Promotional journals connect ‘grandfriends’

School helps students and loved ones connect

By Suzanne Worwood

Interview Featuring

Danielle Probst Rich

Friends Community School

Interim director of advancement

Friends Community School is a Quaker school in College Park, Maryland. It prides itself on being a welcoming and purposeful community that inspires and engages about 240 students in kindergarten through eighth grade. With 91% of Americans opens in new window believing it is very or somewhat important for grandparents and grandchildren to have a close relationship, Friends Community School opens in new window hosts an annual program called Grandfriends Day to help connect students and their loved ones. Danielle Probst Rich, interim director of advancement, shared her story of using promotional journals to foster connections not only between students and their families, but also families and the school community.

Q: What is the Grandfriends program?

A: Each year, our school hosts Grandfriends Day on campus, where influential adults in our students’ lives—such as grandparents, aunts and uncles, and chosen family or special friends—visit our school. Students and their guests take part in programming that celebrates the wisdom and cultural contributions of their elders. It’s a beloved tradition at the school, rooted in its community focused values.

The school follows principles such as simplicity, peace and stewardship. With stewardship as the theme for the year, I thought about how we could incorporate it into this special event for grandparents and grandchildren. I thought about how many grandparents help care for their grandchildren, how they form relationships and how they help steward them through childhood.

Q: How are promotional journals involved?

A: We purchased promotional journals with our school logo as another way for students and their guests to connect. For example, they might use them to send notes back and forth around holidays they celebrate, or share advice about life and learning, family recipes or stories. It was up to them to choose how to use it, but we really wanted to have something tangible that could be shared between the adult and the student and become a keepsake, perhaps even a tradition, that might carry on to the next generation.

Writing new traditions

Q: What feedback did you receive? 

A: Grandparents went wild for the journals. They were so excited. They loved the imprint on the front, that it had a hard cover and was not flimsy. There were lines to write on, which is helpful for younger writers.

One grandparent, a retired teacher, went on about how fabulous the program was and what a great idea the student journals were because the idea was so flexible. They didn’t have to be restricted to sharing family recipes or stories from when they were in school—they could do anything.

One family said they were going to write birthday greetings, so every year it would have a different message from someone special. The kids would write thank-you notes in return as the book got passed back and forth. I really left it open-ended because, as a Quaker progressive school, we try to make space for everyone and their traditions.

Q: Was there a fundraising component?

A: Yes, and the promotional journals helped us raise funds. We didn’t ask for donations directly at the event because we wanted the day to be about the grandparents and grandchildren, but afterwards we sent out an appeal. I also put a reply envelope in the journals. We were able to raise enough to pay for the journals and we have some left over for the next event. I think it laid the groundwork for the future.

Q: So overall the event was a success?

A: Yes, we had about 270 students and guests. It just hit all the buttons for people. We even ran out of doughnuts. For the grandfriends, they were just so excited to have this kind of experience on campus. The student journals were the icing on the cake for them.