By Cheryl Bourassa | Program Manager
May 26 marks the final day of our After School collaboration with students from St. Paul’s School, a private boarding school, located in Concord, NH. Thanks to your help, we have had a terrific year of building friendships and improving academic skills! Our students come in asking for help with a biology assignment or for proofreading an essay. Our middle school students seldom have homework, but they come just because St. Paul’s makes it so much fun. They play word games; even though they are laughing and joking with each other, language skills are growing.
Three boys, Fred, Frank and Abbas, are our most regular middle school students. Fred and Frank are brothers and have been in the U.S. for almost a year. Abbas has been here since February. Their confidence levels when they interact with people outside of their Congolese community have skyrocketed. When invited to spend a day at St. Paul’s School, they agreed with no hesitation. Between playing soccer and basketball, teaching some dance moves and using the climbing wall, all of our students had an exciting day; they might not have realized how much English they used communicating with their St. Paul’s friends.
With the end of the school year, we are busy planning ways to keep students engaged in improving their language skills and mastering some of the academic content that they need to succeed. The best way to keep improving as an English speaker is to engage with native speakers. Fred told us that what he really wanted to do this summer was play soccer with kids who aren’t already his friends. Because of your generosity, we have the funds to host a Memorial Day soccer tournament. Between games, youth and parents will have a chance to chat and build connections between communities.
Some of our older students will take Citizenship classes this summer; others will work on their SAT skills. We’ll be able to take them on adventures. Many have only explored their new home town. This summer, they will have a chance to go on a whale watch and roast marshmallows at the beach. Always, they will interact with host community members. Please consider donating on June 15, a matching bonus day to ensure that we have the funds we need to provide rich and meaningful experiences for our youth. Your generosity is truly changing the trajectory of their lives. We can’t thank you enough!
By Cheryl Bourassa | Program Manager
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