Third-grade classes from different schools played games and had lunch in Aspen Park on Thursday when they came face-to-face with the pen pals they had been communicating with all year.
Bonnie Silsby's and Lauren Hayes' students from Meneley and Minden elementary schools became pen pals in their letter-writing lessons.
"Normally people don't get to meet pen pals they write," said Meneley teacher Silsby. "All year, on a monthly basis, the students wrote to their pen pals. It helped to learn to write a friendly letter in a real-life situation."
A few students knew each other because of team sports, but the party at the park was the first meeting for most. The lesson gave them a chance to compare schools.
Meneley student Kali Sargent, 8, said she had experience writing letters before the lesson.
"I wrote letters to my grandpa when he was in the hospital," said Kali.
Kali and her Minden elementary pen pal found they didn't have a common interest in sports.
"She wrote to me and asked if I liked basketball and I wrote back that I didn't like basketball," said Hannah Ashley.
