Funny Police Pictures

Hess Street School of opportunity

She was at the school to shoot photos of Grade 8 graduates with their families and friends as part of Kids Unlimited, a charitable initiative by The Spectator aimed at breaking the cycle of poverty in the city’s high-needs neighbourhoods.

Since few could afford professional photos, Spec Kids planned to give each graduate a picture in honour of the milestone. As Coward reviewed the shots, she was captivated by just how much some had overcome to earn their diplomas.

Hess Street is a unique school, she says, with a large immigrant population and no fewer than 30 languages spoken. But language is the least of the challenges for many of these students.

Some, like Hawa Tahir Hassan, fled Somalia, escaping famine and war. Others, like Arezoo Afshar, left Afghanistan for a chance at an education. Fewer than 16 per cent of women are literate there, and the UN says no more than one in three Afghan girls goes to secondary school.

“These are a lot of really new immigrants,” Coward says. “If they were anywhere else, they’d never be considering entering high school. It’s pretty phenomenal.”

Coward was also struck by the degree to which the Hess Street students help each other. She’s watched as the kids take newcomers under their wings to help them adjust to a new language and culture.

“It really becomes this ‘we’re in this together’ sort of thing,” she says.

Coward returned the next day to find out more about the faces she captured, where they came from and where they’re going.

“They’re not graduating like a lot of other Grade 8s,” she says. “And the teachers have such a vested interest in these kids succeeding.”

“If I was a teacher, it’s the only place I would want to work. That place is so meaningful.”

Tamara Wilson was born in Oakville, but spent her childhood in Hamilton’s north end. She says she’d like to be a veterinarian eventually, or maybe a dental hygienist.

Despite moving out of Hess Street’s catchment area two years ago, the 14-year-old says school staff helped cover some of her busing costs from the Mountain and, later, from the family’s new home in the east end, so she could graduate with friends like Joseph Musafiri. Wilson says the pair has been close since Musafiri, a Congolese immigrant, arrived at the school in Grade 5.

checkpetede: funny police pictures

RonHira did a pretty accurate transcript. The funniest part was the way Donna was talking to the folks there. It seemed very much like the way a PreSchool teacher talks to her class. She was speaking slowly, repeating stuff multiple times, adding extra emphasis on phrases (like "talking point") and repeating them. Then someone would suggest something and she will go "That is a perfect post", and then he/she will try to say something, and Donna would go "No No, what you said first was perfect, don't deviate". Hi Dinesh, in your quote above were you intending to say that most state colleges WILL NOT accept applications if you do not have GC/citizenship? So to attend a state college you NEED TO BE a GC holder/citizen? If that is the case how come lot of international students come here and attend state colleges for MS/Phds and get assistanships/fee waivers? The meeting with Rep. Pete Stark's district director Jo Cazenave went very well. She had a little idea about, but was not fully aware of EB process for obtaining GC, and was impressed with our presentation that explained the process in graphical manner. Jo confirmed that Congressman Stark was against illegal immigration and also clarified that he was all in for high tech legal immigration. She listened attentively and took notes. She showed more interest in knowing facts about provisions of S.2454 and Spector's mark up that would reverse provisions of AC21 and Sen. Fienstein's amendments to these proposed bills. She repeatedly reminded me to make sure to forward more details on these after the meeting. I've sent her these details in the 'Thank you' email after the meeting. As it has been the case with outcome of other lawmaker staff's meetings, she suggested that we agressively meet with as many lawmakers as possible - especially in DC, seek support of big companies who hire EB workers and encourage people to contact their congress reps in case of unacceptable administrative delays. Jo has extended her invitation to members of IV to attend Rep. Stark's town meetings. (The next one to be held on 1st Apr'06 in Newark - details on http://www.house.gov/stark/contact/townmeeting.htm ). She asked my personal experience with the GC Processing and how it has impacted me. She noted down my home address and promised that she will not only convey a picture of the issues faced by EB immigrants to the rep, but also have him contact me via mail for anything he might have to say or ask.

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