GU education majors spread the love through hand-made Valentines

Published: February 14, 2024

Author: Dave Bell

A Greenville University class project called “Pen Pals Across the U.S.” recently allowed education majors to connect with special education students across the nation in the spirit of Valentine’s Day.

Using the holiday to share sentiments of love and friendship, 28 GU students in an Exceptional Child class (pictured below) created and sent Valentine’s Day cards to more than 100 special education students at a dozen schools in several states. Those schools were selected by the class instructor, Crystal Foles, because she had contacts with teachers there through an education association.

“The intention is to create a personal and connection-driven approach to support reading and writing skills for special education students,” said Foles, director of teacher education at GU. “By fostering these pen pal connections, our students contribute to a supportive and inclusive learning environment that transcends geographical boundaries.

“We’re hoping that this project creates friendships that embody the spirit of Valentine’s Day in a truly impactful way,” Foles added, noting that several card recipients already have responded to participating GU students. “We’re hopeful that the correspondence goes beyond a one-time Valentine’s Day exchange and continues throughout the semester.”

With the successful launch of the pen pal program, Foles challenged all education majors to help with phase two of the Valentine’s Day project. In that phase (pictured below), students created and delivered thank-you cards to about 150 teachers in the Greenville, Pocahontas, and Highland schools.

“We work with teachers in those districts to provide field experience and student teaching opportunities for our education majors,” Foles said. “We’ve been blessed by the way those teachers have contributed to the growth and development of our students, and we wanted to send the hand-made cards and treats to show our appreciation.”