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By Stephen M. Coats \u2013 The Yemeni American News<\/p>\n
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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, \u201cMy Mom\u201d or \u201cMy Dad really believed in me\u201d or more broadly, \u201cMy family supported me.\u201d 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.\u00a0 The family is one of the keys Hamtramck Public Schools has identified, expanding their efforts to reach and increase engagement with.<\/p>\n
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The \u201cWelcoming Hamtramck Families\u201d event on May 12th, 2017 was the first of its kind and a coordinated effort sponsored by Hamtramck Public Schools.\u00a0 The school system recognizes they can\u2019t do it alone; education is foundational to any thriving community. In the words of an oft-quoted proverb, \u201cIt takes a village to raise a child.\u201d 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.<\/p>\n
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\u201cOur purpose here truly is not only to expose the community to Hamtramck Public Schools but to offer a service to the community,\u201d said Superintendent Thomas Niczay. \u201cWe want to be a part of the community. We are here to serve the community and feel very strongly that is our role. We\u2019ve been here for about 135 years and we are going to be here for another 135 years.\u201d<\/p>\n
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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\u00a0Yemeni American Leadership Association and other educators and student leaders on equal footing to move towards a more successful future.<\/p>\n
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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\u2019t 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.<\/p>\n
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It was quite evident, the community organizations were poised and eager to help. \u201cThis 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\u2019t learned the language,\u201d 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\u2019s teachers. \u00a0Other organizations at the event offered health screenings, family literacy programs, family counseling, preschool resources, dietary and safety information, employment information, and art competitions.\u00a0 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.<\/p>\n
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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.\u00a0 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.\u00a0 The event organizers thought of every detail, even offering face painting and henna art.<\/p>\n
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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 \u201cThe Asian American Community\u201d, \u201cThe Arab American Community\u201d and \u201cThe 1967 Uprising\u201d among others highlighting the valuable contributions of the African-American and Native American communities.<\/p>\n
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In the Hamtramck Public Schools\u2019 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 \u201cvillage\u201d raising successful children!<\/p>\n
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