Credit to Sam Cary
A student smiles as she looks on at the rest of her classmates. Nahed Chapman’s enrollment has doubled since the beginning of the school year, leading to a rise in the student to teacher ratio.
Published: March 8, 2017
To help each student be successful once the two years are up, the high school students are taken on both college trips and visits to regular public schools to help adjust to what life will be like away from the Nahed Chapman New American Academy. Meanwhile, younger students are taken on tours of the next public school they will attend.
“We do field trips and college tours,” high school counselor Danielle Carter said. “We like to do things they will experience at other schools…Coming from there with PTSD and high anxiety and a constant state of shock everyday, they need to know everything up front. We like to give them as much exposure as we can.”
While many students are focusing on just preparing for their next school, or on earning their high school diploma, Hussein sees the opportunity before him as something even greater.
“It helps us to learn more and to get more in the future,” Hussein said. “For me, when I come to school, I need to have a respect and we need to help each other. I help the people, and I like the school and will leave to another school…I need to finish all my school, to go to college, and to get a better future.”
For Hussein, college will be the key to success. After integrating into American schools and society, he plans to return to his country and give back.
“I look to become a police officer,” Hussein said. “I need to know more about the police officers here and what it is like. I need to be better for them, for my country. The school helps. If you become nice to the teachers and to the people, this school helps to be a good person and learn more English and learn more you need to know. I’m not thinking about anything else.”
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