Friday, November 14, 2008

Minnesota example can help immigrants

Another story about Minnesota, this one about the present immigrants, mostly Hispanic and Somali. The state's programs to help these people are very successful. DP

By DAN BARKER, Times Staff Writer

Immigrant integration workers returned from Minnesota this week with a more optimistic view of the future.

OneMorgan County Coordinator Brenda Zion said the Minnesota efforts to help immigrants assimilate to America hold out great hope for Morgan County.

She took a trip to greater Minneapolis and several agencies this week along with Karen Liston, an English as a Second Language teacher with the Fort Morgan School District, and others from Greeley, Zion said.

It may seem surprising, but Minneapolis is a pretty international city, she said.

It began dealing with an influx of Hispanics and Somalis many years ago, which has given it experience to share with other cities, Zion said.

For instance, Zion's first stop was at the Winnetka Learning Center, which offers services like basic adult education combined with children's preschool education, she said.

This program not only helps adults to find jobs, but often the children do not need English as a Second Language courses when they go to school, Zion said.

"They have a huge waiting list," she said, because the program is so successful.

An important component of this program is the home-school liaison, who is on call as needed to act as an interpreter not only of language but of customs for the large population the center serves, Zion said.

A full-time school liaison would be a big advantage for Morgan County, she said.
Be sure to read the rest of this story! This is only a small part of it.

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