This year, over 1,000 students from 17 countries participated in the Global Poetry Contest! We were thrilled to receive poems with a variety of styles and themes from countries like Croatia, Japan, Jordan, Colombia, France, and more. While a wide range of communities were represented, incredibly over half of participants came from Pakistan! Thanks to the strong participation of the Beaconhouse School System, students from around the world were treated to hundreds of thoughtful and varied poems from their Pakistani PenPals. Considering the strength of the Pakistani group, it's no surprise tha ..read more

In celebration of Earth Day (April 22), PenPal Schools is excited to announce our newest topic, Oceans. Sign Up: Oceans ​This new topic, created in partnership with National Geographic, connects students ages 8 through 18 to learn about the important role that oceans play in the lives of all living things, including humans. Students learn about people and organizations that are working to protect oceans, and create original projects to bring awareness to ocean-related issues. ​ Happy Earth Day ..read more

Last week, 6,966 students from 52 countries connected on PenPal Schools. Here are some of our favorite posts! "In my opinion diversity is important. Diversity is the reason people are able to learn and grow from each other. It is very important for all people to experience and learn about the lives of others from different ethnic backgrounds, sexual orientations, and origins. Not only is it important to learn about others, but using the information we learn and implementing it into our everyday lives by forming new and different perspectives and seeing where people are coming from with their ..read more

“How can I adapt my lesson plan to support distance learning?” “How can I build relationships with students who I have never met in person?” “How can my school support online learning with limited access to technology?” “How can students collaborate with their peers from a distance?” These are questions teachers all over the world are asking. That’s why PenPal Schools is excited to announce our fall webinar series, Collaboration. Join us to hear from our community of brilliant educators to learn how they are stepping up to the challenge to deliver great instruction during these uncertain tim ..read more

"All educators have the civic responsibility to learn and teach the basic history and tenets of this movement for racial justice." - Jamilah Pitt To the PenPal Schools community, PenPal Schools stands with the Black community in fighting for equality today while we continue our work to foster empathy and tolerance in tomorrow’s leaders. The deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and countless others are not the result of a few “bad apples.” They are the product of a system based on a history of racism and injustice. Below are resources that help to provide children and teens w ..read more

We created our Collaboration in the Time of Coronavirus webinar series to highlight ways that our brilliant Global Ambassadors are not just adapting to the pandemic, but providing engaging opportunities for students to participate in global conversations.  With episodes including “Cross-Curricular Online Projects,” “An Alternative to Student Travel,” and “Digital Tools for Online Projects,” our Global Ambassadors shared project ideas, examples of student work, and tips for online learning.  You can find all the recordings from our webinar series here. We hope our ambassad ..read more

On March 21st, more than 1,000 students from over 30 countries celebrated World Poetry Day in the PenPal Schools Global Poetry Contest. Students wrote and shared original poetry, then voted for their favorite poems written by their peers!  ​Students poets came from countries like Somalia, Thailand, Argentina, and the United States. No matter where students live, poetry allows them to share their thoughts and perspectives with the world. In the Global Poetry Contest, students wrote poetry about history, the environment, sports, pets, and beloved family members. Their poems expressed emot ..read more

PENPAL SCHOOLS IS OFFERING FREE ACCESS DURING ​THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC As of mid March 2020, the COVID-19 coronavirus has kept almost 300 million students out of school around the world. In response to school closures, PenPal School is offering free access for the duration of the pandemic so that learners everywhere can access high-quality online learning materials while maintaining the social interaction necessary for their continued development. Please don’t wait until your school is closed. Planning ahead is crucial for an efficient transition to online learning. Teachers: ​Sign Up ..read more

As of early March 2020, the COVID-19 coronavirus has kept almost 300 million students out of school around the world. Many schools are planning for the impact of coronavirus by moving instruction online or suspending in-person instruction.  The PenPal Schools team is here to support with free access to PenPal Schools for any teachers and students affected by coronavirus. If your school is affected by the coronavirus,  mention that you would like assistance next time you join a PenPal topic. Featured Topics for March 2020 This month, we feature two topics that help support students ..read more

When Mr. Knight wants to engage his students in academics, he looks for activities that offer student choice and opportunities to engage with an authentic audience. ​ Since joining the PenPal Schools community in 2018, Mr. Knight, a Grade 5 teacher from Canada,  and his students have studied mythology from communities around the world, discussed environmental issues, and learned how art can inspire action and bring communities together.  This month, we’re excited to highlight two of Mr. Knight’s students as PenPal Stars for their outstanding work in the Protecting the Planet t ..read more