Welcoming Hamtramck Families: Our Schools, Our Communities and Our Future


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By Stephen M. Coats – The Yemeni American News

 

Ask any successful adult what the secret of their success is, and the response you will hear very often might be something along the lines of, “My Mom” or “My Dad really believed in me” or more broadly, “My family supported me.” To be successful in school, in your community and in your society, you stand a much better chance if you have an involved family structure.  The family is one of the keys Hamtramck Public Schools has identified, expanding their efforts to reach and increase engagement with.

 

The “Welcoming Hamtramck Families” event on May 12th, 2017 was the first of its kind and a coordinated effort sponsored by Hamtramck Public Schools.  The school system recognizes they can’t do it alone; education is foundational to any thriving community. In the words of an oft-quoted proverb, “It takes a village to raise a child.” That means a child has the best ability to become a successful adult if the entire community takes an active role in contributing to the rearing of the child.

 

“Our purpose here truly is not only to expose the community to Hamtramck Public Schools but to offer a service to the community,” said Superintendent Thomas Niczay. “We want to be a part of the community. We are here to serve the community and feel very strongly that is our role. We’ve been here for about 135 years and we are going to be here for another 135 years.”

 

The event was held at the Hamtramck High School Community Center and brought community organizations like Beaumont Hospital, Arab Community Center for Economic and Social Services (ACCESS), Wayne Metropolitan Community Action Agency, Children’s Hospital of Michigan/Hamtramck School Based Health Center, Holbrook Elementary School, The Yemeni American Leadership Association and other educators and student leaders on equal footing to move towards a more successful future.

 

As we continue to see a large influx of new immigrants and residents to the city of Hamtramck from a variety of cultures, and language backgrounds, the communication between schools and parents becomes even more vital. Problems sometimes arise because of a lack of services but many times parents just don’t know what to do or where to go. Events like this one go a long way towards informing parents of what is at their disposal.

 

It was quite evident, the community organizations were poised and eager to help. “This event is important to us because we are here to serve the community and help those who have just moved to this country or maybe have been here for awhile and haven’t learned the language,” said Eric Dine of Umbrella Tree Community Services, which offers free English Sign Language services to the community. Their comprehensive ESL services for families help parents to communicate more effectively with their student’s teachers.  Other organizations at the event offered health screenings, family literacy programs, family counseling, preschool resources, dietary and safety information, employment information, and art competitions.  Pamphlets, brochures, and flyers on display carried clear and concise information, while other tables welcomed smiling community faces with refreshments, drinks, snacks and an engaging conversation with a helpful volunteer.

 

One resource that impressed me was the Hamtramck High School the robotics team. It seems like a very exciting way to encourage teens to learn and innovate new ideas in a safe environment. I had to watch out where I was walking because there were robots moving around the floor sneakily under my feet.  Other students really got involved with well-organized poster boards to show off their school or special project and even the high school journalism students were actively reporting on the event to better get the message out to the community.  The event organizers thought of every detail, even offering face painting and henna art.

 

As they look to the future, they are also conscious not to forget the local history of Hamtramck either offering a very informative display featured various posters titled “The Asian American Community”, “The Arab American Community” and “The 1967 Uprising” among others highlighting the valuable contributions of the African-American and Native American communities.

 

In the Hamtramck Public Schools’ effort to foster partnerships with families, community members and organizations, the 100 plus people that attended the event will undoubtedly be more likely to connect with the district in positive ways. It truly was a joint effort; everybody came together, learned, grew and challenged each other to be a contributing part of this diverse “village” raising successful children!

 

 
  
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