.
Pen PALS is a service organization that matches Ohio State students with third through sixth graders in the Columbus City School District to write letters biweekly throughout the year, according to the Pen PALS website.
West Mound Elementary is one of the schools involved with the Ohio State Pen PALS program. Mary Dye, special education teacher and the primary Pen PALS contact at West Mound, said students are excited to read their latest letters from Ohio State and feel motivated to write back.
“For some students, it is the writing they are the most motivated to do,” Dye said.
Anya Parsons, a third-year in studio art and technology and the marketing chair for Pen PALS, said the organization has strengthened the community and created a journal committee to ensure every student gets a letter. She said the organization has expanded to reach more students since the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We have about 315 OSU students involved in the program this year. And we have a total of about 530 kids from our schools this year,” Parsons said.
Kayla Hudson, a fourth-year in medical laboratory science and president of the eBoard for Pen PALS, said it takes 15 minutes every other week to write a letter.
When the letters arrive, the room is very quiet while every student reads theirs and then the conversations begin, Dye said.
Dye said the students enjoy learning about similarities and differences in each other’s free time activities, favorite foods and candies, best subjects in school, sports, music and books. Sharing stories and pictures about pets is always a big hit, Dye said.
According to the Pen PALS website, Ohio State students can sign up online to be part of the program. The first round of applications is currently closed, but people can apply to join the waitlist.
Evelyn Kretzler, a third-year in strategic communications and social media director of PenPALS, said the organization can make a difference in an elementary school student’s life.
“To be a resource, mentor and friend to students who might otherwise not have that in their lives,” Kretzler said.
Dye said her dream is to have an Ohio State mentor who is a former West Mound student exchange letters with a current student.
Dye said the organization used to do in-person work with the elementary school students, and she’s excited for them to start again.
“We can’t wait to resume the in-person field trips in the spring, so they can meet their mentors which is always what the students look forward to the most,” Dye said.
There is an active waitlist to join the Pen PALS organization at Ohio State.
