Hi, I am Sharon Davis, a third grade teacher intern in Mississippi in the United States.  My third graders would love to communicate with your students!  They are about to begin a unit on Africa and would love to share about cultures.  Please contact me at sed138msu@epals.com.  Sharon

We seem to have very similar students-great interest in other countries, small city, low-income, in need of motivation to write.  We would love to correspond witih your class through email and/or snail mail.  However, if you have already found a class, we would greatly appreciate it if you would forward this message to another class in your area or surrounding cities in Ghana or Togo. 

cmas8011@epals.com

Miss C.

Park Elementary, 6th Grade

We, too, are in urgent need of pen pals.  My students, like yours, come from impoverished neighborhoods but have great enthusiasm for learning, especially about other cultures.  They are mostly African-Americans and multi-racial students between the ages of 11-14. 

My students visit a computer lab daily and would be able to write at least once per week.  If your class have not connected with another class, we would be honored to begin corresponding as soon as next week.  If not, would you please pass on my email and/or this message to anyone in your area or any part of Africa that you know is interested in pen pals.

cmas8011@epals.com

Miss C.

Park Elementary, 6th Grade

Hello Elizabeth,

I was wondering if you've chosen a class yet to correspond with.  My students very much want to connect with a class, and are particulary interested in the Ghana area since our counselor spent her summer volunteering at Hohoe Christian Orphanage this summer and has discussed much of what she discovered while there.  It is one thing to hear about it second-hand, but I think it would have far more impact on their understanding of cultural differences AND similarities if they could communicate first-hand with students.

Please let me know if you would consider my class to correspond with, I think it would be an awesome experience for my students and yours.

Thank you,

Julie Taylor

Global Studies

Cooper Elementary

Clayton, NC

Hello,

I'm an American after school group leader at a school in the Bronx, New York.  This is my first penpal activity that  I have ever done, but some of my students are familiar with the penpal acttvity and are very excited.  The students are looking for penpals to communicate with and to share ideas with.  My students have access to the internet, but not often. I'd also like to write weekly or every two weeks. We can start ASAP.  My students are excited to see how people in other countries live and what their climate and weather are like. I hope to hear from you soon so we can start this exciting and interesting project.

Latoya

I am brand new to ePals, but was very excited to read your post (if you still need pals) because I teach a class of 24 students that are 11-12 years old.  Our class is an elective class, Cultural Diversity.  The first coutry we studied this year was Ghana, so my students would be very exicted to correspond with your students (if you are still interested). 

My school is located close to the Toledo, Ohio area and only a handful of my students have traveled outside of the US.  Please let me know if you are still interested and in need of pals. 

Anita

Elizabeth,

Hi.  I am interested in communicating with your students.  I have a class of mostly 11 year old students that would very much like to meet some penpals from Africa.  Most of my students are inner city students, mostly African-American kids who would very much like to do a little research into their African roots.  My ePals email address is

ldoyle@epals.com

I look foward to hearing from you and getting something set up!

Lisa Doyle

Hi Elizabeth,

I am also looking for a short exchange once a week or two. I have 26, 6th graders (ages 11-12). They are a great group of students who are passionate, creative and caring. I would love for them to do all the things you mentioned and get started as soon as possible. Please let me know if you are interested and how you would like to proceed. Oh, I'm from the United States in Golden, Colorado. We are right up against the beautiful Rocky Mountains and have deer, elk and buffalo roaming all around our school. It truly is a sight to see. Hope this works out.

Shandra Blosser

Hi Elizabeth,

I teach a third grade (ages 8-9) class of 22 in Connecticut. We currently have a partnership with a school in Belize, Central America, but I would be very interested in partnering with some of your students as well. (I am actually quite interested in Ghana and may try to travel there this summer, although it's not looking very likely at the moment). My class has a website that you can check out where we could share photos, artwork, etc. I have a page about epals, so perhaps your class could learn about Belize at the same time. Let me know what you think.

Jonah

I would love to work out a way for your students and mine, ages 11-12 to communicate. Please contact me at kenanstead@epals.com  to get started. I have 22 students that would love this experience!

Ken

Hello,

    My classroom would be VERY interested in corresponding with your classroom. We are located in the USA (New York State right outside the City of Buffalo). If you are still interested you can contact me at twiew@epals.com . Looking forward to hearing from you!

                                                                                                                                                                   Best Wishes,

                                                                                                                                                                   Terri Wiewiorski

Dear Elizabeth,

I am very interested in connecting with your class.  We are desperately seeking students to ePal with as soon as possible.  I have been looking at The Way We Are project because I think it is a very good way to begin emailing with some structure so students can get used to communicating with penpals in a set format. 

I have 5 classes of 5th graders (ranging in age from 10 to 12) located in North Carolina that are looking to connect with a class in another country.  I do not know how many students you have in your program, but if I could even get just one of my 5th grade classes going it would be awesome.

I hope to hear from you and think that this would be an awesome opportunity for both us.

Sincerely,

Julie Taylor

Global Studies Teacher

Cooper Elementary

Clayton, NC

Hello,

I'm an American teacher working at a school library in Ghana, West Africa. I'd love to do a penpal activity (our end would probably be structured as a "club") with my students, who are very interested in other countries but need some motivation when it comes to writing. I think that this would be an ideal way to get them into it, and to have quite a bit of fun as well. I doubt that any of them have ever been outside of Ghana (except maybe to Togo) but we're very exposed to international media, books, the internet, etc. We're situated in a small city in a rural province and most of the students come from relatively impoverished (at least by American standards) backgrounds-- but our situation fits neither the "safari" stereotype nor the "starvation-and-civil-war" stereotype of Africa. Ghana is a very peaceful "developing" country with a long tradition of leadership on the continent of Africa and the students are understandably proud of their country and its achievements. We can promise you an interesting correspondence with enthusiastic participants.

I'd like to write weekly or every two weeks, email is probably the most feasible option since our mail is quite slow. I'd have to send all of our emails together because the students don't have access to the internet. It'd be great to do at least one snail-mail exchange with pictures, artwork, stories, etc. It'd be great to start ASAP and write until the end of May or beginning of June.

Thanks! If interested you can contact me through this website and then we can exchange our school or personal email addresses.

Elizabeth