Third grade students in Kelly Welch’s class at Tryon Elementary School recently completed a study of the Tryon community.
The unit began with students visiting downtown Tryon. Following that visit, class members received a pen pal from the area and began corresponding with that local resident, writing on three occasions to explain research they were conducting and asking questions of their pen pals.
To complete the study, students invited their pen pals to visit Tryon Elementary for a party.
“This was a great opportunity for students to meet some of the pen pal participants,” Welch said. “A huge thank you to everyone who participated in coming to the party or writing back to my students.
“My third graders truly value the important members of the local community and have learned valuable information about the operations of the local town.”


