For fourth-graders in Swampscott, having Brian O’Donnell as a teacher means making a new friend.

A generational gap of more than five decades is being bridged by O’Donnell’s classroom of fourth-grade students and a group of older residents. Since the 2023-24 school year, O’Donnell’s students have been assigned pen pals at the Swampscott Senior Center. The students and teachers take turns writing monthly letters to their pen pal, and the school year ends with everyone getting together to meet in person.

Sonja Nathan, who assists with the pen pals program at the Senior Center, said she can’t put a price on how much the friendships mean to participating seniors and students. She added the seniors are excited about the project, and she is asked on a daily basis when the seniors will be hearing back from their assigned pals.

“They all really look forward to this,” said Nathan. “Both sides are so happy to be a part of it.”

After O’Donnell’s new class of students got adjusted to fourth grade in September, the program began. In October the kids wrote their initial letters, which the seniors responded to in November. The students and seniors exchanged more letters in December and January and this trend will continue until the end of the year party.

Sami Lawler, a former teacher, ran a similar program with her students when she taught for many years. When she retired, it was put on hold until O’Donnell reignited the spark.

O’Donnell said the program gives the students a healthy change of pace from regular schoolwork once a month.

“I make sure to tell them each time to ask questions,” said O’Donnell, who added that the students like to tell their pen pals about their sports teams and other extracurricular activities.

Nathan said that when the older residents receive their letters from the students, they don’t waste time writing back. She noted some of the participating seniors don’t have or live far from grandchildren, and the program gives them someone of the younger generation to talk with.

“They are so quick to it because of how excited they are,” said Nathan.

For Nathan, the only downside of the program is when the school year ends.

“You forget what it’s like to think like a fourth grader,” said Nathan, who has a pen pal herself. “It’s so nice to meet them and share a wonderful conversation.”