Have you ever had a penpal? What about a penpal across the world? Well, students participating in the L'Amitié Internationale club (International Friendship) do!

 

The club was started by Grimsley Junior Shalyce Watson-Carrington. Watson-Carrington is a member of the IB program at Grimsley, and one of the requirements for the program is leading a CAS project, or Creativity, Activity and Service project.

 

 “I started hearing CAS project ideas through my peers, and I like the idea of starting a club and incorporating my love for France and the French culture and language,” she said.  

 

However, starting the club was not an easy process. Watson-Carrington searched the internet for schools in the same cities in France she thought would participate with her. She wrote dozens of long emails to the schools, and a handful answered. 

 

“Reaching out to the schools has been the most difficult part,” she said. “Communicating has been difficult due to the time difference and language barrier.”

 

The club is more than just a school project. It's helping students learn more about French culture and connecting with other students across the ocean! “You're not just looking at one school's perspective, but gaining more knowledge of French culture as a whole,” Watson-Carrington said. Club sponsor Madame Johnston-Kerns, a French teacher at Grimsley, agrees with her.

 

 “The fact is that young people corresponding across the world is so motivational,” Mme JJK said. “The kids will see that real people speak French and learn actual vocabulary and it's not just for school.” 

 

“I like how it's giving global connections, and giving us a chance to connect with another culture and make a new friend I normally wouldn't connect with,” Club member Kennedy Goree said. 

 

The club meets every Monday and Wednesday. Right now, the students are working on their first letter to send to their pen pal. As for the future of the club, Watson-Carrington hopes it will continue even after her project is over. 

 

“Letters are a lost art. I have all the letters from my past pen pals. They mean so much to me,” Mme JJK said. “I love letter writing and hope the students can learn to love it as much as I do.”