Pen pals have long been a means of connecting cultures and promoting global communication for people interested in perspectives other than their own. The idea that someone who lives thousands of miles away and speaks an entirely different language could be similar to you seems impossible, but senior Nela Bednarcikova dismisses this theory.
Bednarcikova has created a contemporary pen pal program, connecting Robinson students to Slovakian high school students through Instagram messages, as her senior year C.A.S. project. C.A.S. is an initiative that encourages IB students to engage in meaningful creative, active and service acts of work that benefit their communities and develop personal growth. Bednarcikova hopes her project will do just this.
“Ultimately the goal is for Slovak students to practice English with native speakers, but Robinson students will benefit from this as well. They will get to learn about a culture that is in ways very different but also very similar to their own,” Bednarcikova said.
Bednarcikova has made the enrollment for this project incredibly painless. Anyone interested in signing up can simply message the account @svk_usa_project on Instagram, requesting a pal and will be assigned one. From then, you’re expected to make an effort to get to know your person and eventually regularly contact them once you’re fully acquainted.
“In 6th grade, our English teacher attempted a pen pal program and tried to pair us up with a school in Turkey. I think we wrote an actual letter, but I don’t think it ever worked. I wanted to make sure if I did this it would be successful, so that’s why I chose Instagram as the way of communicating,” Bednarcikova said.
To further ensure the success of the operation, Bednarcikova has implemented daily check-ins with both parties.
“Everything is monitored through weekly reflections and weekend zoom meetings. Anyone in the program can join those so that’s an opportunity to speak to and interact with more people,” Bednarcikova said.
Someone’s C.A.S project is usually personal to the person, presenting something very important to them. This is extremely personal to her, as she is Slovak herself. She has created a program that explores both versions of herself, Slovak and American.
“I have lived there most of my life, the reason I’m here is my dad’s in the Slovak military. I know many of the Slovak people participating in the program. I asked people if they would be interested in doing it, and my friend in Slovakia asked people from her school if they wanted to participate,” Bednarcikova said.
From a poor childhood memory of a half-hearted pen pal project, Bednarcikova has created a substantial connection between two vast cultures. By pairing students through Instagram messages and monitored Zoom meetings, the project bridges borders and builds meaningful relationships, highlighting the enduring power of personal communication in a globalized world.
