January 04, 2018 | Badgers Give Back, Varsity Magazine
Badgers buddy up with fourth grade pen pals for the semester
MADISON, Wis. — Everybody needs a friend and there is no friend quite like a Badger.
This fall, 44 student-athletes from ten different Wisconsin athletics teams came together to be pen pals with a group of fourth graders from nearby Randall Elementary.
The pen pals wrote back and forth in a shared journal each week about their families, friends and interests. They asked questions, shared stories and developed genuine relationships with each other through their correspondence.
"Badger pen pals has by far been one of the most fun activities I've done over the years," says Baylee Wellhausen, a senior on the women's hockey team.
"Being able to connect with children through writing not only reminds them of the importance of conversing in ways other than through a cell phone, but it also gives us the ability to learn about them on a much more personal level … They never fail to put a smile on my face."
At the beginning of the semester, the Badgers met their buddy for the first time and spent an afternoon decorating their notebooks with stickers, glitter and anything else they could paste to the front and back covers.
As the weeks went on and the notebook traveled back and forth, the student-athletes also visited Randall frequently, dropping in for recess, library time and creative writing.
The impact of these written messages and new friendships did not go unnoticed, especially by Randall's teachers.
"Badger pen pals was the highlight of our semester," added Deb Rumpf, a fourth-grade teacher at Randall. "My students were eager to get letters from their Badger buddies and couldn't wait to meet them in person. It has been an amazing experience to partner with the UW athletics students and staff."
The pen pals ended the semester by attending a UW women's basketball game together. The Randall buddies' families also attended, so they could meet the student-athletes who have served as both role models and friends to their children this past semester.
The pen pal program will continue into the spring.
For more information, visit www.uwbadgers.com/badgersgiveback.
