By Molly Burke and Sydney Fairbanks / Jambar Contributors
Taking classes at Youngstown State University is just a small part of Livia Laudermilt’s path to becoming an educator.
An integrated language arts major, she aims to get work experience outside the classroom.
“I’m going to be a teacher. Working with students is something I’ve always wanted to do,” Laudermilt said.
That’s why she spends hours each semester writing to local elementary school students in the Sokolov Honors College’s Dr. Rashid Abdu Pen Pals Program.
“We partner with local schools and we encourage literacy skills, as well as fostering relationships with the YSU students and local elementary students,” Laudermilt said. “Our YSU students write biweekly to the local schools.”
Laudermilt joined the program her freshman year. Now a junior, she leads the program as the pen pal coordinator. Journals are passed between YSU students and the elementary students twice a month.
“When they write to the students, they just say, ‘What’s going on in your week?’ [and] ‘What’s your favorite color?’” Laudermilt said.
Abdu, a retired surgeon, started the program in 2012 when he was tutoring at Harding Elementary School in Warren. Abdu learned of a pen pal program at Ohio State University and was inspired to open one at YSU.
“I thought by connecting the two, the honors students would become an inspiration and role models for those little kids and would hopefully give them a different perspective on life, on learning and even some hope,” Abdu said.
In collaboration with Honors College Dean Amy Cossentino, the program began with 40 fourth graders at Harding.
Today, it has about 300 students in second through fifth grade across Harding, Prospect Elementary School in Girard and E.J. Blott Elementary School in Liberty. About 160 honors students have each been assigned up to four pen pals.
“The teachers — they were reporting that students’ spelling was better, they were reading better, their absenteeism was lowered and they would get so excited when they would get to hear from their pen pals,” Cossentio said.
Abdu said having a pen pal is especially important for low-income students who need someone to encourage them.
“I was reading a journal, and this little girl wrote to her honors girl and said ‘When I grow up I want to become a surgeon,’” Abdu said. “Her contact with this honors student inspired her to have visions of what she could become. The honors student told her ‘Yes, you can,’ and that’s what all those kids need.”
Senior math major Natalie Dando has also been in the program since her freshman year. She served as the pen pal coordinator for two years.
“Every year, I’ve had two pen pals, and I really like connecting with my students,” Dando said. “Some of the years, I’ve had students who are really into math and they tell me they want to go into college for math.”
For Dando and many honors students, being a pen pal means much more than logging volunteer hours.
“It is one of my favorite volunteer opportunities,” Dando said. “Many YSU students say it’s a really nice study break, it’s the highlight of their week sometimes. Little kids — you never know what they’re going to write. So, it’s always very amusing building that bond.”
The program doesn’t currently offer opportunities for the elementary school students to meet their pen pals in person, but last year, the program put on a day of fun for the elementary school students at OH WOW! The Roger & Gloria Jones Children’s Center for Science and Technology.
As an honors student employee, Laudermilt was able to attend and meet one of her pen pals.
“He really didn’t know who I was, but I got to see him interact with everyone,” Laudermilt said. “It just made total sense of everything that he was saying in his journal kind of carried over to his actual life.”
Laudermilt hopes the program eventually incorporates opportunities for all the pen pals to meet face to face.
Honors students interested in joining the program can email Laudermilt at [email protected].