Staff Writer
PRESQUE ISLE – Though many of them can write their name, pre-kindergartners who attend the SAD 1 Preschool needed a little help recently writing letters to jolly, old Saint Nick. Thanks to the efforts of sixth-graders at Presque Isle Middle School, Santa will be receiving another batch of letters shortly.
For the fourth consecutive year, sixth-graders have helped the youngsters pen letters to Santa.
“It’s a good experience for both our students and the pre-K children,” said PIMS teacher Elaine Hendrickson. “It gives our students a chance to interact with younger students, and an opportunity to do a ‘public service’ project by writing letters for the children.”
In both the morning and afternoon sessions, each pre-kindergartner was paired up with one or two sixth-graders who helped scribe the letters.
Once written, the letters were placed in individual envelopes and mailed to the North Pole. Students who finished up early read stories to their newfound friends.
“In the letter that they had to write to Santa, they had to set it up in friendly-letter format, so we talked about that the day before,” said Hendrickson. “They had to have the date, the greeting, the letter had to have two paragraphs – one that had at least three items the children wanted from Santa, and the second paragraph included whether the little one had been good or bad and what they were leaving for Santa to eat – they had to have a closing, and they had the little ones sign it.
“It’s kind of a hands-on, real-life experience for the kids to use writing in a practical way,” she said.
Sixth-grade teacher Kevin Malenfant said in addition to helping the children write letters to Santa, his students also made a gift for the pre-kindergartners.
“We’ve been working on making origami picture frames to give to the little ones as a sign of friendship and good will,” said Malenfant, noting that the picture frames also serve as ornaments. “It was a way for the sixth-graders to have a sense of ownership with the project.
“My students were excited about the gift giving to the children. They put a lot of time and effort into the picture frames, which were made in math class,” he said. “Being sixth-graders in a sixth-, seventh-, and eighth-grade school gives our students the opportunity to be a role model; not the low man on the totem pole. It gives them the chance to be a leader, and it helps give them a perspective of where they came from and where they are now.”
Sixth-graders Jessica Baldwin and Austin Thibeau said it was fun working with the children.
“It’s really rewarding to see how happy they are when they’re done [with their letters],” said Baldwin. “One boy wanted a Bakugan, and a girl wanted a big, blue ball. They’re all very excited about Christmas.”
“I don’t have younger brothers or sisters, so it was fun working with the little kids,” Thibeau said. “One boy wants Legos and a teddy bear for his little brother, and the girl from the morning session wanted a TV, a movie and a Barbie. It’s been really fun.”
Pre-kindergarten teacher Enola Boyce said her students were very excited to have the sixth-graders come over and work with them.
“The little ones like having the ‘big kids’ come over and interact with them and have that one-on-one contact,” she said. “Some of the sixth-graders are former Pre-K students here so that was neat to see. I got a lot of hugs.
“Even though this is our fourth year doing the letters to Santa, it never gets old,” said Boyce. “Seeing the smiles on their faces never gets old. The big kids have as much fun as the little ones.”
Boyce offered a similar letter-writing project when both she and Hendrickson taught school together in Washburn.
Sixth-graders in Hendrickson’s, Malenfant’s and Peggy Kelley’s classes took part in the project.
Staff photo/Scott Mitchell Johnson
PEGGY KELLEY, a sixth-grade teacher at Presque Isle Middle School, receives some assistance from Kendall Robbins, a pre-kindergartner at the SAD 1 Preschool, in reading “Twas the Night Before Christmas” following a letter-writing project last Thursday at the preschool.
Staff photo/Scott Mitchell Johnson
CHEYENNE JUDKINS, left, and Jamie Walsh, sixth-graders at Presque Isle Middle School, help Anthony Fonbueno, a pre-kindergartner at the SAD 1 Preschool, write a letter to Santa. This was the fourth year the sixth-graders have penned letters for the pre-K children.
Staff photo/Scott Mitchell Johnson
TRISHA VALIQUETTE, left, Ezra Leach and Julia Potter enjoyed each other’s company last Thursday while writing letters to Santa. For the fourth consecutive year, sixth-graders at Presque Isle Middle School have helped the pre-kindergartners who attend the SAD 1 Preschool write letters to jolly, old Saint Nick.
Staff photo/Scott Mitchell Johnson
BAILEY PLUMMER, left, and Emma Everett take a break from writing a letter to Santa to smile for a photo.
Staff photo/Scott Mitchell Johnson
FOR THE FOURTH CONSECUTIVE YEAR, sixth-graders at Presque Isle Middle School wrote letters to Santa on behalf of pre-kindergartners who attend the SAD 1 Preschool. Participating in the project last Thursday were, from left: Alexis Bell, Maddie Jackson and Frances Mendieta.
Staff photo/Scott Mitchell Johnson
DANA BURNS, left, Devin Cray and Matthew Butler work together on writing a letter to Santa Claus. Last Thursday, Presque Isle Middle School sixth-graders visited the pre-kindergartners who attend the SAD 1 Preschool and helped them convey to Santa what they want for Christmas this year.
Staff photo/Scott Mitchell Johnson
PRESQUE ISLE MIDDLE SCHOOL SIXTH-GRADERS helped pre-kindergartners who attend the SAD 1 Preschool write letters to Santa last Thursday. Working on a letter are, from left: Sheyenne Brewer, Kaylee Collins and Mackayla Burbee. This was the fourth consecutive year that sixth-graders have helped the youngsters pen letters to Santa.
