Dawson and Sunset Elementary schools hosted monthly events to bridge the gap between parents, educators, and pupils; hence the name, PEP Talks. Research shows that parent involvement has a positive effect on student achievement. In order to form meaningful partnerships between all stakeholders, PEP Talks were informal gatherings in which topics of interest were discussed with parents over refreshments, in a comfortable and safe setting. Parents and educators came together to learn about student needs and collaborate to address those needs effectively. Pupils also learned about the topics at hand through service announcements, videos and other media outlets addressing issues in a kid-friendly manner. The goal was to increase parent participation, student awareness, and school/home communication. PEP Talks was an opportunity to form meaningful relationships with families and to create partnerships with community members towards a common goal for a shared interest ― students.