New American Africans Youth Program

New American Africans’ youth program is thriving.  This summer, we have watched how careful intervention and support can give young people the boost needed to become their best possible self.  The growth we’ve seen in two youngsters helps to illustrate the possibilities that open when generous donors ensure that we can continue to employ a youth coordinator.

Both Justine and Jacques are relative newcomers to Concord, NH, arriving here as refugees from Congo.  Justine is going into 7^th grade.  She is a frequent participant in our African dance program.  There, she spends time with friends, moving easily from Kinyarwanda to English, as she builds a strong relationship with Ayi, our youth coordinator. 

In March, the University of New Hampshire’s summer youth science program contacted us, looking for promising students who might benefit from two weeks of residential camp, building STEM skills while having all fun associated with a summer camp.  Because Ayi knows both Justine and her family, he was able to gain the support of her parents, getting them on board with the idea of a young girl going off from her family.  Justine, a very strong and capable student, was thrilled with the idea.  In July, she spent two weeks speaking only English as she built and tested miniature rockets, worked on real life chemistry problems and had an all-around wonderful experience.

Jacques is about to enter middle school.  His 5^th grade English Language Learner teacher is concerned about his literacy level.  She knew that the NAA was planning a summer literacy program and contacted us to make sure that we included him and several others who were moving on to middle school with low literacy.  Jacques is a very sweet kid who lives with his mom and several siblings.  He does not come from a culture of literacy, and thus he would not be apt to read often during the summer without outside support.

Jacques came weekly to our program.  Each week, he had a chance to read a ‘just right’ book, one that would challenge, but not frustrate him.  He read out loud to a youth volunteer.  When he stumbled on words, our young volunteers would help him, asking questions to ensure that he understood the new vocabulary.  After that, he could spend time playing board games with both new American and host community youth.  Because we had host community members working with us, all conversation had to be in English.  He went with us to the ocean for the first time ever.  Next week, he will take part in our end of the program activity – a day at a high ropes course.  He and all of the other participants and volunteers are super excited as they look forward to a day of pure fun.

When Justine and Jacques return to school in a few weeks, they will be able to work with Ayi and his team of high school student volunteers.  Justine was a regular participant last year.  Because Jacques built a strong relationship with Ayi this summer, he too is apt to join our after-school program, getting the support he needs to prosper.  We can’t thank you enough for the generosity that makes all of this possible.

New American Africans works hard to ensure that immigrants succeed as they traverse a long and often difficult path to acculturation.  There is so much to learn about life in their new home town, Concord, NH.  Many of the changes that families face flow in one direction: they must learn how to live here.  For example, if an immigrant learned to drive in a place where licenses are not required, and babies are held while driving, Concord is not going to meet immigrants half-way.  Local laws must be learned and observed.  

But, there are times when local understandings must evolve, allowing for acculturation to become more of a mutual process.  School presents a myriad of opportunities for resettled youth, but also many, many challenges.  Especially for young boys, the understanding that it is important to sit still, keeping their hands to themselves, can be hard to internalize.  Once these youths are out of the classroom, and participating in after school programming, it is not uncommon for them to need to be physically active. 

This school year, NAA has been able to partner with the Concord School District’s after school program.  Our youth coordinator, Ayi, is in the middle school three afternoon a week.  He brings in volunteers from St. Paul’s, a local boarding school, who offer academic support and friendship. New American youth find this partnership valuable.  They get the homework help they need, they practice English and they have fun.  Their parents can remain at work, knowing that their children are in a safe setting.  So, when behavior threatens a student’s ability to continue to participate, that child needs an advocate. 

Recently, Ayi was able to intervene on a student’s behalf.  Joe (we are protecting his privacy; Joe is not his true name) was facing a two-week suspension from after school activities because of rough behavior.  Joe is an excellent student, deeply committed to mastering English, doing well in school and fitting into his new home. But, he still also has norms that he learned in Africa that allow for a more physical kind of play than many American adults feel comfortable with. He and another boy were running in the hallway, bumping off each other on the way to the gym.  Joe understands that running at school isn’t permitted, but after a long day of operating in a new culture, it seemed like such a normal way to interact with his friend, also from Africa.  American adults were quick to assume that this was more than just a violation of the no running policy: this was unwarranted, unacceptable physical aggression.

Luckily for them, Ayi saw the interaction.  He spent time working with the American adults, explaining how African boys play.  He diffused the situation.  A consequence that might have sent a very negative message to a very promising student was avoided.  While the school still will intervene when students are running and pushing, the response will be more appropriate; the assumption will not be that serious trouble is brewing.

Ayi knows Joe well because he comes for academic support, and he participates in our dance program.  It is during the evenings, when the dance class is scheduled, that all of our youth are free to be truly themselves.  It is these rich relationships, fostered through dance, that allows Ayi to play a critical role in helping the school district to understand the culture of newcomers.  Acculturation is always an easier path when the host community is willing to meet students halfway.  We are so lucky to have Ayi serve as a cultural navigator, bringing both communities to a place of mutual understanding.