Spring 2012 by Snelling Connection

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THE

SNELLING CONNECTION Newsletter for the Hancock-Hamline Collaboration Spring Issue 2012 Volume 15, Issue 3 [Photo by: Aydyrus Abdirahman]

[Photo by: _________________]

[Photo by: Margot Howard]

[Left] Snelling Connection class poses with Teacher Glynis Grostephen and outgoing CO-Editors Tessa Mortenson and Amanda Skevik. [Above] Incoming Co-Editors Zachary Knudson and Isaac Mullin join the Snelling Connection.

New Co-Editors Announced Amanda, Tessa say goodbye as Zach, Isaac take on leadership for Knudson, he has 2 brothers, and 1 sister. “Absolutely! We’ve had our Soon after Amanda Skeviki’s fair share of ups and downs, but my time at Snelling Connection came to an siblings have always been there for me end, Zach Knudson and Isaac Mullin when I need them most,” Knudson said were introduced as the new co-editors. when asked about how much he enjoys Skeviki has been missed, by Snelling his siblings. Knudson also plans on Connection students a lot. staying in college for four years, and Mullin’s opportunity in hopes to become either a teacher, or journalism began on April 4, 2012. something in business. Mullin had an interest in Snelling They both also help prepare the Connection by the ads that were Snelling Connection students for the posted up. While Knudson had an issue. interest by his background in his past. Journalism and teaching are Like any ordinary student, two specific things Mullin likes to do. Mullin and Knudson have siblings. While Knudson likes to teach and Mullin has four sisters and six help people. Well Mullin wants to use brothers. his knowledge to help students learn. “I love going home to both my In his time as a teenager, Mullin had siblings and my parents. Family is the experiences in journalism. He started most important thing in my life,” said by working on his high school’s Mullin. newspaper called The Pine Curtain. On the other hand, Mullin wants Meanwhile, Mullin additionally spent to stay in college for 4 years. After a semester working for Hamline’s those four years, he wants to successes newspaper called The Oracle. in becoming an elementary teacher. Knudson also got started working on a Mullin and Knudson are a great help to newspaper in high school, called The the Snelling Connection students. As Crier, where he became the Editor-in-

By Mai-Lee Xiong Journalist

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Chief. Both Mullin and Knudson were section editors for The Oracle for a semester. But even though Mullin and Knudson only has one semester at Snelling Connection, so far they’ve been enjoying it. “I love it! There is so much positive energy. I get excited for Tuesdays and Thursdays to be impressed by all the students hard work and creativity,” said Knudson. “Although I’ve only has one class period which I’ve been present for, I absolutely enjoy it. I have worked with many of the students already, and I know they will be just as fun to work with on the Snelling Connection,” Mullin said. Snelling Connection is ending soon this year. But Knudson and Mullin aren’t leaving yet. Hopefully, they will stay for a very long time. Writing is important to everyone. We write every day, it doesn’t matter how you write. Enjoy and appreciate writing. If you can read, you can write.

The Snelling Connection NEWS

Collaboration Picks New Lead Tutor Faduma Yakob chose to replace Cassy Popp next school year By Malee Yang Journalist Faduma Yakob is the New Lead Tutor for the Hamline-Hancock Collaboration. Stepping into the position as Lead Tutor , Yakob is prepared to help manage the Hamline tutors. She applied for the job, got an interview, and received the title because she was most qualified. The job is to schedule all the tutors into a classroom. Also, she does all the communication to the tutors, and has to

make sure all tutors are signing up for the trainings. She needs to make sure all the classrooms have help from tutors. She started training in this past January. “It really helped to have Faduma, because I don’t have time to schedule tutors to classes, it also makes it more manageable for me,” said Deborah Shipp, Assistant Principal at Hancock Elementary. Yakob will officially take over in [Photo by: Aydyrus Abdirahman] September of 2012 and will carry out her Faduma Yakob, the new Lead Tutor at duties as Lead Tutor through the 2012Hancock-Hamline University Collaborative 2013 school year. Magnet School.

Student Teachers Seven Hamline students practice teaching students By Yee Thao Journalist

[Photo by: Tallese Graham and Emma Luchsinger] Hamline student teacher Karin Johnson ready to dive into teaching kindergartners.

Hancock Elementary has an unusually large amount of student teachers this spring; a total of seven. We were able to interview two student teachers who include Karin Johnson and Annika Graif. They usually student teach for 12 weeks. They chose Hamline because Hamline has a good schedule for working because it’s part time and also because most classes are in the evening and at night. They chose to be a teacher because their teachers were inspirations, and because they enjoy being around kids. Karin Johnson said they would start off as a substitute and work her way to becoming a full-time teacher. Annika Graif doesn’t really care where she ends up teaching, just as long as she gets to teach kids. Karin and Annika are willing to teach any grade, but if Annika prefers second through fourth grade or middle school for social studies. Both teachers-to-be are hoping to be teachers that are respected, but you never know.

Pen Pal Program Established

Class in South Dakota partners with Mr. Lein’s class at Hancock Elementary By Malee Yang Journalist Daniel Gerdes is starting a pen pal program between two different classes. While one class is in South Dakota, one is in Minnesota. Wounded Knee School is a school in a reservation camp for the Dakota Indians in South Dakota. He’s been involved witht this school since 2009, and he has been in contact with the teachers and administrators since 2008. He learned more about the situation on the reservation and felt that something needed to be done to help improve education. That’s why he chose pen pal, because it helps promote literacy, by improving writing skills as well as communication and reading skills. Along with a pen pal program, there will be a book drive to repopulate the Wounded Knee School’s library. He is going to ask the students at Hancock to bring in books they don’t use at home that are in good condition to donate to the Wounded Knee School.

“I think the conditions on the reservation [are] very, very poor. To help that situation, I would like to help promote literacy in the younger population to begin improving the quality of life for the Oglala People in Pinwridge,” Gerdes said. Pinwridge is a group of the greater Sioux tribe. Gerdes also said that the program will create a more comprehensive education by providing a more diverse selection of books for them to read. He is trying to connect the Wounded Knee School class to a Hancock Class. Mr. Lein’s sixth grade class is writing letter to the students in the Wounded Knee School. “I’ve never had a pen pal before and I’m really excited,” Student Angela [Photo by: Ana Caballero] Xiong said. Dan G, Hamline student tutor at HancockNow that the letter have reached Hamline Magnet Elementary School, minutes before teaching Mr. Lein’s class. them, they have begun responding. “I really enjoy doing this and I hope I get a letter back from one of the students,” Student Ana Cabreello said.

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The Snelling Connection NEWS

IMAGINE No Malaria By Selene Mohammad Journalist

Every year, 300-500 million people are infected with Minneapolis on October 10-20, 2012. The students art Malaria. Even 3,000 die a day. What can we do to make this projects are making a collage of how the world would be like stop? Well, Daniel Campbell might have a way. without Malaria. Daniel Campbell Communications Assistant at After the art projects are on display, people can come Hamline University, and Deziree Brown, student worker to the Art Gallery and but the project, or just to see them. at Hamline, are leading the project Campbell created this event because it [Illustration by: Taw Bee] called “Imagine No Malaria” to stop helps educate Hancock students about Malaria from spreading and killing Malaria in Africa and so they can people around the world. Malaria is experience art. Also, he would like to a disease that kills a child all around see more Americans learn about and the world every minute. It comes start caring for those who have Malaria. from mosquito bites, but it’s 100% “The best thing about this project preventable and treatable. Campbell is that I can help Hancock students is working with a Hancock class to make a real difference in the world. make art projects and put them in Hopefully when you grow up, you’ll an art gallery. continue to use your creativity to Campbell and Brown began to make the world a better place,” come to start the project at Hancock Campbell said. “I would love to do on May 8 with the second, third and more projects like this!” fourth grade students from the Learning Center. For more information about “Imagine All of the art projects completed will be displayed No Malaria” go to www.hamline.edu/ at Homewood Studios Art Gallery in North imaginenomalaria.

[Photos by: Rayan Dhamuke] [Left to Right] Daniel Campbell works with a student to create an art project; Daniel Campbell takes a break from working with students; Students work together to create an art project for Imagine No Malaria.

Empty Bowls raises awareness

Event educates students, community members about hunger in Minnesota By Keleenah Yang Journalist One out of every four people in the world is starving, which is why for the third year, Daniel Campbell and Lisa Fralish helped put on the Empty Bowls fundraiser which raises money to end hunger in local communities. Students were able to make bowls for the event, which was at Klas Center at Hamline University. Not only did Hancock-Hamline Collaborative Magnet School students make bowls, but so did Hamline University students, Northern Clay Center, Fired It Up Studios, Edina Art Center, Bungalow Pottery, Dock 6 Pottery, Yali You, Halley Sobeck, Hmong Academy, Michael Ziomko, and other local artists. “I had fun making the bowls,”

said one Hancock student. “I think that helping the hungry is very necessary.” The event was on April 2, and lasted from 11 am to 7 pm. Those who came would choose a bowl made by members throughout the community, get soup, and participate in activities. A variety of community organizations helped by donating soup. Organizations included Salut, Cafe LAtte, Saffron Restaurant and Lounge, Seward Co-op, The Wedge, Gingko Coffeehouse, Jefferson’s Pub and Grill, Jane Southwood and the Mississippi Market. Everyone was welcome to attend. Many attendants were able to learn more about hunger in Minnesota. “In Minnesota, people are more likely to be hungry,” said Fralish. Participants at Empty Bowls were able to donate money to help fight

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hunger in Minnesota. Those who did were able to take a bowl home. Over 200 people attended, and 2,081.31 were raised and split between Keystone & Community Service, and the White Earth Land Recovery Project.

[Photo by: Najma Ali] Daniel and Lisa, from Hamline University, with Hancock Hamline Snelling Connection Editor Keleenah Yang.

The Snelling Connection FEATURE

The Road to Yale

College Begins in Kindergarten! By Glynis Grostephan Snelling Connection Instructor “Impossible!” screamed in my head “...will we even make it to the middle?” This river would lead us to refugee camps where we would be taught, then led, to another country to settle (the United States, France, or anywhere else). Kaozoupa Elizabeth Lee ‘s journey to college included writing about the risks her father, and his family, took when they crossed the Mekong River to escape war in Laos. This story also gives us a hint of Elizabeth’s inherent determination to achieve during her life. At Hancock School, Elizabeth worked hard and took advantage of all the wonderful opportunities available. She became Hancock Student Council President, helping with many service-learning projects. She was part of an “Odyssey of the Mind” team, winning third place in competition. She researched and prepareda project on China for the Minnesota Geography Fair. And, Elizabeth was selected to appear on a Dragonfly TV episode about tornadoes! Elizabeth also benefitted from the Hancock/Hamline pairings. She helped with the first Earth Day Festival; took part in Mock Trials in fifth grade at the Hamline University School of Law; and she took part in a grade level collaboration with Gifted Services and the Women in Natural and Social Sciences that provided experimentsto get students interested in the sciences. Elizabeth also was part of a debate group stemming from a Kids Voting kick off presented by David Hudson and David Schultz from Hamline University. She studied the issue of school uniforms and during a Kids Voting election, Hancock voted against having school uniforms. In sixth grade Elizabeth wrote this in the Snelling Connection:

[Submitted Photos]

“I think Hamline is a great benefit to Hancock students. It has so much to offer and I think it’s great they share their auditoriums and campus grounds with us. Hamline means a lot to me and I think it also means a lot to others, both staff and students.” Kids’ Corner, November 2000 Not only did Elizabeth had many Hamline experiences and Hancock experiences in elementary school, she became: a Girl Scout Gold Award Recipient, 2003 Saint Paul Winter Carnival Queen of the Snowflakes, 2006 United States Senate Youth Program Participant, U.S. Department of State Intern, Summer of 2010, Laos, and lastly a translator for Assistant Secretary of State, Eric Schwartz and U.S. Senator, Al Franken. Her journey led to college and on May 23, 2011, Elizabeth graduated from Yale University! Her plans are to attend Law School and/or Graduate School for International Relations. With hard work and determination, nothing is impossible for Elizabeth.

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Snelling Connection Updates Alot of changes are in the making for this publication. Not only is there new leadership, we have also redesigned the style of the publication itself. Next year, students will vote to pick an official logo and slogan for the Snelling Connection publication. On behalf of all individuals who work hard with the Hamline-Hancock collaboration, thank you to those who will be leaving positions after the end of this school year, particularily Pres Martin of Hamline, and Co-Editors Amanda and Tessa. Your leadership has made the collaboration strong and powerful. A warm welcome to those who are joining the collaboration in the next upcoming school year. It’s important that we continue to strive to make this partnership as strong as possible in order to create a more successful future for alll students. We do that, by keeping one core belief in our head - College begins in Kindergarten! — Zachary Knudson

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SC Student Leader & Blogger Yee Thao | 6th Grade