Two communities working together

Hamline Elementary, a community school in the heart of the Hamline Midway neighborhood, and Hamline University, Minnesota’s first university have a unique and long-standing partnership. Almost every day you’ll find our two communities working together. Here’s some of what we’ve been up to this school year:
During a burst of warm weather in mid-October, the Hamline to Hamline Collaboration gave over 300 Hamline Elementary pre K-5 students the exciting opportunity to tour Hamline University’s campus so they can get to know it better. Students got to play in leaf piles and visit sites such as Old Main, Klas Field, Hutton Arena, Anderson Center, Sorin Commons and Bush Library. Our university student tour guides talked about what life is like on campus, and Hamline Elementary students asked questions about sports teams, classes, and the cafeteria. Some students asked if the “king and queen of Hamline” lived in “the castle” (Old Main).
Taking advantage of another warm October day, Hamline Elementary fourth and fifth graders participated in an archaeological dig in the Blue Garden with faculty and students from the Hamline University anthropology department. University students visited Hamline Elementary fourth and fifth grade classes before the dig to prepare students for the experience and after the dig to talk about what they learned. In December, Hamline Elementary third graders participated in a Waste Reduction Workshop organized and facilitated by students in the Environmental Justice and Well-Being class at Hamline University. The elementary students impressed HU students and faculty with their knowledge of waste diversion practices and participated in a hands-on activity where they repurposed fabric scraps from the HU costume department into art.
Fourth graders in our writing and communications program, Snelling Connection, have been learning the fine art of interviewing and journalistic writing from their Hamline University Student Co-Editors as they prepare to create a school-based newspaper this spring.
Over 20 university students are working as paid tutors to support Hamline Elementary students in math and literacy in their classrooms while our Hand Mentorship Program continues to grow and pair volunteer university mentors with elementary school students for weekly lunchtime visits.
To learn more about how the Hamline to Hamline Collaboration connects Hamline Elementary and Hamline University, please contact Darby Comiskey (hhcollaboration@hamline.edu) or Jessica Kopp (jkopp06@hamline.edu). The collaboration is also proud to announce the launch of our new social media pages and anyone is welcome to follow to keep up with this special community of learners. Our handles are as follows:
Instagram: hamlinecollaboration
Facebook: Hamline Collaboration
Twitter/X: HamlineCollab
Tik Tok: hamlinecollaboration