There
are plenty of reasons Seattle’s neighborhood, Beacon Hill has been dubbed as
one of the “50 Best Cities In the Nation” by the American Planning Association.
Some of Beacon Hill’s most recognizable idiosyncrasies that help earn this
title are efficient transportation systems, urban design, sustainability, great
sense of community and stunning views of the Cascades. While the aesthetics of
the raises its attraction, Beacon Hill’s most valued characteristic that lies
in heart of its residents is diversity. Historically, Beacon Hill has
epitomized the idea of “the melting pot” since the early 1950’s when industries
such as Boeing, developed rapidly. With a close proximity to the International
District and an influx of workers, ethnic diversity was brought to Beacon Hill
and remains one of its most appreciated qualities today.
Beacon Hill is a place where different ethnicities can live harmoniously. Local residents pride their
community on its strong sense of diversity and connected community.
“The
amazing thing is that we all get along,” says local resident Reynaldo Schneck.
“I can’t remember the last time there was a racial riot on Beacon Hill.”
Residents congregate to Beacon Hill
with diversity as a common interest, despite whether they are natural born
citizens or recent immigrants. For local resident, Waylon Dungan, who works at
the coffee shop “The Station,” diversity is on the top of the list of his
favorite aspects about Beacon Hill.
“I would definitely prefer to live here
than anywhere else in Seattle just because of the diversity.”
(Photo from the Kimball Elementary School Facebook Page)
(Photo from the Kimball Elementary School Facebook Page)
A neighborhood that embraces
diversity on such a great level serves as the most appropriate location for
Kimball Elementary School. With a population of children who come from 38 different
countries, Kimball Elementary champions the diversity of Beacon Hill. Kimball
has translators for parents who cannot speak English, so they can remain
involved in the community, making language less of a hindrance. Kimball
also hosts school wide events such as a Japanese and Tamale making classes in
order to acknowledge the many cultures children who attend the elementary
school identify with. Recently, Kimball hosted an annual art walk that featured art from elementary students at different local businesses surrounding the school.
(Photo from the Kimball Elementary School Facebook Page)
(Photo from the Kimball Elementary School Facebook Page)
(Photo from the Kimball Elementary School Facebook Page)
Kimball
Elementary is a model for schools with a large immigrant population. One
thing that is in great demand, but lacks the funds is a summer program. With
the help of two AmeirCorps Volunteers, Annelie Day and Jenna Catsos, this
upcoming summer is about to take the school to another level by
bringing Kimball Elementary its first summer tutoring program. With a goal to
promote literacy in Seattle’s education system, Day and Castos were assigned to
Kimball last October, and have developed a similar attraction to the school’s
diversity as Beacon Hill’s fervent residents.
“Kimball is one of the most
incredible schools I have seen in their ways of embracing
diversity” says Day.
Since
their time working for AmeriCorps Seattle will be coming to an end on August 15th,
Day and Castos are passionate about making a positive impact on Kimball Elementary
during the small amount of time they have left. With the help of their site supervisor,
Jeanne Kuban, the two driven young philanthropists will devote the entire month
of July to provide free tutoring for students who have fallen behind during the
year and need to catch up before the start of school in the fall.
“This program
is not just for kids who need some extra practice, it’s for those who have
fallen behind their grade level and need it the most,” says Day.
Anyone who has migrated from a different country knows just how difficult it can be to integrate into a foreign culture. According
to an essay by The Runnnymede Trust called Black and Ethnic Minority, Young People and Educational Disadvantage, ethnic
minorities who belong to socio-economic groups are at higher risk of educational
disadvantage. Reasons for this are rooted from a broad range of initial
disadvantages a person faces as an immigrant. Racial oppression, economic
struggles, language barriers and difficulties integrating into a new culture
are all factors listed by The Runnymede Trust as factors “that lead to lowered
expectations and self-fulfilling prophecies of failure.”
Day,
Castos and Kuban, believe that all students deserve equal opportunities to get
the best quality education possible, minority or not.
“The
education system is not working,” says Day. “Children who have learning
barriers, such as language, are getting put at a huge disadvantage.”
Over
the span of time working at Kimball Elementary School, Day and Castos have
witnessed a number of children who have fallen behind their grade level due to
various reasons. Seeing the growing numbers of children who need extra
attention, an idea was born to create a free summer tutoring program that could
possibly be what they need in order to catch up.
The
month long program will start in the beginning of July. Seven instructors
will provide one on one teaching for children in grades ranging from
Kindergarden to fourth grade. Whether it be math or reading, they will focus on
reviewing school material learned the previous year, building confidence in the
children’s weaker subjects, and preparing them for entering a new grade.
“The
hardest part about creating the program was finding a place to hold the classes” says Day.
Since the Kimball Elementary location was not available to host the program, Day, Castos
and Kuban had to think out of the box in order to find the perfect location.
Beacon Hill has ample community centers, libraries, and other places where a
summer program could be hosted, but Jeanne wanted a location that would be
convenient and attract as many possible students to utilize the program. A
large amount of students who attend Kimball Elementary live in the Rainer Vista Neighborhood House, a low-income housing community with a large
immigrant population. The community has a large number of amenities such as The
Rainer Vista Boys and Girls Club, nearly 10,000 square feet of land devoted for
classrooms, Head Start programs, a community computer lab, social services and
job services. When Jeanne came across this community, it was instantly clear
that the Rainer Vista Neighborhood House was the perfect place for the summer
program.
What
makes this concept so revolutionary is the fact that it is free. The two other
public elementary schools in Beacon Hill, Dearborn Park Elementary School and
Maple Elementary School both lack free summer tutoring programs.
“We
need programs like this in our education system,” says Day. “Hopefully other
schools will see what we are doing and decide to start programs of their own.”
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