Snelling Connection features student writers

Snelling Connection is a long-standing Hamline to Hamline Collaboration program which provides fourth and fifth grade students an opportunity to write about topics that interest them and share those pieces in a collective newsletter, zine, or newspaper. This month we are excited to bring a couple of these writers and their talent to our neighbors. Please enjoy the work of these wonderful young people!

‘Secrets of Kids’ by Sylvie Wolfson
A grown-up brushes away a soft cover of ivy. Leaves crunch under their feet as they open the mossy treasure chest. They find a forgotten secret – the magic to harnessing the power of childhood, which grown-ups forget when they turn 18! Now, follow along as they see from the perspective of kids:
Coffee is the stinky bitter drink that almost all kids hate. Why do grown ups drink this strange substance? It begins in Ethiopia, 800 AD with a man named Kaldi. Kaldi was a goat herder and he figured out this strange beverage and gave it to his eager goats to try. A little later he found his goats acting very crazy. We all know why grown ups drink coffee. For their morning energy. Why not eat a whole bowl of sugary cereal? Seems to work for kids.
Even though grown-ups don’t like it, kids are always watching. It’s like a bird flying – natural instincts. A kid is always listening. Even if we don’t hear “take out the trash” we will always hear “let’s get her this present.” Now all this listening has made us far smarter than the adults think. Kids’ minds are also very creative! Our minds are still developing so it is easier to get into a new habit.
Yep, kids are pretty cool! With our adaptive, creative minds, our great spying powers and a full stomach of sugary cereal we can do just about anything we put our minds to!

‘OK Go… Listen to This Band’ by L.M. del Toro
Have you ever thought that a rock band could also be educational? They are a group of four that are not only an indie rock band, they also make elaborate, unbroken, single shot music videos. Their music is also awesome, and became popular in 2005 when their first music video came out with the song, “Here It Goes Again.”
OK Go was formed in 1999 when Damian Kulash and Tim Norwind met in art camp at age 11. Later they met Andy Dunkan in high school, and after Tim and Andy moved to Chicago for college, they formed a band with Dan Konopka called Stanley’s Joyful Noise. Damian joined after he graduated from Brown University, and they finally became OK Go. The name “OK Go” is an inside joke from the art camp they went to, referring to their art teacher’s assistant who often said “Ok…Go!” While they were drawing, the band members felt it was the perfect name for the band.
Did you know OK Go music videos are used as dynamic school content? Yes, teachers show these cool videos to their students! Most teachers show OK Go videos because their videos are so crazy and creative it pops the idea “Hey maybe I could do something like that!” Then they share it with their friends and it happens all over again. These videos really help open up childrens’ minds, unlike the social media influencers we see today.
I bet you are thinking what happens in these videos anyway? Well, OK Go videos are known for their elaborate, and often complex choreography, optical illusions, and single shot filming. To make OK Go videos they had to have a lot of help from awesome companies like Meta, Honda, Chevrolet, and Morton Salt!
As you might watch OK Go videos, watch closely to see the crazy things that happen before it’s gone! See this in action and they will change how you see the world! You can find OK Go videos and behind the scenes videos all on YouTube. To just listen to the music you can find them on Apple music, Spotify, Amazon music, and YouTube. Please check them out now!!
Submitted by Jessica Kopp, Hamline Elementary Lab School Project Manager, School of Education and Leadership.