In 2021, the first grade teachers at the Church of the Redeemer Parish Day School and Govans Elementary School wanted to create a way to build community. The schools, located a little over a mile apart in North Baltimore, collaborated on the Hi Neighbor! Program, a partnership rooted in celebrating the diversity and connections across the two communities.
Exclusively for the first grade classes, the program matches students from each school. Each new school year, the program begins with the pairs of students or buddies exchanging “All About Me” posters and introduction videos in September. As the year progresses, buddies share Christmas cards, spring letters, and a Zoom meeting where they discover just how much they have in common.
The culmination of each year’s Hi Neighbor! Program is the in-person playdate in May at the Dewees Rec Center. Buddies and teachers are excited to meet each other in person and celebrate their new friendships.
Seeing the students’ excitement when they finally meet in person is a highlight of the year. It’s a meaningful and joyful opportunity for them to learn about friendship, community, and communication, and to help them build connections outside of our school.
“This has been a great experience for my students,” says Monique Marrow, Govan’s first grade teacher. “The Hi Neighbor! Program is a wonderful way to meet new friends and build relationships.”
This is just one of the robust partnership programs between The Church of the Redeemer and Govans Elementary School. Read more about the Redeemer’s community partnership with Govans.
Thank you, Redeemer Parish Day School and Church of the Redeemer, for your enduring support of Govans and the Baltimore Curriculum Project.
Enjoy photos of the May 2025 Hi Neighbor! Playdate:
