K-grams pairs elementary school students with 700 college pen pals

Mitchell Elementary School teacher Donna Davison said her students are excited to go to class today because one of their first activities will be opening letters from University students.

Davison's class participates in the K-grams pen pal program, which pairs up more than 700 University students in nine residence halls with students at six Ann Arbor elementary schools.

K-grams, sponsored by the campus Circle K community service organization, is in its first semester and has been an immediate success, said Engineering sophomore Neha Shah, who serves as the program's elementary school director.

"It's been a lot better than we expected. There's a lot of enthusiasm," Shah said. "It's been amazing the feedback that we've gotten."

The program's director and founder Rishi Moudgil, a Business junior, said the program - like its name K-grams, which combines Circle K and "kid-grams" - bridges gaps between the kids and University students.

"We wanted a way of expanding the relationship between the two groups," Moudgil said.

LSA junior Lee Ann Benkert, who has a pen pal through the program, agreed.

"The whole mission is about bringing people together - not only the kids to students but also between University students," Benkert said. "We're like their role models without even knowing it."

Davison said her third- and fourth-grade students are excited to write to and receive letters from older students at the University.

"The initial response was overwhelming," Davison said. "They were thrilled to have the opportunity to write to college students."

Ann Arbor resident David Robb said his daughter Kayleigh, a student in Davison's class, enjoys being a part of K-grams.

"She looks so forward to getting letters from her pen pal. She thinks it's fabulous," Robb said.

"The directors have done a fabulous job," he added. "I doubt any parents will say anything negative about it. I hope it will catch on at other universities."

Kayleigh Robb said she is happy to be learning about college and telling her pen pal about herself.

"I like all the letters she sends me and I like to write to her. It's really fun," she said.

Kayleigh's pen pal, LSA first-year student Catherine Docherty, said K-grams offers her a chance to help a younger student.

"It's rewarding for me, being interested in English, because I remember being that age and having problems with writing," Docherty said. "It's giving back to the community."

Moudgil said K-grams is a growing program with many different objectives.

"Another big goal of ours is to encourage the writing aspect. The teachers have said the kids want to write now," said Moudgil, who added that K-grams involves aspects other than letter writing.

"Outside of just the pen pal program, we go into the schools and do

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