Issue link: http://latinschool.uberflip.com/i/686133
News & Notes Students Record the Syrian Refugee Experience Over the winter and spring a group of Latin juniors teamed up with StoryCorps to record Syrian refugee experiences for the Library of Congress. e project, which was part of e Color of America, an immigration literature elective, gave students the opportunity to relate what they were reading in class to real people and stories. "e longer I taught this course, the more I felt compelled to engage with the immigrant community in Chicago," said English teacher Frank Tempone. "I didn't want to have my students only read the literature, when there are so many immigrant stories in this city." Tempone, who had recently interviewed Ethiopian immigrants in Rogers Park for a journalism course, saw the interview format as a way for his students to connect with individuals. He began reaching out to organizations that serve immigrant communities but soon ran into roadblocks as he discovered that recent immigrants often don't want to talk about their experiences. On the other hand, the Syrian Community Network (SCN), an organization that is in the thick of dealing with the Syrian refugee crisis, was eager to raise awareness and embraced the idea of working with students. Following the advice of a fellow faculty member, Tempone then contacted StoryCorps, which is a national public service project dedicated to preserving and sharing the human experience through audio interviews that are archived at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. and broadcast on National Public Radio. By collaborating with StoryCorps, students learned how to interview their subjects in a way that would make them feel comfortable about sharing personal stories, while at the same time helping SCN with its mission. In March, seven students conducted their 30-minute interviews at the StoryCorps studio in the Loop. "e kids were a little nervous because they were matched up with people they had never met before," said Tempone. "It made the level of humanity and empathy in their work even more extraordinary." Back in the classroom, according to Tempone, the experience provided students with a new perspective, helping them to read the texts with a much richer understanding – and an awareness that they have, in a small way, contributed to the national conversation on immigration. I didn't want to have my students only read the literature, when there are so many immigrant stories in this city." — Frank Tempone, English teacher Latin Magazine » Spring 2016 7