Every year, the global refugee crisis forces countless families and
individuals to abandon their homes and flee to America. The city of
Portland and surrounding towns have seen an influx of refugees over
the years from countries such as Rwanda, the Congo and Somalia.
There are many challenges that refugees face coming to America.
Among them is their lack of fluency in English, fundamental
misunderstanding on the part of the Americans, and the intolerance
that goes with that misunderstanding.
Natalie worked to
overcome these challenges by creating a language learning program in
the Cape Elizabeth and Portland schools. Student volunteers from Cape
Elizabeth High School work with refugee students, as well as other
English Language Learning (ELL) students, helping them with their
academic work and tutoring them in English. High school students are
encouraged to participate starting their freshman year, creating a
sustainable volunteer base to keep the program going.
The
impact of her project is two-fold; her fellow students, who have never
experienced true diversity, gain firsthand understanding by working
with individuals from entirely different backgrounds, thus
establishing a more accepting community; and those refugees gain a
better understanding of the English language.
Natalie has
presented her project at 2016 Senior Leadership Conference at Salve
Regina University in Rhode Island, where she was the keynote speaker,
inspiring other students to start programs like hers in their own
communities.
Natalie says that success of Cultural
Communication can be measured by the incredible exchange of culture
and knowledge that has occurred between the student volunteers and the
refugee students, and the wonderful impact it has had on all their
lives.
Natalie, you are a true ambassador for Girl
Scouts, and you are a leader who makes us proud.
The Girl Scout Gold Award represents the highest achievement in
Girl Scouting, recognizing girls in grades nine through 12 who
demonstrate extraordinary leadership through remarkable take-action
projects that have sustainable impact in their communities and
beyond. It requires a minimum of 80 hours of work in planning and
implementing the project. Only five percent of eligible girls take
the path toward earning the Gold Award, but those who complete the
journey change their lives and the lives of others in amazing ways.
Learn
more about all the highest awards in Girl Scouting.
