Abstract

The RSVP program director of Cumberland County, North Carolina, was looking to find a way to encourage visits to residents in local nursing homes, and thought that pairing students with elderly seniors in a pen pal program might not only lift the spirits of nursing home residents but also increase literacy among students. With the help of a corporate sponsor, RSVP volunteers, nursing home staff, and with teacher support, seniors and students alike were able to benefit from this intergenerational program. Judy Dawkins submitted this effective practice in August 2004.

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Issue

Fourth graders in North Carolina schools must pass end an end-of-year writing assessment test. Nursing home residents are oftentimes forgotten and lonely. Implementing a pen pal program seemed to be one way to solve both these problems.

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Action

According to the program director of RSVP of Cumberland County, the pen pal program began in school year 2002, and paired fourth graders (23 students) from Margaret Willis Elementary School (Fayetteville, North Carolina) with residents at Whispering Pines Nursing Home. During the 2003 school year, Long Hill Elementary School was paired with Woodland's Assisted Living and Rehabilitation Center. Effective practices for implementing this intergenerational program are as follows:

RSVP

• The program director identified local nursing homes and schools who had signed a memorandum of understanding with RSVP, requesting volunteers.
• The program director approached the principals of Margaret Willis Elementary and Long Hill Elementary Schools.
• RSVP volunteers and staff aided in planning the parties and functions for students and residents.

Teachers and Administrators

• The principal both schools selected the classes to participate in this program.
• The fourth grade teachers wrote this program into the curriculum -- with the intention of increasing literacy skills in her students.

Students and Residents

• At the start of the program, all students and residents in the pen pal program were required to fill out a form that elicited information about personal preferences (for instance, favorite color and favorite foods), as a way of gathering some background information to create a foundation for the letter writing relationship.
• Once a month the students and residents of the nursing home exchanged letters.
• During the December holidays the students sent holiday cards to the residents.
• The students and residents also exchanged pictures.
• Twice a year -- during the December holiday season and in the springtime -- the students visited the residents at the nursing home.
• Students brought their pen pals a gift -- paid for by their own money -- when they visited them at the nursing home.
• Besides visiting, students played the piano and sang songs for the residents.

Nursing Home/Assisted Living Staff

• The nursing home staff enthusiastically helped residents write their letters, if they were unable to do so by themselves.
• The nursing home staff provided desserts (iced cupcakes) and a small gift for each student when they visited.
• In addition, the nursing home provided "Santa Claus" at the December get-together.
• At the end of the school year, the nursing home staff presented the students of Long Hill Elementary School a framed picture with thumbprints of all the residents, to be placed in their school.

Special Events

• About mid-way through the program, RSVP sponsors a Valentine's Day party for the students to acknowledge their efforts. In addition, RSVP provides mugs with candy for the fourth graders.

Corporate Sponsorship

• The RSVP program solicited a corporate sponsor (Wendy's Restaurants of Cumberland County) to provide lunches for students and residents on the days they visited the nursing home. The restaurant also provided the stationary and envelopes for letter writing.

Media

• An article written by the RSVP director about the program, and published in a local paper, attracted the attention of a third school. In 2004 Armstrong Elementary will pair with Bethesda Nursing Home to engage in a similar pen pal program.
• Articles about the pen pal program were published in The Fayetteville Observer in December 2002, June 2003, November 2003, and in Prime Life Magazine, in February and August 2004.

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Context

Fayetteville is in the southeast corner of North Carolina. The community has a long, proud association with Fort Bragg and Pope Air Force Base. Several of the students have military families which means they are separated from their extended families (grandparents) and many have immediate family members who are presently serving in the military and are deployed at different times.

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Outcome

Literacy and Test Scores

• During the first year of the program, there was a slight improvement in the test results of the fourth graders who participated.
• During the second year of the pen pal program, teachers said they noticed a "slight improvement" in test results of fourth grade students who had participated in the program, as opposed to non-participating students.

Bridging the intergenerational gap between seniors and youth

• The nursing home residents and the students really seemed to enjoy each other's company. For some of the students, visiting the seniors helps provide the companionship they are missing with family members who are far away or engaged in active military service.
• The teacher at Long Hill Elementary stated, "This program impacted my students by showing them not to fear older adults and to give all they can give. We saw the tolerance of the children significantly change after meeting and enjoying time with their pen pals. Children who are normally temperamental handled themselves with grace during our visits — very unusual for some of these children."

Sustainability

• Beth Norris, the Director of the Division of Aging, North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Governor, attended the May 2003 party for students and residents at Whispering Pines Nursing Home. The RSVP program director hopes the support of the Governor's Office will be beneficial when applying for federal funding.

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Evidence

Dawn Thompson, teacher at Long Hill Elementary, asked to participate again during the upcoming school year with the same nursing home (Woodland's).

Long Hill will implement an extra aspect to the program -- students will compose a narrative writing piece sharing their experience when letters are exchanged and following visits. This will hold the students accountable for writing their stories, as well as developing their letter-writing skills.

In 2004, an additional school will participate in the pen pal program, pairing with a local nursing home.

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Posted On

September 1, 2004

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For More Information

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Related Practices

• Developing an intergenerational pen pal project
• Starting a multi-state intergenerational pen pal buddy program

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Related sites

Senior Corps

Topic Areas

• Intergenerational
• Nonprofit management
• Corporate partnerships
• Partnerships
• School-community partnerships
• Senior Corps
• Volunteer
• RSVP
• Schools
• Students
• Education
• LEARNS

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