Volume Eight Issue Two
Winter 2005
Snelling Connection A newsletter highlighting the Hancock/Hamline Collaboration
Hancock and Hamline Tackle Homelessness Winter 2005
In This Issue: 1
Homelessness
2
From the Desk of... Samantha Henningson
Shannon McParland 3
Huskies at HUSC
4
HOSTS
5
Kids’ Corner
6
Hand-in-Hand Lunch
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By Lindsey Anderson In early November, Hancock students voted to address homelessness in St. Paul for their pilot servicelearning project. Project planners Sharon Jaffe, Samantha Henningson, and Glynis Grostephan have since decided that Hancock students, faculty and staff will work with Hamline University’s Office of Service Learning to launch the project around the areas of homelessness advocacy, education, and service. Although finalized plans are still in the works, the project planners have developed several potential activities to address each of these three areas of service-learning. Ideas include involving Hancock students in the March lobby day organized by the Minnesota Coalition for the Homeless, organizing hygiene product drives, making meals, and featuring art and theater pieces to educate the Hancock/Hamline community about local issues sur-
Picture by Chong Her For more on Homelessness, see page 4
rounding homelessness. According to sixth grader Carol Hammerlindl, homelessness is an issue that hits close to home for many Hancock students. “So many people in our communityeven some in our school- don’t have a place to be this winter. I think that if we all work really hard together, we can help them.” The service-learning project will involve approximately 140 students and 25 staff members from Hancock and 20 Hamline University staff and students. Members from the larger HamlineMidway community will also be involved. Hamline University Service Learning Coordinator Sharon Jaffe will work with Hancock’s School wide Enrichment Model (SEM) Coordinator Glynis Grostephan and the Minnesota Coalition for the Homeless to educate Hancock faculty and staff on the fundamentals of service-learning during a staff “Homelessness” continued on page 3
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I Want My Baby! By Janelle Conley Hancock/Hamline liason Shannon McParland is back at school after three glorious months of maternity leave. When asked how it feels to be back, McParland gave a guilty smile. “It’s fine,” she sighed. Eleanor Rose was born to McParland and her husband Steven on the first of July. Ellie, as they like to call her, has big blue eyes framed by long lashes, olive-colored skin, and just a little bit of peach fuzz on her head. “She’s beautiful,” McParland said. “Just precious.” McParland returned to work at Hancock after Thanksgiving break. Her aunt takes care of Ellie while the McParlands are at work. McParland said she likes being back at work, but the separation is a difficult transition even though she knows her daughter is in good hands. “The first day was really hard, but it’s slowly getting better,” she said. “I miss her and I love spending my days just watching her grow, but I also love my job and interacting with the students at Hamline and Hancock.” Things are very busy right now for McParland,
Eleanor Rose McParland smiles for daddy
who has been away from Hancock for a total of five months. When asked what her goals were for the rest of the school year she could only laugh. “Well, my December goal is getting these piles off my desk,” she said. Beyond that, McParland said her goal is the same that it’s always been. “I want to keep improving the experiences that students and staff have, so that everyone grows in their knowledge,” she said. In the meantime, when McParland isn’t at work, her daughter will be keeping her very busy. “She’s getting her teeth right now,” McParland said. Very busy indeed.
From the Desk of... Samantha Henningson, Americorps VISTA Hello! I’m this year’s Americorps VISTA volunteer working with the Hancock/Hamline Collaboration and I am so glad to be a part of this community! My work week is divided between the two campuses and I’m usually at Hancock on Wednesdays and Fridays and at Hamline Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. I currently have three main projects — the Grade Level/Departmental Pairings, the Collaborative Service Learning Project with Hamline addressing homelessness, and helping staff and community members to organize communication with legislators about education
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funding. If you are interested in any of these projects or have other ideas relating to the Collaboration, please let me know! shenningson01@gw.hamline.edu or 651 523 2483.
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Hancock Huskies Visit HUSC By Glynis Grostephan On Tuesday, November 9th, Hancock Student Council Executive Board members visited a HUSC (Hamline University Student Congress) meeting to spur collaboration between the two, and to give Hancock students a chance to see how student government works at the college level. The Roll Call, Committee Reports, Open Forum, and New/Unfinished Business were familiar to the fifteen unusually shy, but very excited, Hancock students. The Laundry Surveys, Roberts Rules of Order, One/Two Hand Voting, and the one-and-ahalf hour meeting were not. Individual HUSC members personally greeted the Hancock students and led them into the classroom so they could sit together. Hamline University’s Anne Wetter introduced the Hancock Student Council president, Carol Hammerlindl, and handed out a Hancock Husky calendar of activities of service-learning projects and theme days at Hancock. Carol talked about Hancock’s current “Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF” drive to help children in need. Hancock has raised $735.00 already! Sixth grade students Javon, Carol, Lucas and Tang thought the HUSC meeting was very interesting. It was exciting to hear that students at “Homelessness” continued from page 1
development day in late January. Samantha Henningson, the Americorps VISTA volunteer working with the Hancock/Hamline Collaboration, hopes that through participating in service-learning, students will learn that they are able to effect and change their communities in little and big ways. “[The project] will also provide opportunities to put students who are familiar with the issue in leadership and educating roles,” she said. For project updates or information on how you can help, please contact Glynis Grostephan at 651293-8715 or glynis.grostephan@spps.org.
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Huskies hard at work with a Hamline representative
Hamline were concerned about recycling issues and making their campus “more green,” since Hancock students have been working for over seven years to become more environmentally responsible. The younger members, third graders William, Shoua and Mariah listened in awe during the HUSC meeting. Even the pizza and pop that was served after the meeting weren’t the focus of their comments. Throughout the school year, more of the sixty members of the Hancock Student Council Executive Board will be visiting HUSC meetings, and HUSC members will be invited to Hancock to see how a real student council works!
Did you know... > Every night in the United states, about 750,000 people don’t have homes. > About 50% of all homeless people are families. > The majority of homeless people never sleep on the streets. > The most important thing all homeless people need is a safe, permanent place to live. Facts courtesy of National Alliance to End Homelessness
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Hamline Athletic Department’s Faculty and Staff Score Big at Hancock By Samantha Henningson The staff and coaches of Hamline University’s Athletic Department are proven all-stars at Hancock. An amazing sixty-seven percent of the department’s faculty and staff mentor Hancock students; all football players mentor at least one semester each year. The Athletic Department’s involvement in HOSTS began six years ago when Athletic Department Chair and Cross Country coach Paul Schmaedeke signed up to work with Hancock students. HOSTS coordinator Amy Eide Kortuem attributes much of the growing involvement of the department to athletic director Dan O’Brien, who is in his third year at Hamline. As the first mentor in Hancock HOSTS history, Dan encouraged other coaches to mentor when he started working at Hamline and instituted a community service requirement for all student athletes. He explains that mentoring goes along with a philosophy the department tries to instill in its student athletes: “What’s most important is not what you do for yourself, but what you do for other people…we come back with a renewed sense of what’s important, and maybe what’s not.” Athletic Department participation affects far more than the department itself; these dedicated mentors bring a certain energy into the room and provide an abundance of personality. Amy Eggert, HOSTS program assistant, explains, “When the coaches come in, they talk to everybody and make people feel comfortable.” They’re even known to have secret handshakes Snelling Connection
with their students. New Basketball coach Barry Wohler has been particularly impressed by the program, saying that it’s well-organized and a great way for us to give back. He even wants to invite his student, Kody, and his familyto a game this season. Hancock teacher Julie Fitzgerald said, “They’ve always been positive role models.” Upon going to press we were so saddened to hear about the loss of recently retired football Coach Donovan Larson, one of the greatest supporters of the Collaboration. Donovan consistently encouraged his student athletes to work with Hancock students “Donovan had high expectations for everyone,” said Kortuem. “Those expectations were filled with care and amazing tough love.” Donovan, who retired from Hamline in November, planned on continuing to mentor and support HOSTS. We want to remember with joy all of the contributions he and his players have made as we keep his family in our thoughts.
Hancock can always use more people from across the street and in the neighborhood. To find out more about mentoring for HOSTS, contact Amy Eide Kortuem at 651-293-6585.
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Kids’ Corner Hancock Students Speak Out Against Homelessness Reach Out By Carol Hammerlindl
Homelessness is a very sad thing. Personally, I know that I would never want to be homeless. I believe we should do whatever we can to get people off the streets and into warm shelters. One of the first questions that comes to mind when I hear the word “homeless” is whether or not the homeless people have enough food, because nobody can live without that. I really hope that a lot of homeless people will get something to eat this holiday season. We should all be able to live in a house, an apartment, or a shelter of some kind. Now that it’s getting cold, a warm place is really important. Homeless children might not understand that they can’t have a warm place to stay for the winter, so we need to do whatever we can to help make sure they do. Most people wear different clothes every day and have closets full of clothing. Homeless people are lucky if they get new clothes each year! We all have those one pair of pants that don’t quite fit; we should give them to the people who really need them. Most of us get three meals a day, but some people are lucky if they get one. Most of us have warm homes to go to and nice clothes to wear, so we need to work together to help those who don’t.
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Helping Hands By Ayla Moris Homelessness People without homes People all alone They can’t afford to cut their hair To get a job and go somewhere They need to laugh, They need to live You can help, You can give With Hancock’s guidance And loving care You can make a difference Anywhere To help the needy, To make them glad So they don’t always Have to be sad Your heart will glow Your light will show ‘Cause if you give a little You’re sure to grow
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Hand-in-Hand Buddies Hungry at Hamline By Lindsey Anderson Thirty-two hungry Hancock students made the trip across Snelling Avenue to eat with their Hamline buddies for the semi-annual Hand-in-Hand lunch December 7th. Buddies feasted on Sorin Dining Hall’s pizza, sandwiches and ice cream while enjoying each other’s company. “Having lunch in Sorin is a unique opportunity to let our buddies see what college life is like,” said Hamline University sophomore Kestrel Jenkins. “It’s a nice chance to get out of a classroom setting and do something fun together.” Most Hancock students agreed that while the food was great, it was spending time with their Hamline buddy that made the event special. “I love eating with my buddy!” exclaimed firstgrader Naimi Badri. “We always play and read together, and now we get to have ice cream!” According to Shannon McParland, Hancock Curriculum Coordinator and Liaison to Hamline
Hungry buddies wait in line for their meals
University, the formerly annual lunch became so popular with students from both campuses that the Hand-in-Hand executive board decided to make it a bi-yearly event. Hand-in-Hand is a program organized and run by Hamline University students to provide Hancock students with Hamline “buddies” to serve as their role models and to teach and model leadership. Buddies meet weekly to play games, read books, and chat. For more information on how to become involved, please contact Hand-in-Hand President Melinda Hexum at 651-523-4167 or mhexum01@gw.hamline.edu.
Coordinator: Rita Johnson, Hamline University Management/Economics Dept. rbjohnson@gw.hamline.edu (651) 523-2431
“Our mission is to build and strengthen the collaborative community through shared learning, relationships, and cultural diversity.” The Snelling Connection is published quarterly and distributed to H/ HUCMS families, the Hamline University community, and to others interested in the collaboration.
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Editorial Advisor: David Hudson, Hamline University English Dept. dhudson@gw.hamline.edu (651) 523-2893 Editor: Lindsey Anderson, Hamline Student landerson06@netmail.hamline.edu (651) 523-4438 Hancock Contact: Shannon McParland, Hancock/ Hamline University Collaborative Magnet School shannon.mcparland@spps.org (651) 292-3499
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