A newspaper written by elementary students, mentored by university students
THE
SNELLING CONNECTION Newsletter for the Hamline to Hamline Collaboration Fall Issue 2014
Volume 18, Issue 1
The Jie Ming Tutor
The one and only! By Kao Ar Her Journalist
[Photo by Jennifer Hamilton]
Margot Howard with students and staff at the annual Hike for Health of the Hamline to Hamline Collaboration.
Legacy Left Behind
Margot Howard hands over position to Maggie Blackmon By Chineze Okolo Journalist
Margot Howard will be leaving the Hamline to Hamline Collaboration and will no longer be in the Coordinator position this winter. She has held this position for the last three years, before deciding that moving to a different role within Hamline University was needed. However, there is somebody just as savvy by the name of Maggie Blackmon who will be taking over the position in the spring. Howard has been part of the Hamline to Hamline Collaboration for a total of eight years. Howard stated, “The Collaboration was so important to me during my time in college.” As an undergraduate student, Howard was a tutor and buddy at Hamline for four years and ended up being head of both programs in her senior year. She was even the advisor to the Snelling Connection for a year. She became Coordinator of the Collaboration in 2011. “As an undergrad student, I
always dreamed about what a great job being the Coordinator for the Collaboration would be, but never thought that it would one day be my job.” As the coordinator, Howard helped make new connections, networking between people and communities in efforts to move the Collaboration forward. She did outreach to inform the greater Hamline University and Hamline Elementary communities. For someone who had been part of the program before, she knew how to improve the program from the inside out, and was in the unique position to be able to address those needs. Howard will be moving from the Collaboration Coordinator to Social Justice Initiatives. She will coordinate alternative spring break trips for University students where service within a community is used to investigate social justice issues. For a smooth transition Maggie Blackmon,
Margot Howard, Page 3 >>
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Victoria Virasy is a Hamline University student and happens to be the only Jie Ming tutor this year. Tutors are helpers that come to Hamline Elementary to help out around the classroom. This is Virasy’s third year at Hamline University, but her first year tutoring in Jie Ming. Jie Ming is a Mandarin Immersion Academy that teaches kids Chinese along with the Chinese culture. Virasy chose the University because she likes the small class sizes and the personal interactions in the classroom setting. She toured the campus five or six times and immediately felt comfortable at Hamline. She likes that Hamline is just big enough to not know everybody, but yet small enough to recognize faces. Virasy started helping at Jie Ming because she wanted to challenge herself and partly because she felt like she knew enough Chinese to be helpful in the classroom. She helps students with their journal entries during writing workshops. She also helps students with their math worksheets. Virasy likes watching the students grow as their Chinese improves throughout the year. As Virasy learned more and more about the Jie Ming program, she became inspired about other subjects, like majoring in public health science and East Asian studies. Victoria will always try her best to help students that are struggling with their fluency in Chinese. She is glad to be tutoring in the Jie Ming program, “I love seeing the students grow and learn.” She is proud when students walk past her in the hallway and say “hi” in Chinese to her like they were native speakers.
The Snelling Connection NEWS
Generations of Buddies A Unique Hand-In-Hand Pairing By Leslie Alvarado Journalist Have you ever wondered why there are Hamline University students over at Hamline Elementary? They might be Hand-In-Hand buddies spending time learning about their Elementary mentee. Hand-In-Hand buddies are college students paired with a Hamline Elementary student, that meet once a week for about forty minutes throughout the school year. Elementary students get a buddy by being nominated by their teacher. The Hamline University students apply to be a buddy, and anyone can apply as long as you’re motivated. The president of the program, Megan Gjere, and program staff, choose from the many student applicants to be paired with an elementary student. The program was made for Hamline Elementary students to get a slight taste of college. The buddies get to play and talk about miscellaneous things about Hamline University. They also can talk with other Hamline buddies
when either site hosts a large group event. The large group event is where all the Hamline University college buddies meet with their buddies from Hamline Elementary to eat lunch and play games. Alan Sickbert is the Dean of Students at Hamline University and has been since 2004. Sickbert is like the principal of the undergraduate Liberal Arts College but he’s not any ordinary principal. He works with kids academically and tries to help them make good choices. Sometimes Sickbert goes over to a student’s house to just talk, hangout, or even go to the health center with them. Sickbert meets up with his buddy, Marshawn Jackson, once a week for about forty minutes. For fun they draw and color each other’s [Photo by: Amber Todd] family. They also draw about the Alan Sickbert (left) and Marshawn Jackson (right). happy moments in their lives. Hand-In-Hand is a program about college experiences and growing University student to get to know the in education. It’s an opportunity for younger generation. Hopefully, one young students and youth to have role day you can have an experience with models and a great opportunity for a a buddy.
Enhancing Peace through Community
A sense of Minnesota’s Peace through the lense of our own By Jayla Lewis Journalist In September of this year, the third graders from Hamline Elementary went on a field trip to see “A Peace of My Mind” exhibit in the Anderson Center at Hamline University. The exhibit was a collection of interviews on people’s perspective on peace and the person’s photographs on display. The exhibit allowed the third graders to read the personal stories and see the photographs of the person behind the story. John Noltner, the creator of “A Peace Of My Mind”, was the person who interviewed the different people on their perspective of peace in addition to taking the photographs. The interviews and photographs were showcased on displays that were tall, about seven feet tall to be exact. Each display had four sides and on each side there was the person’s story and photograph. The photograph was placed on top or
[Photo by: Margot Howard]
Third Grader capturing a story of peace.
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Give your gift @www.hamline.edu/collaboration
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next to their story so all the interviews of people’s perspectives could be seen. The Wesley Center is the office of Spirituality, Service and Social Justice at Hamline University. This center hosted this exhibit and many other events throughout the year, thanks to Nancy Victor-Vangerud, the Chaplain of the University and the Director of the Wesley Center. Victor-Vangerud had an experience with one of the third graders, Victor-Vangerud said she saw a boy who was looking at a display that reminded him of his culture. The boy said, “Muslim, that’s like me! I’m Muslim.” Victor-Vangerud thought this was a good experience because the boy saw his religion reflected in the exhibit. Hopefully this exhibit will come back to Hamline University next year to offer other people’s perspectives of peace. If you are interested in learning more about the exhibit visit www.apeaceofmymind.net
The Snelling Connection
Rumble and Tumble
NEWS
Kindergarterners discover gymnastics By Monica Johnson and Zubeyda Kedir Journalists If you walk across the street and down the block into the gymnasium on Snelling you might come just in time to see the kindergarteners take their gymnastics class. This class is taught by coach Doug Byrnes and at least a dozen other gymnastic girls. Before getting started the kindergarteners have to get their parents permission before they go to the gymnasium, because safety is of course important.
Kindergarteners in action! [Photo by: Darrian Smith]
The kindergarteners went to Hamline University two times in November thanks to a number of people, including Rhonda Simonson. Simonson is one of the kindergarten teachers and has taken part in the
An Experience Of Chlorine Swimming lessons are provided this year By Kierra Leaks Journalist Have you ever experienced the Hamline University swimming pool? From what I have heard, it feels like paradise because of the warm atmosphere. The chlorine smell makes students anxious to experience the wet opportunity. The pool has six lanes and provides white and red floats to divide the lanes. The Hamline Elementary fourth and fifth grade students get to go swimming at the University pool four times a month. This is the first year swimming
lessons have been provided for the fifth graders free of charge. A Hamline University student, named Sky, is the swimming instructor. He teaches students how to bob their heads under water, do a back and belly float, and to do a front and back stroke. Usually, at the end of swimming lessons, students have some free time to practice trying to pass the swim tests and jump off diving boards. The classes practice safe swimming because there are only two teachers and one life guard. “I love playing games in the pool with my friends,” a fifth grade student named Demariah says. She also said
Move to a Different Beat
Jazz and hip hop dances introduced to Second grade By Student Journalist If you’ve ever been to a Hamline University sporting event and stayed during the halftime show, you’ve maybe gotten a glimpse of the Hamline Dance Team. The Dance Team at Hamline University has introduced an opportunity for the second grade students to dance once a month at the University’s gymnasium. This pairing is especially important due to the fact it’s the first one of its kind. The students have never experienced a dance team pairing and can’t wait to try it out. The Elementary students get to learn from university students Allyssa and Natalie, who are the dance team captains, while a student named Danielle is the overshadowing coach of the team. Before starting the exciting dance routines, the coaches do warm
ups with the kids to get blood flowing through their body. They start with learning how to count beats within the music, and they also learn how to do small group routines and stretches. Natalie and the squad enjoy upbeat tempos performing pom, hip hop, and jazz during sporting events and at college competitions. The dance team has an open policy about becoming a captain, they do an anonymous voting. Nobody knows who has voted for each other. The second graders look up to the University girls and their spunk. They like how confident they are and how they don’t hold back in their dance moves. I think it’s great the second graders have someone to look up to so when they get older they can say, “When I was younger I got a chance to dance with college students.” It’s a great opportunity for the second graders!
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kindergarten gymnastics for the past three years. Simonson said “It is truthfully the gymnastics girls team front and center--they are the most important link” that made this pairing happen. Both kindergarten classes and teachers are very thankful for the gymnastics team’s help and contributing their time to this event. Simonson states, “We hope our smiles and thank you’s are enough to sustain the team.” Simonson has a connection outside of the schools as well, her own children were in gymnastics in a similar kind of way. From the looks and sounds, it seems like the kindergarteners enjoyed going to the University. Simonson felt the same way stating, “It feels great because the kindergarteners comeout big winners in this pairing.” she, “loves playing shark tag with my friends.” She likes getting out of Hamline Elementary and going to the Hamline University environment for a change of scene. Jodie Wilson, the Hamline Elementary Liaison, said Hamline Elementary students have been going swimming at the Hamline University pool for many years. She said, “Students should be able to learn how to swim because we live in a state with over ten thousand lakes.” A lot of teachers, coaches and students work together to make this possible. Swimming is something that students look forward to all week and will always cherish. Hopefully swimming lessons can continue in the future so more students can experience this great opportunity.
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Legacy Left Behind
who is the Community Coordinator at Hamline University, will be shadowing Howard as she expands her job to include Coordinator of the Hamline to Hamline Collaboration. Margot Howard says she will miss her work with the Hamline to Hamline Collaboration-- the people and the joy that working together brings to her. In addition, she says she’ll definitely return to participate in the annual Hike for the Health of the Hamline to Hamline Collaboration next year. Maggie Blackmon
[Photo by: Jen Hamiton]
The Snelling Connection NEWS
Little Fingers and Paint College students bring art to the Pre-K classroom By Student Journalist Sam Herdman and Amber Todd created a mini-grant to provide the opportunity for pre-kindergarten students to do art and art projects the teachers may not be able to do with the students. Herdman and Todd are both seniors studying Studio Art at Hamline
[Photo by: Amber Todd]
Pre-K handprints from finger painting.
New Team, New Dream
Old vet Editor joined with a new Amber lens By Letitia Basford University Liason Have you met our fabulous Snelling Connection editors yet? If not, allow me to introduce them to you. Amber is a senior at Hamline University and originally from Grand Marais, Minnesota. She first began her work with the Collaboration as a Hand-InHand mentor. As a mentor she enjoyed playing games and having fun with youth and loved finding out that her students were as excited to see Amber as she was to see them. This is Amber’s first year serving as the Snelling Connection’s co-editor. She was drawn to the position because of her love of teaching, which began many years ago when she taught ski lessons to young children. She loves the diversity
University. Once a month they visit the Hamline Elementary pre-k classroom to do art with the pre-k students giving students different art projects each time they arrive. Since pre-k students are little, they are only in school for half the day. There is a morning class and an afternoon class. Herdman and Todd spend an hour with each class. The students have experienced fingerpainting, leaf rubbing, and have created musical instruments out of recycled containers. At the end of the semester the art projects will be put into a calendar by Herdman, Todd, and other teachers, which the students can take home. In order to get funding for the art materials, they applied for a minigrant through the Hamline to Hamline
Collaboration. They had to write a proposal and a plan that showed they were dedicated, and that it would be beneficial to all involved. Luckily they got it! The Hamline to Hamline Collaboration provides these mini-grants to anyone who is interested in creating a collaborative event, or programming between Hamline Elementary and Hamline University. Applications are accepted twice a year and anyone can apply within the University or elementary school. Both Herdman and Todd enjoy seeing how excited the students are about making art. Herdman said, “I enjoy seeing kids being excited and creative.” Todd likes to see what the students make. They also both enjoy creating art in their own time as well as with the students. Because of the minigrant, Herdman and Todd were able to create a wonderful experience for the pre-K students and for themselves.
of the Twin Cities and Hamline Elementary and appreciates how it helps mold her “into a more critically aware student.” Darrian, a Junior at Hamline University, comes from Georgia. This is the beginning of his second year as a Snelling Connection co-editor. He loves his work as a co-editor, Co-Editor Darrian Smith working with fourth grader Chineze Okolo sharing “At the beginning [Photo by: Jen Hamliton] of the year, when the students and I begin our work together, no one knows of working as a Snelling Connection much about the Snelling Connection… co-editors as excellent preparation for how to write, what to do… but as time teaching. Together they plan lessons progresses, students develop trust that are both engaging and academically and we bond, and I get to watch that successful for their students. They are growth… and I feel like, wow, I impacted also learning that lessons don’t always someone’s life!” Darrian strives to be go exactly as planned and putting both a mentor and an advocate for the together the publication can be a lot students he works in hopes of building of hard work. Yet with their positive more equitable schools for all youth. attitudes and true investment in their Both Amber and Darrian are studying students, success is inevitable. We are so lucky to have Amber and Darrian as to become teachers one day. Both of them see the experience our Snelling Connection co-editors!
Co-Editor’s Think Outloud
Snelling Connection Staff
This has been my first semester as a Snelling Connection Co-Editor and thus far it’s been a blast! I applied for the position last spring because as an Elementary Education major, I thought it would be a good experience to prepare me for being a teacher. I have been able to put theory to practice by planning lessons, conducting classroom management and answering students’ questions. I am looking forward to another semester this spring. Unfortunately, it will also my by last semester as a Co-Editor because I will be graduating and then student teaching in the following fall. I will bring this wonderful experience into my student teaching and beyond. It has been such a joy working with these students! -Amber Todd
Hamline Elementary Student Advisor Glynis Grostephan | Gifted Serivices glynis.grostephan@spps.org Hamline University Student Advisor Letitia Basford | Education Dept. lbasford01@hamline.edu H-H Collaboration Coordinator Margot Howard | Wesley Center mhoward03@hamline.edu
[Photo by: Jen Hamliton]
Co-Editor Amber Todd working with fifth grader Kierra Leaks.
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Snelling Connection Co-Editors Amber Todd | University Student atodd03@hamline.edu Darrian Smith | University Student dsmith25@hamline.edu