First-grade students at Elephant’s Fork Elementary School got some special guests in their classrooms Thursday.

Seven students from Old Dominion University’s chapter of the Student Virginia Education Association visited the school to read books to students and make crafts related to the stories. Each student also received a copy of the book the aspiring educators read.

In Michelle Bird’s classroom, Megan Deloatch read a book by Cynthia Rylant containing three stories about a pig named Poppleton doing wintertime activities like measuring icicles and riding a sleigh. She carefully showed pictures to the students, explained new words and stopped frequently to ask the children to predict what would happen next. After reading the stories, Deloatch helped the students create icicle ornaments out of pipe cleaners, beads and yarn.

“We are service-minded, so we do a lot in the community,” Deloatch said, adding the association has been focusing on activities that promote literacy.

Jenny Owens, a reading specialist with Suffolk Public Schools, said she used to teach with the ODU association’s adviser, Jody Sommerfeldt, and the two were trying to come up with ways the college students could partner with Suffolk Public Schools and decided on Thursday’s program to start.

“We think that’s a great way to introduce potential teachers to Elephant’s Fork,” Owens said. “I think kids are very excited about having the students from ODU. It’s fun to have young people come in and do something a little different.”

Deloatch added that it’s important for the young children to see college students in action so they realize they, too, can be in college one day.

Sommerfeldt said the students volunteered their time and raised funds to buy the books and craft materials. They also purchased coats, hats, scarves and gloves for five Elephant’s Fork students, also with money they obtained through fundraising.

Sommerfeldt and Owens both said they hope to continue the partnership with future activities.

The other ODU students were Jasmine Blackwell, Jazmyn McGhee, Michelle Brown, Hannah Ruck, Maria Rios Delgado and Jordan Levinson.