Volunteers are drawn to join forces with a particular organization for reasons all their own. Deborah was motivated to become a UIDN helpline volunteer for two reasons—her devotion to the immigrant students who learn English from her, and ties to her immigrant family history.
During the height of Covid, when teachers had to turn on a dime and become masters of online teaching, Deborah spent some of her precious energy working at UIDN to help the families of her ENL (English as a New Language) students at Kingston’s Miller Middle school get the food, clothing, and services they needed.
Since 2022, Deborah has been a valuable volunteer on UIDN’s Helpline. She fields calls from people who need assistance in any number of areas, and she makes sure they are connected to the right people and resources to get what they need.
At school, some of the children in Deborah’s classes have sought refuge from corrupt and tyrannical governments and some have fled violent gangs. Through her family background, Deborah understands what it’s like to flee terrifying regimes. Her Polish grandmother barely escaped the Holocaust, and her father was born in a refugee camp. Prior to WWII, Deborah’s Ukrainian grandfather came to the U.S. seeking asylum.
Three years ago, Kingston’s two middle schools joined the high school to provide special classes for newcomers. Some of Deborah’s students stay in the special class for a year. Those classified as SLIFE (students with interrupted or limited formal education) stay longer. For example, in their native country most Guatemalans from the Petén region only attend primary school. They make up a fairly small percentage of the English Language Learners (ELLs) in the Kingston schools, though their numbers have been increasing. Overall, ELLs make up about 10% of students in the Kingston school district.
Deborah does more than work to help newcomers catch up academically. As most teachers these days, especially ones in urban areas, she is privy to social problems that affect students well-being out of school and put obstacles in the way of a positive school experience. Deborah hopes to address one of these problems by instituting an educational program in the community that will focus on explaining and eradicating sexual abuse. Her volunteer work for UIDN expands her heartfelt commitment to the immigrant community.
Deborah in her garden.
UIDN