That’s a Wrap! Annual Pen Pal and Traveling Bears Programs Conclude

Recently, two of Hixson’s most beloved annual community service efforts with our Partner in Education school, St. Francis de Sales, concluded for the year:

• Pen Pals. For the 2024-2025 school year, 24 Hixson associates paired up with students from the school’s second-grade class and wrote letters to each other throughout the year.  The program provides a critical way for students to work on reading and penmanship outside of usual assignments, and also gives students something to look forward to as letters usually arrive with candy treats, coloring sheets and other fun goodies. In May, Hixson’s volunteers celebrated with their students at a pizza party!
• Travelling Bears. Through this program, the school’s first-grade students are given a special bear that they name at the beginning of the school year. The bears then “go” on journeys both near and far and write back (with help from Hixson associates) on postcards to their students throughout the school year from the places they visit. At the end of the school year, bears were reunited with their owners and students were given a special commemorative booklet to help them remember their bear’s journey!