FOCUS
ON: Writing Partners
 View video (Windows Media Player)
 View video (QuickTime)
Introduction: The Community Engagement Center’s Writing Partners Program allows Sacramento State students to form pen-pal relationships with elementary school students in the community. The letter correspondence encourages elementary students to see themselves as college-bound, while providing the opportunity for college students to engage themselves within the community.
Video: (Narrator:) This is “Focus” from the campus of Sacramento State.
(Cathy Gabor, professor, Sacramento State:) “Does anybody want a little silver glitter?”
(Jim Finnerty, reporting:) It may sound and look like an “art” class at Sacramento State, but this is really a freshman English class with a very special purpose.
(Gabor:) “I teach writing partners in an effort to foster mentor-like relationships through literacy.”
(Finnerty:) “Writing Partners” is an ongoing university program where first year students interact with elementary school youngsters through a series of letter exchanges.
(Antonio Arellano, freshman, Sacramento State:) “It’s very fun because you write to kids you know and it’s interesting to see how they interact with you through the letters.”
(Gabor:) “Remember that we’re always striving to answer the questions that our writing partners ask us.“
(Finnerty:) The program gives college students a chance to take a leadership role and encourages elementary students to consider higher education.
(Finnerty:) At Florin Elementary, Melinda Draeger’s sixth grade class puts pencil to paper sharing life experiences.
(Melinda Draeger, teacher, Florin Elementary School:) “They get to interact with the students. They get to view their writing as actually written to an audience.”
(Finnerty:) And they share letters from their college correspondents.
(Florin Elementary School student:) “I used to be nervous dancing in front of people, but I’m not anymore…”
(Florin Elementary School student:) “My Hobbies are cheerleading, tumbling, shopping and just doing anything...”
(Florin Elementary School student:) “I like doing math because I like working with numbers...”
(Florin Elementary School student:) “Thank you for your sympathy about losing my father…”
(Draeger:) “They write about their lives. They write about what’s happening at school. They write about the things that they enjoy. It’s a process that makes everyone believe in themselves at the same time that they’re gaining the skills that will make them succeed and achieve their goals.”
(Finnerty:) This is Jim Finnerty Reporting.
(Narrator:) For more information on this and other news from Sacramento State, visit our website.
|
