Migrant youth shown options for the future

Summer school programs expose students to variety of careers

By ROEL GARCIA

The Holland Sentinel

Park Township, MI — They can be doctors, lawyers, scholars, teachers or engineers.

That’s what it’s all about for migrant students during migrant summer school: exposing them to different occupations and planting seeds in their minds.

“We want our students to know what’s available to them, and that’s the world,” said English Language Learners and Migrant Director Michelle Williams.

Migrant summer school begins Wednesday and runs through July 29 at West Ottawa’s Great Lakes Elementary.

Williams expects between 100 to 140 students ranging in grades from Young Kinders to those having finished the eighth grade.

Fifth-grade teacher Stephanie Irizarry is working with the same group she’s worked with for five years.

She’s gotten to know the students and has seen them grow over the years.

She’s tried over the past few summers to expose the students to people in various careers.

“When they were first-graders, I asked them what they wanted to be when they grew up, and they couldn’t tell me,” Irizarry said.

This summer, Irizarry is working with others to bring in people from different backgrounds to meet the students.

The students will learn how to write letters of invitation and send thank-you letters to their guests.
“I want our kids to meet people they might not get the chance to meet but can aspire to become,” she said.

Students are taught regular curriculum in summer school.

Summer school is provided to the students who qualify as migrants and who need the extra help, Williams said.

Areas where students are lacking are identified and instruction is provided.

“We fill in the gaps that might have occurred during the time between schools and moving back and forth,” Williams said.