DAYTON, Ohio (AP) — Schools in a southwest Ohio city are
appealing for volunteers so students who left troubled homelands can get
some extra help.
The Dayton Daily News reports that Dayton Public Schools have about 25
volunteer mentors but would like more, with 105 student refugees
eligible for help through a federally subsidized program. Those who want
to become mentors are provided training in teaching English as a Second
Language and literacy and also get a "Refugee 101" class through
Catholic Social Services.
Twenty of the 105 refugees came from
Iraq, and most others are from African nations. They often have fled war
and persecution, and students often have been out of school for long
periods because of turmoil.
Regan Twite, a Belmont High School
junior, said until three years ago, his family was often on the move.
From the Democratic Republic of Congo, they stayed in a refugee camp and
were in a Zambia resettlement program over the past decade before
landing in Dayton.
"Many kids come like in Regan’s situation,
where they missed school for a number of years," said Teresa Troyer, the
district’s ESL coordinator. "So the faster they can get access to the
content, the faster they can catch up academically."
Volunteer mentor Melisssa Bertolo works with Twite, helping him with English at his family’s apartment.
"I
have homework that I don’t understand that they give in a school," said
Twite, whose first language is Swahili. "She can explain it to me. She
makes me understand the words."
"The amount of impact someone can
have on someone’s life is really important," said Bertolo, who said
seeing the amount of progress the students can make is encouraging. She
is also the city’s coordinator for its Welcome Dayton initiative to help
the city be immigrant-friendly.
Federal funds through the Refugee School Impact Grant program have helped with startup costs and hiring
an administrator.
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Information from: Dayton Daily News, http://www.daytondailynews.com
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