URBANA, IL (Chambana Today) — When Pamela Smith saw a social media post about a little girl who loved to write, she did something simple: she offered to send a letter.

That note, written to a seven-year-old named Finlee Schrock, sparked a pen-pal friendship that has now lasted years — one built entirely on real mail, not email or phone calls. The pair swap stories about everyday life, vacations, and the elaborate mermaid tales Finlee dreams up. They visit each other for what they call “Pam Camp,” where lessons in baking, weaving, gardening, and knitting get passed along.

Last summer, the friendship took a new turn when Pam, an alumna of the University of Illinois College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences, saw a newsletter for ACES Family Academies and immediately thought of Finlee.

“I reached out and asked if it had to be your own child or family member,” Pam said. “The college essentially said, ‘Well, I guess not.’ So I gave it to Finlee as a Christmas present.”

For Finlee, now 11, the decision meant skipping her county fair — a meaningful sacrifice. But she said it was worth it.

“I really liked how you got to experience the whole campus,” Finlee said. “All the classes were fun, but the plant science class was probably my favorite.”

The pair brewed tea with herbs, explored biology labs, tried a meat science class, and took an air fryer cooking class together. Dorm life brought its own adventure — Pam pulled her mattress off a loft bed and onto the floor.

For Pam, being on campus again was its own kind of gift.

“It’s been 50 years since I had to decide, ‘Can I get back in time to eat and still make it to class?'” she said. “Being there with Finlee was like reliving those first steps on campus again.”

Smith said the mentorship has gone both ways throughout their friendship.

“I hope she learns something from me occasionally,” Pam said. “But honestly, I’ve probably learned more from her than she has from me.”

ACES Family Academies returns to the U of I campus July 8-10, 2026, for youth ages 8-13. Registration closes June 7 at acesalumni@illinois.edu.