Education

Education is the ticket to achieving the American Dream for Bhutanese refugees in Akron Part 2

adultslearning

 

Story by Tom Crain

 

David James, Superintendent of Akron Public Schools (APS) says that several of Akron’s schools have been undergoing significant change due to the influx of refugees. “Little did any of us know the U.S. foreign policy decision made nine years ago would bring into our schools a story that is truly inspirational in an American way,” he says. “And now, with so many articles and broadcasts coming out of our refugee schools, much of America is aware.”

North High School (NHS) was waning in attendance for years and was in danger of closing altogether before refugee resettlement kicked in. Now, NHS has become known as Ohio’s most diverse public school.

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July 30, 2016
Uncategorized

Akron Art Museum expands Inside|Out project this year with more outdoor art

Insideout

 

The Akron Art Museum’s second year of the community-activated art project, Inside|Out will expand its reach in 2016. The museum will partner with eight new neighborhoods to install 40 art reproductions from the museum’s collection in and around the city.

Last year, the museum installed 30 reproductions at outdoor locations in six neighborhoods in and around the Akron area. Inside|Out was made possible by a grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.

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February 5, 2016
Neighborhoods

Nuts and bolts of refugee resettlement in America:

The long and arduous process includes Akron
as a key resettlement sanctuary 

Story by Tom Crain

distantshotcolorfulgarb

Walk any neighborhood in North Hill these days and you’re bound to take note of a distinctive culture of new immigrants frequenting the residential sidewalks, business districts, school playgrounds and city parks. They wear colorful shawls, saris and robes of homespun wool accessorized with decorative gold and coral headpieces, bangles, rounded wool caps and turbans. Most talk in a funny dialect called Nepali (similar to Hindi or Punjabi)  accompanied with a written alphabet resembling  “chicken scratch.”

These distinctive and striking people have also created a new crop of Asian markets piled floor to ceiling with rice-filled burlap sacks, shelves of dried mango powder, cardamom pods, fermented millet wine and in back, goat meat and pig’s feet.  New cafes feature the popular cuisine of momo (dumplings)  and thukpa (noodle soup). The many who are non-Christian, congregate in temples practicing Hindu and Buddhism. The youth form their own soccer clubs and also play cricket. These tight-knit families can also be seen on warm, sunny days fishing, frogging, berrying and ‘shrooming all along the city’s nature trails.

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August 21, 2015