Six Classrooms across the Globe Connect with Celebrities via Skype
Last month, we made the exciting announcement that lucky classrooms across the globe would have a chance to win an once-in-a-lifetime Skype video call with celebrities and authors provided by our partners at 86400movement and OpenEduTalk. Weeks later, we’re thrilled to announce that six lucky classrooms – hailing from Canada, Turkey, and the U.S. – have all connected with some of their favorite celebrities due to the Connected Classrooms Sweepstakes, ending the school year on a high note!
Kicking off the celebrity calls, a very welcomed addition to our great guest speaker line-up included bestselling author Mark Victor Hansen. During his calls with both a school in Evansville, Indiana and in Virginia Beach, Virginia, Hansen encouraged students to excel in reading and to use their skills to teach others about reading and literacy, while also discussing his bestselling novel series “Chicken Soup for the Soul.” The call was so exciting for the students that even Examiner.com and Mediabistro.com wrote about it!
Continuing the excitement, actor and comedian Steve Harvey, chatted with a classroom in Red Rock, Ontario about his book and upcoming movie “Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man,” leaving the students in hysterical laughter! Harvey even revealed to the students that his book is based off his experience with his daughters. Adding onto the town’s excitement, students at Red Rock, Ontario’s elementary school had the thrilling opportunity to have a Skype video call with “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” author Jeff Kinney about his book series.
And it doesn’t stop there. Identical twin actors, Dylan and Cole Sprouse, connected with third graders at Ardsley Elementary School in Ardsley, New York. Not only did they show the students their dog, but also told the students, “take what you want to take in school; if you have a love for what you are doing, you will succeed. Anything you are passionate about doing in school you’ll like achieve in.” ‘Twilight’ actress Tinsel Korey also had similar advice to students at Robert College in Istanbul, Turkey who she advised “always dream big and never lose sight of what you want.” Students also found out that Tinsel mentors and teaches acting skills to youth in her community.
Check out some of the fun photos captured from the Skype video calls below.








Congratulations to the six classrooms that won these Skype video calls! If you’re a teacher interested in exploring other opportunities on Skype in the classroom, please visit education.skype.com and create a free account.
I use Skype all the time for my international business meetings. It is an amazing resource and shrinks the world.
Mr. Shannon Baldridge
Presiden/Co-founder,
Guy Manningham