VOA标准英语2011--Language Link Helps Haitian Teens Adapt to US School

Language Link Helps Haitian Teens Adapt to US School

Thousands of Haitians sought refuge in the United States after last year's devastating¹ earthquake in Haiti. Many are young people, now enrolled² in U.S. schools, surrounded by a new language and culture. One high school in Florida is helping³ the students adjust.

It's a typical school day at Boyd Anderson High School in South Florida. But Kerby Edme is not a typical student.

"Right after I jumped to the other roof, the house collapsed," he recalls.

Kerby is one of about 25 Haitian earthquake survivors⁴ enrolled here.

"The teachers were very patient with us," he says, "because some of us, we didn't speak English before we came here."

Principal Angel Almanzar observed other challenges.

"Lack of knowledge about the American education system. Feeling isolated," Almanzar explains.

To combat that isolation⁵, the school has joined with the New York-based French Heritage Language Program to expand classes in French, the main language taught in Haitian schools.

Teacher Mathieu Daquin, Haitian himself, calls the classes therapeutic⁶.

"It's like Little Haiti within a school. This is where they feel at home," he notes.

For Endieula St. Jean, that comfort is critical.

"When I came to the United States, I was very, very, very angry, nervous, because I [couldn't] speak English," she explains. "All I [could] say was 'Good morning' and 'Good afternoon.' That's all."

But even the most successful Haitian students still struggle. Paul Alceste Zamor got the highest possible score on the college-level French Advanced Placement test before graduating earlier this year.

Now he is in limbo⁷, awaiting temporary protected immigration status so he can go college in the U.S.

"I cry sometimes," he admits, "because I see all the things I did... When I came to the school, I studied very hard to be at the top 10 percent of my class, and then now, I can’t go to school."

For Zamor, going to college is not just for him, but for his country.

"I want to be a good surgeon, and then go back to Haiti to help people there," he says.

It's a goal other students share.

"Every Haitian, even [if] they weren't there when the earthquake happened, I think they have in mind to go [be] successful," says student Kerby Edme, "and then do something for the country, even a little bit, because when it all comes together, it makes a big thing."

Until then, they'll stay close to their homeland through learning...and language.

1 devastating   

adj.毁灭性的，令人震惊的，强有力的

参考例句：

• It is the most devastating storm in 20 years.这是20年来破坏性最大的风暴。
• Affairs do have a devastating effect on marriages.婚外情确实会对婚姻造成毁灭性的影响。

2 enrolled   

adj.入学登记了的v.[亦作enrol]( enroll的过去式和过去分词 )；登记，招收，使入伍（或入会、入学等），参加，成为成员；记入名册；卷起，包起

参考例句：

• They have been studying hard from the moment they enrolled. 从入学时起，他们就一直努力学习。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He enrolled with an employment agency for a teaching position. 他在职业介绍所登了记以谋求一个教师的职位。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

4 survivors   

幸存者，残存者，生还者( survivor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The survivors were adrift in a lifeboat for six days. 幸存者在救生艇上漂流了六天。
• survivors clinging to a raft 紧紧抓住救生筏的幸存者

5 isolation   

n.隔离，孤立，分解，分离

参考例句：

• The millionaire lived in complete isolation from the outside world.这位富翁过着与世隔绝的生活。
• He retired and lived in relative isolation.他退休后，生活比较孤寂。

6 therapeutic   

adj.治疗的，起治疗作用的；对身心健康有益的

参考例句：

• Therapeutic measures were selected to fit the patient.选择治疗措施以适应病人的需要。
• When I was sad,music had a therapeutic effect.我悲伤的时候，音乐有治疗效力。

7 limbo   

n.地狱的边缘；监狱

参考例句：

• His life seemed stuck in limbo and he could not go forward and he could not go back.他的生活好像陷入了不知所措的境地，进退两难。
• I didn't know whether my family was alive or dead.I felt as if I was in limbo.我不知道家人是生是死，感觉自己茫然无措。