With a focus on cultivating trust and gratitude, and instilling a sense of responsibility, students at the Lewin G. Joel Elementary School celebrated a special Friendsgiving event on Nov. 26.

The event featured the 4th grade students working with the kindergarten and pre-k classes to partake in tasks that taught the younger students about gratitude. The students read stories together and took part in crafts activities.

“We want to develop positive relationships between the younger kids and the older kids,” said Kristen Yahwak a 4th-grade teacher at the school.

The idea for the day came from Yahwak, who was previously a 4th grade teacher at the Pierson School in Clinton. Yahwak said that at the Pierson school, which housed only the district’s 4th and 5th graders, she felt the setup sometimes isolated the kids from their peers.

“I worked at the Pierson School for 14 years and for me I thought something was missing since we never saw the younger kids, we were just kind of in our own spot,” said Yahwak.

There were similar events at Pierson designed to introduce kids to other students with whom they may not normally interact, but Yahwak wanted to expand on that concept.

The Pierson School closed at the end of the 2018-’19 school year, and the 4th grade class was moved to Joel School while the 5th graders were sent to the Eliot School. For Yahwak, that provided a new opportunity.

“I wanted to seize the opportunity of the age range, I strongly feel that our 4th graders have to be role models to the younger kids,” said Yahwak.

During the Friendsgiving event, the older kids helped the young ones with activities like cutting, reading, and spelling, and Yahwak said that the experience was a positive one for all involved. “Our 4th graders honestly loved every moment of being with the younger kids and they are eager to do it again,” said Yahwak. “It was really nice to see so much enthusiasm and support from everyone.”

While the event was intended to be fun for all involved, the point of the day was not just to have fun.

“The goal was for the 4th graders to act as mentors for the younger students and support them with literacy skills. Furthermore, it is an example of how the younger students will know that the older students at Joel are available for them as trusted kids just as they have trusted adults,” said Superintendent of Schools Maryann O’Donnell. “Ideally, this will also instill a sense of responsibility in our 4th graders as well. There are plans to continue these mentor partnerships throughout the year.”

Yahwak said that future plans for the two grades include possibly starting a “book buddy” partnership between the students and other events that allow the older students to feel empowered and the younger students feel successful.