Pen Pals ROCK!

During my fire service career, I have had many great experiences with fire prevention, and particularly with kids.  I have dressed as a clown for skits, talked with 2^nd graders on a “phone” as they practiced calling 911, and crawled on the floor under “smoke” with kindergarten classes.  The challenge is packaging the message to the appropriate level so the kids can understand what you are trying to teach them.  Otherwise, you just get the drooling lips and empty stares.  If they are too old, they know everything, and if they are too young, every question they ask starts with “One time…”

A couple of years ago, I discovered another avenue to connect with kids.  I became pen pals with a fourth grade class 1200 miles away!  Let me explain how this came to be… A college friend of mine, who I hadn't seen in 23 years, had become a language arts teacher in an Austin, Texas suburb.  She and I became re-connected on-line, and before long, the idea to pen pal with her students was developed.  As it turns out, 4^th grade is perfect for this kind of communication.  Their writing skills are just developing, and to find a “grown up” willing to write back and forth with them really lights them up.  Of course they are an easy crowd.  In one letter, I wrote “…pain in the butt”, and it was their favorite part of all my letters.  We write about all sorts of things; weather, pets, tests, sports, family, and even tell jokes and swap pictures.  I provide them with stories about what my fire department has been up to, and they ask questions… LOTS of questions!

In 2011, after sending 48 personalized Valentine’s Day treats, I decided to pay them a surprise visit.  They were completely stunned when I appeared in their doorway.  I felt like a rock star.  Their excitement and enthusiasm completely floored me.  I gave high fives, signed autographs and posed for some great photos.  Of course, fire safety was the basis of my visit, so we spent considerable time talking about fire prevention and fire department operations.  By the end of the school year, I felt like I knew these kids, and our final letters were bittersweet good-byes. 

I recently returned from visiting the 2012 edition of Mrs. McLaughlin’s fourth grade class.  Sixty-five of them this year, in three different waves!  Unfortunately, because the schedule rotation needed to be adjusted to accommodate my visit, and some of these kids have older siblings with big mouths, the jig was up, and my appearance was not a surprise to this year’s class.  It really didn’t matter, these kids still lit up when they saw me standing in their room.  We talked, we quizzed each other, we shared, and we learned.  The challenged me to think of a way firefighters use the things they are learning about in school.  Readin’, Rightin’, and Rithmetic were easy; but music, art, and social studies were a bit tougher.  I ended up spending the entire day with these kids, and enjoyed every minute of it.  How teachers do what they do every day simply amazes me.  I tip my helmet to every teacher for the exhausting work they do. 

This week, I will e-mail them about the snowstorm here in Pennsylvania, and they will brag about it being 75 degrees in Texas. I am trying to figure out how to get a snowball delivered to them, hmmmm?   Meanwhile, I am told I have a surprise coming in the mail for me this week.  Could it be related to me writing my birthday on their activity calendar while they were doing afternoon activity stations?  I hope so.  That would make my day, as would baked goods (hint hint)!

Thank you, kids, and Mrs. McLaughlin for your wonderful letters, pictures, and most importantly, your time. I look forward to more stories and letters as the school year moves forward.