On Friday, May 2 the Worcester State Student-Athlete Mentors hosted a Field Day on Coughlin Field with the fourth grade of the Elm Park Elementary School.

The mentors, who had been writing pen pal letters since the end of February, also had the opportunity to meet and the person on the other side of the exchange. There were approximately 50 mentors in attendance and there were roughly 55 elementary school students who attended the event.

“This experience that the other teachers and I are observing, the kids are having a great time,” said classroom teacher Lea Ann Spokis. “They are interacting with each other, interacting with the college students and they are very happy.”

Spokis also had nothing but positive things to say about the pen pal letter exchange, which her students looked forward to over the course of the winter into the spring.

“It was a great writing lesson,” said Spokis. “The students enjoyed getting the letters back and then writing the letters to their pen pals. They were very excited to meet them after several months of writing.”

Assistant to the Director for Academic Support, Kelly Downs, who helped coordinate the event as the Worcester State liaison, thought that the student-athletes were building a strong community relationship with the Elm Park elementary school students.

"It was great to see how our student-athletes could have a positive influence on the Elm Park students," said Downs. "As much as the elementary students enjoyed writing the letters, our student-athletes could not wait to get their letters back monthly. We cannot wait to continue the connection year after year."

The fourth grade was split between two groups, one which did a set of relays on the track while the other group played kickball on the turf before switching sides. After nearly an hour of running around on the inside of Coughlin Field, the afternoon was finished off with ice cream sandwiches on the bleachers.

“It was great to see all the kids participating,” said senior Dane Jobst, a forward on men’s basketball team. “It was very beneficial for the student-athletes because they really enjoyed seeing all of these kids having fun. And for the kids, they got to hang out with older, younger adults that are role models.

“Every day these kids probably see their parents, younger or older brothers or sisters and I think it was great for them to see a different face, someone else that they were connected to for a couple of months. It was fun to finally put meet them in person.”

Junior Brittany Hodgerney, who is a sprinter on the women’s track and field team, echoed the same sentiments as Jobst. She also enjoyed interacting with the fourth graders of the Elm Park school.

“We played a lot of fun games with the relays and a game of kickball,” said Hodgerney. “My little guy was the All-Star making three straight outs. He was a really fast runner and he liked football.”

Hodgerney spoke very highly of the program itself as she liked her involvement with both the field day and the letter exchange.

“We should definitely do it again next year,” said Hodgerney. “It was a great experience. There was a smile on every face and the student-athletes from every team participated. The kids really enjoyed it to, just as much as the college students.”

After posing for a final cell phone photos and both groups said their goodbyes, it was revealed to the mentors that the next letter from their chosen fourth grader would be their last as new students would be taking their place next year.

Even as the student-athletes read their private letter silently or out loud to a teammate, they soon realized that eventually the fourth graders were to become fifth graders and they could continue to make a similar impact, with a different group next year.

In the final letter from Pedro to Jobst, he wrote: “Thank you for an awesome evening, First I thought you were going to be weird, but when I got to know you, you turned out to be the best one there! Team No Homework!”

Jobst responded with a two page note where he answered a couple of questions from the previous exchange before closing with:

“So I guess this is goodbye, for now. It was a pleasure to be your pen pal. I know you will do great things in the future, just remember that school is the best thing for everyone. I hope you go to college and become very successful with your job. Have fun with your summer and enjoy your youth. And be sure to always do your homework, even if you are on ‘No Team Homework.”

Photo Above: Student-Athlete Mentors Pose As A Group After Field Day

Photo Middle 1: Sophomore Jackie Connors And The Women's Lacrosse Team Urge On The Fourth Graders During The Crab Walk Relay

Photo Middle 2: Fourth Graders Enjoy A Game Of Kickball on The Turf With The Student-Athlete Mentors

Photo Bottom: Student-Athlete Mentors And Fourth Graders Pose On The Bleachers At Coughlin Field To Meet With Their Pen Pals One Last Time Before Saying Goodbye

First Exchange - Jackie Lawlor (Women's Lacrosse)

First Exchange - Nick Maxner (Football)

Second Exchange - Jackie Lawlor (Women's Lacrosse)

Second Exchange - Nick Maxner (Football)

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