Students, retirement community residents spend year as pen pals

Ridgefield — Ellen Ferrin, a first-grade teacher at Union Ridge Elementary School, wanted her students to get some writing and reading experience, so she set up pen pal relationships between her students and residents at the Mirabella Retirement Community in Portland. The two sides exchanged letters throughout the year, and before the summer, Ferrin set up a visit from the Mirabella residents, which coincided with the release of the students’ 13-page autobiographies. The students spent three months writing and illustrating their books. The two sides also exchanged gifts during their meeting, with the Mirabella residents giving students copies of their favorite books.