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WARREN -- A group of 85 students from Warren's Jefferson PK-8 school who have been writing letters to staff members at St. Joseph Warren Hospital through the school year met their pen pals Wednesday.
While at the Eastland Avenue SE hospital, students saw the arrival of a medical helicopter and were given a close-up view of how emergency medical teams prepare and respond to critical situations. Flight nurses were there to answer questions as students curiously toured the helicopter.
They also went by the hospital's Healing Garden, where staff, patients and family often go to find peace during demanding days.
The fourth-grade students were greeted with warm smiles and enthusiasm from their pen pals, some of whom were nurses, doctors and other hospital personnel as they arrived.
Hospital President Charlotte Gardiner said the program has been going on for about 14 years.
"It's about the connection," Gardiner said. "Connection with these young boys and girls. It's about giving back and helping them understand what we do and the possibilities that might be for them."
"They're young enough to where they know they like math, they like science and like to solve problems, well guess what, they may make a good nurse, doctor or technician," she said.
The students focus on different topics in their letters to their pen pals that, Gardiner said, usually revolve around themes of leadership, friendship, love, family and the importance of reading.
This year there was a waiting list among staff to participate.
An employee who got to participate was Robin Carpenter, 50, of Youngstown, who has been with Mercy Health since 2003. Mercy Health operates the hospital.
She said she has been writing Preston, her pen pal, since September. Preston, she said, has ambitions to be an engineer.
Carpenter said she jumped at the opportunity to work with the children, seeing it as a means to give back.
"One of the highlights is finally getting to meet them. It's a chance to give them a different perspective from somebody else's life that they may not have the ability to do, so this gives us a chance for us all to get out of our bubble," she said.
A highlight for many of the children was the Simulation Laboratory, where Michael Kerr, emergency medical technician, walked the students through the state-of-the-art technology that uses realistic medical manikins and cutting-edge technology to train health care professionals.
In the build up to Wednesday, Christine Ulrich, a fourth-grade teacher, said students received Christmas ornaments from their pen pals as they kept in communication. She said students were initially nervous getting on the bus to finally see them face to face, a sentiment that faded.
"Seeing them get off the bus and the smiles on their face to interact with their pen pals just touched my heart," Ulrich said.
The takeaway, she said she hopes her students were left with is hope.
"Seeing their pen pals and all their different jobs is an opportunity that could have when they grow up, whether it be becoming a nurse or police officer or a helicopter pilot," she said.
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