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 School of Education Hosts Penpal Days on March 23 and 30FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Over 300 Teacher Candidates to Host Public School Penpals for Day of Letter Exchange, Crafts, and Fun Thursday, March 22, 2007, Peterborough On Friday, March 23 and Friday, March 30 over 300 students from Trent University will meet and entertain their penpals from Curve Lake First Nation School, and Keith Wightman, Otonabee Valley, and Roger Neilson Public Schools with a full-day of activity and learning. Students from Curve Lake Nation School will be on campus on Friday, March 23 from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. in the Great Hall at Champlain College. Students from Keith Wightman, Otonabee Valley, and Roger Neilson Public Schools will be hosted in the gymnasium in Trent’s Athletics Complex on Friday, March 30 from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. On both days, students will have the opportunity to exchange letters and read with their penpals, make a special craft, and enjoy a special performance by ventriloquist and Trent alumnus Tim Holland of Foolesque. The events being held on March 23 and March 30, in which over 300 students in grades one through three will participate, are the third and final penpal days for the 2006/2007 academic year. A significant part of the Penpal program at Trent, penpal day provides younger students with a chance to meet and learn from their university-aged counterparts, and to see Trent University. From these experiences many of them get their first idea that they might attend university one day. In total approximately 650 penpals participated in the program this year, sending letters to each other once a month. The letters are used specifically to teach literacy in the classroom, such as spelling, sentence structure, grammar, and letter writing skills. As important is the relationship that is formed between the penpals, showing the power of writing in meaningful real-life activities. -30- Media are invited and encouraged to attend this event. |
