A newspaper written by elementary students, mentored by university students
THE
SNELLING CONNECTION Newsletter for the Hamline to Hamline Collaboration Fall Issue 2015
Weekly Swimming helps Students Stay Afloat
practicing flips jumping off the boards! I like swimming because I get to talk and spend time with friends. What swimming means to me is that kids can socialize with friends, be active, and get an opportunity to have the best By Justice Joyce time ever. Swimming is a good way to Student Journalist exercise, be free, and enjoy yourself. Swimming is an option when at the If Have you ever gone swimming? If you University so safety is a priority, you don’t swim, you watch.If you don’t have you know it’s fun and refreshing when your with your friends and family. know how to swim the Hamline pool If you haven’t, I’ll tell you more about it is a great opportunity to learn how. through a husky lens. When you first get into the oversized pool the water, it’s really, really cold. Good thing Hamline Elementary students get to experience this feeling once a week when they go swimming in the Hamline University pool. However it’s not all just fun and games when we go ; there are swimming lessons that help us. First the beginners practice blowing bubbles, kicking, and getting comfortable in the shallow water. Next the middle level students can get the opportunity to swim in a certain depth in the pool to take the swim test. If they pass the swim test they get to enjoy the deep end. The students who can swim in the deeper level gets to jump off the diving boards and don’t use floaties. Students even started Hamline Students Swim in the University Pool
Hamline Community United in Fall Festival
Annual Event Raises Funds for Hamline Elementary By Cardell Owens Student Journalist Would you like to play games, see live music, and celebrate Hamline Elementary School? If so, the Fall Festival would be the perfect chance to do so! The Fall Festival is a fundraiser that does all of this plus gives Hamline Elementary School the potential to advertise Husky pride to future students. The money raised at the Fall Festival helps support arts, education, and special programming at Hamline Elementary School. The Fall Festival is organized by the PTA every year while many Hamline Elementary parents, students and staff volunteer to run the activities.
This year, Hamline University provided swimming caps and goggles. They bought caps for kids to keep if you didn’t want to or couldn’t get your hair wet. Goggles were cool because they let you see clearly underwater. I saw people having fun and socializing and just having a great time. Swimming at Hamline University is a great way to be relaxed and it is a great opportunity for elementary students to learn valuable skills while having a great time.
[Photo by Jodie Wilson] The Fall Festival was a great experience because it raised funds for Hamline Elementary School; it advertised our school to the community; and we had fun and supported our education. Hope to see you at next year’s Fall Festival!
These activities include things such as music, food, and silent auctions. One of the goals of the Fall Festival is to bring the people of the Hamline community together and for the kids and parents to play together and make new friends. This year the Fall Festival took place on October 3rd, right in between when the leaves start to turn orange, yellow, and red, and when they fall. Kids Bounce at the Fall Festival
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Volume 19, Issue 1
[Photo from Hamline’s Facebook]
The Snelling Connection NEWS
Thoughts from our Journalists
Extra Help Always a Good Thing
An Inside look at what Our Writers think about the Snelling Connection
Collaboration Welcomes Kayla Markgraff as New Assisstant By Khadija Abdullahi Student Journalist Do you know the assistant to the Collaboration? Her name is Kayla Markgraff, a junior at Hamline University Markgraff has a new role in doing what she enjoys most about the collaboration, she now brings programs to the elementary called “pairings”.This includes swimming, gymnastics, musical experiences and the chance to take field trips across Snelling onto Hamline University’s campus. Markgraff started training last year to be the assistant to the collaboration and took over the job this year. She works five days a week at the elementary school, and chose to work for the collaboration because she wants students to learn from people who’ve been in their shoes.
When Markgraff isn’t working hard in her college courses studying, she often works with both the Elementary Huskies and University Pipers. She uses this time Markgraff says, “helping out in classrooms”. When Markgraff works at the elementary school she usually helps Ms. Smith’s fifth grade classroom; guiding students with extra work. She also volunteers by tending to Kindergarteners when they go to Hamline. Markgraff loves bringing great ideas and turning them into reality. In the future Markgraff plans to become a child psychologist because she likes working with children and wants to help them have a better life. The collaboration is very thankful for all of her work.
The Sounds of an Island Huskies Experience the Music of Haiti
By Keyah Floyd Student Journalist
Have you ever heard beautiful nature music? Hamline Elementary students have! On October 2nd Hamline Elementary students were treated to a Haitian music performance. Each year Hamline University brings in musicians and they perform at the Sundin Music Hall. Hamline Elementary students cross Snelling Avenue to the Hamline University campus to experience world class musicians. The performance began with Hamline Elementary students dancing and listening to Haitian music. During the performance the musicians played Haitian instruments and sang songs. The musicians discussed the music and asked students and adults what they thought the instruments were made from. Students were provided with an entire hour of Haitian music as well as a cultural learning experience.
Miriam Gerberg, a music professor at Hamline University, and Hamline Elementary Principal Bobbie Johnson were responsible for this pairing.
The Snelling Connection
By Elliot Mcnally Student Journalist Cardell- This is a time where students can learn about writing, interviewing, and articles. Darrian- Snelling Connection is a tradition of young journalists, a creative experience Nevaeh- A time where students can be famous; Snelling Connection is a safe place to get over fears. Maisy- Snelling Connection is fun to do; it makes you feel special when not every student gets this chance; it helps people know who we are. Ruth- Snelling Connection is a place to interact, a place to get the inside story. Justice- Snelling Connection is a place to work on the writing. Snelling Connection teaches us how to make teammates with friends. Zubeyda- Snelling Connection is a place that helps with my writing techniques. Kayla-Snelling Connection is safe, fun, and cool. Gerberg and Johnson wanted students and staff to listen and learn about new music and instruments. They wanted everyone to be watching and listening so the students could get the most out of the experience.
Hamline Students Play Haitian Drums
Support the Collaboration!
Give your gift @www.hamline.edu/collaboration
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[Photo by Nancy Vang]
NEWS
New Administration Brings Positivity Kristin Reilly Brings Fresh Leadership to Hamline By Nevaeh Warren Student Journalist Hamline Elementary has new help with administration this year with the addition of a woman by the name of Kristin Reilly. Reilly is a good fit for Hamline Elementary because she was a teacher for 31 years in 10 different schools. Her favorite things about Hamline are the students and great teachers that are very supportive of the schools. Reilly has taken on many roles throughout the Husky community. She plans leadership boards, evaluates student behavior, responds to emails, welcomes parent involvement, in addition to reaching out to the community. As the new Administrative Intern, Reilly wants to help students that make poor choices to make better decisions Kristin Reilly [Photo from SPPS] down the road. SInce Reilly’s role is relatively new, she is under the wing of the current Principal Bobbi Johnson. The pair of Principals often monitor the and awarded for their behavior with lunchroom and help the school become interesting gifts. Reilly is on a team of a safer place. She wants students leaders that make choices for our school, that do something cool to be recognized like building plans, events, or where to
Huskies Perform Balancing Act
Kindergarten Visits Hamline Gymnastics By Kayla James Student Journalist
the balance beam but how to use the professional uneven bars as well. Have you ever witnessed or The students learned how to do some participated in doing gymnastics? gymnastics but the real surprise came Have you ever seen young people from seeing how the kindergarteners having fun while partaking in physical activity? I had an eventful opportunity to watch the kindergarteners learn how to do this very sport. The kindergarten classes got the opportunity to go to Hamline University twice in November to learn the ropes of gymnastics from the Hamline Pipers gymnastics team. When approaching the big metal doors of the gymnasium I heard an overwhelming amount of screams coming from the kids inside that were having fun. In watching this exciting event I learned everything from the basics of the floor, to how to walk across on a balance beam. The gymnasium was arranged in eight stations that students had to rotate counterclockwise through every eight minutes. Students weren’t only taught how to walk across Kindergartners Balance on the Balance Beam
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plant flowers. Reilly is an optimistic person who set a personal goal of having 100% of the school say, “good morning” to her every day. Reilly wants to be a Principal that listens to kids and that is fair to all people. She believes in students and their dreams. Reilly finds it hard when she makes difficult choices, but trusts her instinct that kids need and want what’s best for them. You can find Reilly walking the halls of Hamline Elementary where she starts her day by saying “hello” to everyone.
learned how to do things on the first try. The gymnastics team did a really good job in helping the kindergarteners, they encouraged them to become the best gymnasts they could be. The gymnastics pairing was a great opportunity for kids to learn the specifics of gymnastics. Gymnastics was a good experience where kids learned to be active, do flips and have a fun time.
[Photo by Jodie Wilson]
The Snelling Connection A Trail that Ends
A Final Letter from Our Veteran Editor By Darrian Smith Snelling Connection Co-Editor Dear Hamline Community, My four years as a Co-Editor of the Snelling Connection has not only been a humbling experience throughout my college education, but gave me an opportunity to meet some incredible people, whom I will never forget. The Snelling Connection has helped me grow as a young educator by teaching me how to properly use my
From Piper to Husky
Casperson Makes the Shift From Collaboration Tutor to Hamline Teacher By Maisy Komatsu Student Journalist
NEWS
influence within a classroom. It has taught me how to build relationships with students and leave an everlasting impression of what an educator can be. Because of the Snelling Connection and the foundation and traditions it stands on, I’ve bettered myself as an educator by truly understanding what it means to apply classroom management, practice patience, and to have faith in my students. I would like to thank Glynis Grostephan, Jodie Wilson, Margot Howard, and Nancy Vang tfor their exceptional work for the collaboration and the personal support that they have provided me. Your work in and out of the classroom makes me very appreciative of all of your efforts. Furthermore, I would like to send my deepest apologies to every Husky that’s interested in becoming a teacher. She would often think about how others want to learn and become smarter. Casperson loves the teachers she works with because they inspire her in her work every day. Her students never want to stop learning because they see how she likes to be around her students. Casperson is thankful for her students because they keep positive attitudes and constantly make her smile. Casperson loves teaching and helping her students better themselves so they can be good citizens in the United States of America.
Elizabeth Casperson is Hamline Elementary’s new fourth grade teacher. She has been around Hamline Elementary for the last five years. Casperson graduated from Hamline University in 2014 and was hired as the new fourth grade teacher for the following fall. During her four years at Hamline University, Casperson worked as a tutor in the Hamline to Hamline Collaboration. When Casperson was a tutor she helped kindergarten and first grade students learn lines, shapes, and math. Since Casperson was Liz Casperson (right)Prepares for Class [Photo by Nancy Vang] a child she was always
This fall Hamline University Student Affairs awarded $300 to the 4th and 5th graders in order to buy swimming accessories for their weekly trips to the Hamline University pool. On behalf of the HAmline Community, The Snelling Connection Would like to say “Thank You!” for their generosity
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had to endure the harsh singing and weird dance moves that I perform on a daily basis. Huskies, I’ve been proud to say that I am a part of the Snelling Connection Family as well as the greater Hamline community. I hope you can say the same. It has been great to be a part of such a wonderful group. My experience in the Hamline to Hamline Collaboration has truly been one of the highlights of my education and I thank each and every Husky for this amazing opportunity. Sincerely your Co-Editor, Darrian Smith
Other Pairings That Happened This Fall PC’s for People October Son Del Sur Music Pairing October 8th Chemistry Club Pairing December 3rd
Snelling Connection Hamline Elementary Student Advisor Glynis Grostephan | Gifted Serivices glynis.grostephan@spps.org Hamline University Student Advisor Frank Shaw | Mathematics Department fshaw@hamline.edu Snelling Connection Co-Editors Darrian Smith | University Student Travis Whitt | University Student snellingconnection17@gmail.com For more information about the Collaboration hhcollaboration@gmail.com