Author: Tammy Lane • First Posted: Friday, February 13, 2009

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Viktoria Safarian (right) has recruited fellow Transylvania students to tutor FCPS middle school kids who are just learning English.

This year, 768 students who need help learning to speak English have entered the Fayette County Public Schools. Many of them are new to America. Collectively, they speak 39 languages and hail from countries around the globe.

Viktoria Safarian, a 2008 graduate of Tates Creek High School, knows what they’re going through. When she was 11, she came to the United States from Armenia.

“When I first moved here, I didn’t know any English and it was hard to fit in at school,” said Safarian, now a freshman at Transylvania University. “It’s really hard in middle school because the kids don’t understand different cultures.”

Understanding what it’s like to be young and apprehensive about a new environment, Safarian is now reaching out to kids who have just moved here, primarily from war-torn countries. She has recruited fellow college students to volunteer in the Newcomer Center, where refugee children can find support and an extra smile.

“We hope at least they’ll make friends and feel better about school,” Safarian said. “I just hope we can help them transition into our school system more smoothly.”

The “Newcomers” program targets FCPS middle school students who have recently come to the United States from zones of war or upheaval, or who have never been in school, or whose formal education has been interrupted. The focus is not only on teaching English and the core curriculum, but also on helping students adjust to a new culture and the expectations of schooling in America.

Participating children are bused from across the district to Tates Creek Middle School, where ESL teacher Katie O’Daniel leads classes all day. For the next few weeks, the kids also are gathering for an hour after school on Wednesdays and Thursdays with the Transy volunteers.

The first afternoon, students on both sides were a little nervous. But over construction paper and scissors, the barriers started to melt away. The Transy kids asked questions like “Do you play sports?” and “How do you pronounce your name?” And the Newcomer students gradually seemed more at ease. One 11-year-old girl from Tanzania even tried on a Transy student’s sunglasses and taught the visitors how to say “Cool” in Kirundi, her native language.

O’Daniel, who is in her fourth year teaching students in the English as a Second Language program, said the “Newcomers” meet her more than halfway. “They have willingness. They work really hard for me,” she said.

Often, O’Daniel starts with pictures and basic hand signals to communicate with the kids. “It’s like miming at first,” she said, explaining how she assesses their language skills.

“Each kid is different and their background is different,” she noted. Most are from refugee camps in Africa. This year’s group includes children from Burundi, Congo, Haiti and Mexico.

“Within the refugee population in Lexington, a lot of the kids are coming in with very large foundational gaps,” O’Daniel said. “There’s also a great amount of cultural shock.”

The Newcomers program, which is in its second year, provides an “incubation period” that softens the blow. The kids get intensive work in language arts, social studies, science and math.

“A lot of that is to get them a foundation in the core content,” said O’Daniel, who said the children also participate in electives like gym, art and music.

“My primary goal is to make sure it’s a happy place for them,” especially for those coming from war-torn countries. “I like to offer a safe haven.”

For Safarian, volunteering with the Newcomers is a tangible way to give back to her community.

“Originally I thought it would be one-on-one mentoring,” she said. But that would require a huge commitment of time and volunteers.

Instead, the Transy students drop by Tates Creek Middle when they can – getting to know the kids, exchanging vocabulary and doing crafts. They plan on a different theme each week, such as the seasons, holidays and animals. The college kids will also lend a hand with homework.

Safarian’s proposal for the after-school program won her a spot in the Clinton Global Initiative University, Feb. 13-15 at the University of Texas at Austin.

Each year, CGI hosts a meeting for students and university officials to discuss solutions to pressing global issues. This weekend, more than 1,000 students will come together to make a difference both internationally and locally.

For Safarian, it starts here in Lexington with the Newcomers. “It’s really rewarding,” she said. “It’s close to my heart.” 

Related article:

Cassidy Elementary welcomes immigrants and refugees with FACE Time.