Celebrating Kids Corner and Kathy O’Connell

When you love what you do, it is not work! You have made a life, not merely a living!

Elizabeth

Kathy, you have brightened and educated so many lives, littles and grown folks. Robert also contributes so much joy. Thank you, have a wonderful life.

Valerie

I really love that you always shared stories about your personal experiences and timeless songs from novelty albums and Broadway musicals sharing these types of music with kids who might never have heard it otherwise.

Sally

At least two of my three daughters played their violin on the show, and I remember making them go in the basement to answer questions so we could listen on the radio upstairs.

Linda

It is so clear how much your heart lights up when you speak with children; you can truly hear your smile over the radio waves. Thank you for caring for us for nearly 40 years. Congratulations on this next chapter of your life.

Gabriele

I never quite realized when I was a kid how wonderful Kathy is at her job. She asks great questions of the kids that call in — and she listens. What a wonderful thing that she's treating these younger listeners as actual humans who deserve — and are capable of providing — respect.

Laura

Back in the 1900s, we served as phone volunteers for Kids Corner and marveled at the masterful way Kathy interacted with her audience. We saw her as a potential fairy godmother for the children we never had.

tom & corky

When you love what you do, it is not work! You have made a life, not merely a living!

Elizabeth

Kathy, you have brightened and educated so many lives, littles and grown folks. Robert also contributes so much joy. Thank you, have a wonderful life.

Valerie

I really love that you always shared stories about your personal experiences and timeless songs from novelty albums and Broadway musicals sharing these types of music with kids who might never have heard it otherwise.

Sally

At least two of my three daughters played their violin on the show, and I remember making them go in the basement to answer questions so we could listen on the radio upstairs.

Linda

It is so clear how much your heart lights up when you speak with children; you can truly hear your smile over the radio waves. Thank you for caring for us for nearly 40 years. Congratulations on this next chapter of your life.

Gabriele

I never quite realized when I was a kid how wonderful Kathy is at her job. She asks great questions of the kids that call in — and she listens. What a wonderful thing that she's treating these younger listeners as actual humans who deserve — and are capable of providing — respect.

Laura

Back in the 1900s, we served as phone volunteers for Kids Corner and marveled at the masterful way Kathy interacted with her audience. We saw her as a potential fairy godmother for the children we never had.

tom & corky

Kids Corner was my introduction to public radio, and now I'm on the other side of the mic! I host two shows—The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week for Popular Science Magazine, and Science Quickly for Scientific American Magazine. I've also gotten to serve as a guest host for Science Friday. Kathy created the kind of relationship with her listeners that I now aspire to.

Rachel

Thanks, Kathy, for so many years of music, information, and being a down to earth real person who cares.

Wendy

The day Jerry Garcia died I happened to have the radio on. Kathy was SO kind and understanding, explaining to the kids who were listening about who Jerry was, and how he was important to so many people. And that they may need to be particularly nice to their parents while adults were remembering this influential musician and the music he helped create. And I'm not ashamed to say it helped ME to hear her calming voice during that time. She's a gem and I wish her well in her next chapter.

Pauli

Thanks for your years of endless curiosity, celebration, and fun.

Aubrey

Kids Corner was my first ever gig, you let me play a little song about birds I wrote on a tiny Casio. Now I'm an artist who performs all the time <3 Thanks for bringing so much magic into all of our lives and for making us feel seen and heard.

Lucky

One year in college some friends from class invited me to hang out at their house, and when I got in their car, WXPN was on and when "Star Trekkin'" came on, EVERYBODY SANG! I was like "Oh, I DEFINITELY found my people!" Thank you Kathy for being a bright light in the lives of Philly area kids of all ages!

Jen

Now, almost 40 years later, I'm a professional astronomer, partly thanks to radio conversations with Derrick Pitts that stoked my youthful interest in science and space. I still remember talking to him about the sun, which I now study, and how bright it appears in the sky on a stump-the-science-guys episode. (He was not stumped).

Dan

Kids Corner was my introduction to public radio, and now I'm on the other side of the mic! I host two shows—The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week for Popular Science Magazine, and Science Quickly for Scientific American Magazine. I've also gotten to serve as a guest host for Science Friday. Kathy created the kind of relationship with her listeners that I now aspire to.

Rachel

Thanks, Kathy, for so many years of music, information, and being a down to earth real person who cares.

Wendy

The day Jerry Garcia died I happened to have the radio on. Kathy was SO kind and understanding, explaining to the kids who were listening about who Jerry was, and how he was important to so many people. And that they may need to be particularly nice to their parents while adults were remembering this influential musician and the music he helped create. And I'm not ashamed to say it helped ME to hear her calming voice during that time. She's a gem and I wish her well in her next chapter.

Pauli

Thanks for your years of endless curiosity, celebration, and fun.

Aubrey

Kids Corner was my first ever gig, you let me play a little song about birds I wrote on a tiny Casio. Now I'm an artist who performs all the time <3 Thanks for bringing so much magic into all of our lives and for making us feel seen and heard.

Lucky

One year in college some friends from class invited me to hang out at their house, and when I got in their car, WXPN was on and when "Star Trekkin'" came on, EVERYBODY SANG! I was like "Oh, I DEFINITELY found my people!" Thank you Kathy for being a bright light in the lives of Philly area kids of all ages!

Jen

Now, almost 40 years later, I'm a professional astronomer, partly thanks to radio conversations with Derrick Pitts that stoked my youthful interest in science and space. I still remember talking to him about the sun, which I now study, and how bright it appears in the sky on a stump-the-science-guys episode. (He was not stumped).

Dan

I am an educator and I so admire the way you value children without coddling or condescension; you talk to and listen to kids like people with important things to say. This is what I will miss most. You are a treasure, Kathy.

Kate

When I was in elementary school, I used to listen every night. I would wait on the edge of my seat for the trivia question and then TEAR thru the encyclopedia trying to find the answer.

Mike

In the summer of 1995 my parents split up, and we moved up north to New Hampshire. Earlier that summer, I had sent in a list of research questions. You or Robert must have reached out to my old phone number, and my dad got the call forwarded to me up in NH. I was able to give the research question on air from NH. I was having a very rough time with the move and my parents, and I'll never forget how excited I was to be able to ask the research question one last time, but also completely overwhelmed with how sad I was for the same exact reason. This was some sort of inflection point in my life that I'll never forget.

Nick

Listening to Kids Corner as an 8-year-old in 1989 is why I'm an XPN member today. Kathy brought me in as a life-long friend and supporter of community radio.

Erin

Congratulations Kathy! Your life and energy reached far and wide and touched many souls. You will be missed, but remembered fondly by me and thousands more. Thank you for being you!

Curt.

Growing up, my mom worked. She'd come home late, but she always tried to be home around the time Kids Corner started. The beginning riff of the show sounds like warmth, and home, and family, and fun. It means everything's going to be okay after hours of being in the house alone, the house is our Home again.

Ellie

Kid's Corner is truly heart-warming. When it came on, it was like snuggling up on the couch wrapped in a warm, comfy blanket full of hope and wonderment for the kid in us all!

Mary

I am an educator and I so admire the way you value children without coddling or condescension; you talk to and listen to kids like people with important things to say. This is what I will miss most. You are a treasure, Kathy.

Kate

When I was in elementary school, I used to listen every night. I would wait on the edge of my seat for the trivia question and then TEAR thru the encyclopedia trying to find the answer.

Mike

In the summer of 1995 my parents split up, and we moved up north to New Hampshire. Earlier that summer, I had sent in a list of research questions. You or Robert must have reached out to my old phone number, and my dad got the call forwarded to me up in NH. I was able to give the research question on air from NH. I was having a very rough time with the move and my parents, and I'll never forget how excited I was to be able to ask the research question one last time, but also completely overwhelmed with how sad I was for the same exact reason. This was some sort of inflection point in my life that I'll never forget.

Nick

Listening to Kids Corner as an 8-year-old in 1989 is why I'm an XPN member today. Kathy brought me in as a life-long friend and supporter of community radio.

Erin

Congratulations Kathy! Your life and energy reached far and wide and touched many souls. You will be missed, but remembered fondly by me and thousands more. Thank you for being you!

Curt.

Growing up, my mom worked. She'd come home late, but she always tried to be home around the time Kids Corner started. The beginning riff of the show sounds like warmth, and home, and family, and fun. It means everything's going to be okay after hours of being in the house alone, the house is our Home again.

Ellie

Kid's Corner is truly heart-warming. When it came on, it was like snuggling up on the couch wrapped in a warm, comfy blanket full of hope and wonderment for the kid in us all!

Mary