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North first-graders learn history of hats
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During her Kid's Corner reading presentation on March 3, Krista White wore a hat she made for her daughter. Emma White is a student at Dobbins Elementary and wore this hat, representing the rainforest canopy, for a class project.
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Frankie Garcia took extra care in making crisp folds while working on his press man’s hat.
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Tyler Smith (right) didn't show any nerves around the Armstrong cameras as he modeled his hat for the Kid’s Corner television program.
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Ty Spurlock knew that the secret to making any hat look good is a lot of confidence.
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Morgan Kluchar (left) and Kenzie Szolek made matching hats, with each declaring that "Morgan + Kenzie = Best Friends Forever."
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Brayden Pirone thought outside the box as he made his hat, dangling yarn off the hat's two corners and decorating it with bright shapes and pom-poms.
By SARAH FOOR
Usually when students enter their elementary school, they are asked to take their hats off. On March 4, however, Armstrong Channel 19 was allowed to bend the rules for just one morning at North Elementary, during a Kid’s Corner taping focusing on the joy of hats.
Kid’s Corner host Krista White said inspiration for her shows usually comes to her while she is reading.
“I always start at the local library and see what kind of books I like,” explained White of her creative process. “A few weeks ago, I found the book ‘Zara’s Hats’ by Paul Meisel. The story had me thinking about all the wonderful uses for hats, and what hats can say about the person wearing them. I suddenly realized that hats can be really fun!”
For her Kid’s Corner story time on hats, White first welcomed the first-grade classrooms of Linda Rusch, Ruth Metzger, and Penny Mayle.
Before reading, she and the students discussed how different people wear hats, including those for safety, for show, or to show off pride for a local team or event. White told the students that people have been wearing different hats for hundreds of years.
“It’s a wonderful project,” said Metzger as White interacted with the students. “It’s great to see the kids excited about the project. It adds a special something that the kids get to be part of the television process and see how it all works.”
After a spirited reading of “Zara’s Hats” by White, the classes headed to a crafting zone where White had laid out blank newspapers, markers, stickers and yarn.
“We’re going to make pressmen’s hats today,” explained White. “Newspaper printers used to wear these to keep ink and grime from the printing presses out of their hair.”
The large triangular hats were a canvas for the creativity of the students. Popular choices were pom-pom and flower decorations, while other first-graders like Morgan Klucher and Kenzie Szolek used their hats as message boards to declare that the two are best friends.
“These are some of the most amazing hats I’ve ever seen,” White told the students as they modeled their wares.