Yes, Jessica. It's Year 10 for Ubuntu Academy & I'm Thrilled Will King Has Been the Incredible Wingman (& Leader) for 9 of Those Years. Here We Go Again

Okay, Julie Roneson. I'm hearing your request that there needs to be a documentarian capturing all that happens at Fairfield University in the summer with CWP-Fairfield literacy labs and teacher institutes. I forget that there are 3 to 4 rooms moving at any moment, kids writing in all the spaces, and an absolute joy for learning. 

We wish this was more like school could be.

We do, too. Yesterday, Mr. William King and Ms. Jessica Baldizon kicked off another year of Ubuntu Academy, our program for immigrant and refugee youth. Currently we have 29 youth in attendance, but that number is likely to arrive (and we love our young man from Newtown joining us from Russian). The program requires buses, food, organization, visual learning, perfect books, wonderful literacy leadership, and the expertise of educators who understand what it's like to learn in a second/third/fourth language, especially when arriving from extraordinary circumstances. 

Who else but these two? 

I had the pleasure of being in the space with Abu, Jalen, Mateo, Liv, and Valery and I can't help but be thrilled. The kids are entrenched in literacy from 8:40 a.m. when they are picked up until 3:20 p.m. when they are dropped off (but we could use less I-95 traffic. It took most of us over 90 minutes to get to work yesterday)...with everyone jumping off the highway and taking backroads, it was simply a tremendous mess. But we made it!

For the next two weeks, the young people will be reading a poetic novel, as well as a graphic one, gaining confidence in their English language abilities, writing a piece to be published with their American-born and teacher peers, and having a fantastic time where there's support, laughter, snacks, joy, and encouragement. 

When I began thinking about ways to make CWP-Fairfield youth programming more genuine, the first area I target were the English language learners of Bridgeport Public Schools. The teachers are incredible, the young people motivated to learn, and the systems we provide them, short-changed to provide all the incredible support they need. 

For two weeks each year, for a little while any way, we do what we can through CWP housed at Fairfield University. It takes the community of many to assist the achievement of each individual.