What do you think? AHE reporters ask students about Syrian refugees

The Revelstoke Current's three student reporters at Arrow Heights Elementary School — Rebecca Grabinsky, Emily MacLeod, and Amelie Delesalle — are eager young writers who enjoy providing some insight into the events at their school. They surveyed fellow students for their views, wrote a story about what some of them thought and also produced a video about everything kids an do here that they hope the family's children will enjoy. You can click on this image to view the video or watch it on the YouTube player at the bottom of this page. Revelstoke Current screen grab
The Revelstoke Current’s three student reporters at Arrow Heights Elementary School — Rebecca Grabinsky, Emily MacLeod, and Amelie Delesalle — are eager young writers who enjoy providing some insight into the events at their school. They surveyed fellow students for their views, wrote a story about what some of them thought and also produced a video about everything kids an do here that they hope the family’s children will enjoy. You can click on this image to view the video or watch it on the YouTube player at the bottom of this page. Revelstoke Current screen grab

Editor’s Note:

The Revelstoke Current’s three student reporters at Arrow Heights Elementary School — Rebecca Grabinsky, Emily MacLeod, and Amelie Delesalle — are eager young writers who enjoy providing some insight into the events at their school.

They recently surveyed kids about the local project to bring a Syrian refugee family here from a camp in Jordan. The family includes five children who will attend our local schools so its not difficult to understand the local girls’ interest. The AHE students also created a video about Revelstoke they hope the family can see before they arrive (and that may not be until autumn at the earliest). Please activate the YouTube player at the bottom of this page to watch their video.

Here’s what Emily, Amelie and Rebecca have produced:

Refugee Survey Results

By Emily MacLeod, Amelie Delesalle and Rebecca Grabinsky
AHE Student Reporters

Recently we gave the Arrow Heights 5/6 class and 6/7 class a survey about the refugees coming to Revelstoke. Here are the results:

Question 1 — Do you read newspapers or watch national news programs on TV?
53% said yes 47% said no

Question 2 — Have you read or seen news stories about the war in Syria?
92% said yes 8% said no

Question 3 — Have you read or seen news stories about the people who have fled from Syria to Europe?
67% said yes 33% said no

Question 4 — Did you know that Canada has offered to bring 25,000 refugees to our country?
100% said yes 0% said no

Question 5 — Have you heard about the Revelstoke For Refugees Committee?
75% said yes 25% said no

Question 6 — Did you know the Revelstoke For Refugees Committee is working to bring a Syrian refugee family to our city?
86% said yes 14% said no

Question 7 — Do you think this is a good idea?
86% said yes 14% said no

Question 8 — These families may have children your age. Do you think they will be able to fit into our community?
78% said yes 22% said no

Question 9 — Do you think you can help them get used to living in our community?
83% said yes 17% said no

Question 10 — Do you think refugee families will like living here?
83% said yes 17% said no

From all of the kids that we surveyed we gained the impression that an overwhelming majority are aware of the crisis in Syria and we think the community is ready for them with their positive attitude. The following article will help explain how some of our Arrow Heights students think this project.

Local students want to help where they can

AHE students Landon Camara, Ava Keerak (centre) and Sonia Rosenberger were three of the students surveyed about the Syrian refugee family this spring. Allison Just photo
AHE students Landon Camara, Ava Keerak (centre) and Sonia Rosenberger were three of the students surveyed about the Syrian refugee family this spring. Allison Just photo

By Emily MacLeod, Amelie Delesalle and Rebecca Grabinsky
AHE Student Reporters.

Imagine you are a Grade 7 student who’s lost your home, belongings and friends. You come to a new country where you don’t know the language, culture, food, clothing, weather, and environment.   Your entire way of life has changed.

What can we do to help?

We interviewed four Grade 6/7 students on the issue of the Syrian Refugees. They told us what they thought about how the refugee children will fit in to our completely different environment.

Here is what a few Arrow Heights students had to say for the question: “If you were a Syrian Refugee child, how would you want your peers to treat you?”

Michael Mierstch said he would want his classmates to help him speak English, help him read signs, and include him in activities.

Landon Camara said he would want peers to be nice to him but also to let him have his own space in order to get used to things in a new place.

Ava Keerak said she would want her classmates to treat her equally and not treat her differently. She would want to be involved in as much as she can be in order to learn English, which would be a new and difficult language for her.

Sonia Rosenberger said she would want to be treated with respect and for her peers to teach her things she didn’t know, such as how to act and where to go in her new school.

We are going to find out about their family’s story and share our way of life when they get here. We are wondering if the family coming to Revelstoke will live in Arrow Heights and attend Arrow Heights Elementary School.

We want to do things for the family coming here in order to get them out into the community. We could give them a free ski pass and swimming pass. We could teach them how to ski and swim. We could also get them a library card and tell them about programs at the Rec Centre.

There is so much to do in Revelstoke: There will be lots of students willing to tell them about their favourite sport or hobby and get them involved.

 

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR