Credit to Sam Cary

A 9th grade student at the Nahed Chapman Academy smiles after getting an answer correct. Students come into the Nahed Chapman New American Academy at various levels. They get to attend the school for two years, or until they can adapt successfully into American society. Some students have no concept of numbers when they first get to the school, but the staff is able to get the students where they want to be.

Emerging Opportunities

By Sarah Zimmerman

Published: March 8, 2017

Atop of small comforts like food, the school has developed a few programs to help some students adjust and channel any anger from the situations they have come to face, be it their previous country’s struggles or be it the difficulty in learning a new language and culture.

For students who may require a bit of extra guidance, a full bi-lingual staff is available in the office, with people who speak Spanish, Arabic, Swahili, Pahli and French. To help students adapt to their new environment, some extracurricular activities have also been started. For Hussein, the soccer team is a good outlet to play and work hard with his friends. Some of the other activities include a new a basketball program, intramurals and soon-to-be Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts.

Another group beginning is an art therapy group to help students channel their feelings. The art that these students, along with all other students, create displays a message to all. This message of love and hope is grown throughout the students’ artwork, which hangs throughout the hallways of the elementary school.

“The teachers try to incorporate into their reading passages, their writing and their art about diversity and community,” Moore said. “I think it’s a beautiful thing and they come from all different places, but they’re in the same situation: not knowing a lot of English and this new environment and getting them to connect to all the kids that speak their language.”