Over the course of my research on World Relief, what
stands out to me the most is the fortitude of the refugee high school students.
Regardless of what country and what type of conflict these kids have left
behind, each must bear the burden of emotional scars while simultaneously navigating
a completely foreign new life—foreign in every sense of the word—and they each make
it work. It’s hard to put myself in their shoes. Most of the kids come here speaking
little to no English, but they learn so quickly. They work hard, study hard,
help support their families, and they help each other so much. Kim Orchard, the
guidance counselor for the WR students at West Aurora, facilitates adjustment
group meetings for the students to discuss, seek advice, or vent about issues
they face. Imagine an English-speaking
counselor, a French-speaking African, an Arabic-speaking Iraqi who translates
for a Bhutanese in Spanish so the Pakistani can understand…you get the picture.
Given the level of trauma so many refugees have experienced, they certainly
deserve the chance to begin life anew in typical American towns such as Aurora,
IL.
I found the required books for this course really, really interesting, especially the Space of Public Opinion and Nobody. The progression of the media’s reporting and commenting about current news has changed so much with the advent of the internet. It seemed like everyone tuned into the nightly network news when I was a kid, but not I don’t really hear anyone talking about last night’s broadcasts. I can say that I don’t even know the names of the 3 major networks evening broadcasters. We’ve switched from trusting a knowledgeable news journalist or two to trusting sound bites provided by basically anyone with a Twitter account. But honestly, what will stick with me the most about the class is Hill’s book, Nobody. Hill makes it so apparent that our country has done a lousy job of caring for and providing opportunities for the most vulnerable. It’s an overwhelming reality that has absolutely no easy solution. I only hope that our leaders and future ...
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