{"id":364,"date":"2026-05-20T10:39:55","date_gmt":"2026-05-20T10:39:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hawaiimovinginsider.com\/?p=364"},"modified":"2026-05-20T10:39:55","modified_gmt":"2026-05-20T10:39:55","slug":"i-cherish-it-student-senior-pen-pals-unite-after-months-of-writing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hawaiimovinginsider.com\/?p=364","title":{"rendered":"\u2018I cherish it\u2019: Student, senior pen pals unite after months of writing"},"content":{"rendered":"
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ALIAMANU (HawaiiNewsNow) – After corresponding by email for more than four months, several Aliamanu Middle School students and their kupuna pen pals met face-to-face for the first time Tuesday.<\/p>\n

Read more EMS responds to possible carbon monoxide exposure in Waipio<\/a><\/p>\n

The school held a luncheon for its inaugural group of pen pals through the city\u2019s Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) Pen Pal Project.<\/p>\n

In January, seventh and eighth grade English Language Learner (ELL) students started exchanging emails with senior volunteers. <\/p>\n

During Tuesday\u2019s lunch, participants tried to guess the identities of their pen pals using clues from their letters.<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

For some kupuna, the experience gave them a new perspective. <\/p>\n

\u201cThis program has really connected the generation gap. From the children, we learn so much,\u201d said senior volunteer Carol Tashima. \u201cI learned what Minecraft was. I didn\u2019t know that was a computer game.\u201d<\/p>\n

Read more Jo Koy announces Hawaii tour dates<\/a><\/p>\n

City officials said the Pen Pal Project was created in part to reduce social isolation among older adults, and encourage communication, empathy, and cultural understanding among students.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think to be able to be with, or be a friend of, a child at this age, to me is kind of special,\u201d said senior volunteer Hazel Sumile. \u201cAt this age, they are becoming themselves. They\u2019re really expressing who they are, what they want to do with their lives.\u201d<\/p>\n

RSVP has been partnering with schools on the Pen Pal Project for the past six years.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is, I think, one of the best journeys of my life,\u201d Tashima said. \u201cAs a grandparent, working with children is the most important thing, so with this program, I cherish it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Read more \u2018We saw the vision\u2019: Le Jardin wins first boys volleyball state title<\/a><\/p>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Aliamanu Middle School held a luncheon for its inaugural group of pen pals through the city\u2019s Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) Pen Pal Project.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":363,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-364","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\n\u2018I cherish it\u2019: Student, senior pen pals unite after months of writing - Hawaii Moving Insider<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/hawaiimovinginsider.com\/?p=364\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"\u2018I cherish it\u2019: Student, senior pen pals unite after months of writing - 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