Allow one or two weeks for the "cleft buddy" to arrive. Begin exchanging information via e-mail or postal mail notifying students that the buddy arrived safely in its new destination.

Exchange postcards, simple research projects, letters and photos. The more you write, the more interactive and dynamic the program becomes. Classes may write a diary of events and send it to you by e-mail. You can also forward images of the "cleft buddy" to your pen pal class by e-mail.

If both classes do have access to the web, sending electronic cards is fun. These cards can be seasonal greetings from you to them, reminders to visit your web site for current events, or just cards that tell them how their "cleft buddy" is doing. Best of all, students can design their own cards to send to the buddy.

Developing the Project

Ideas developed through the "Smile Train Cleft Buddy Project" will be incorporated into a curriculum guide for classes that adopt the program in the future.