Students meet their senior pen pals and it’s a special day for these 3rd graders

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After months of writing back and forth, some Beaverton third graders can now say they’ve met their pen pals in person.

Third graders at West Tualatin View Elementary School recently lined up and walked down the street to Touchmark in the West Hills. The students had been exchanging hand-written letters with people in their 90s at the retirement community since January.

The Beaverton School District says the meeting was an “end of the year treat.” It was something that both the students and the seniors enjoyed.

“We never really know what they look like until now. And we never know what they sound like or any of the other attributes, like how they act or anything,” said third grader Lydia Chen.

“I only have one grandchild and one great-grandchild, and I need lots of them. So this is the opportunity to have a lot more,” 95-year-old Ethel Henry said.

Officials with the retirement community say the meeting was extra special because its residents were not allowed to interact with children for quite some time during the pandemic.

After this year’s success, the Beaverton School District says the third grade teacher is considering doing it again next year.

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