Marie Moves to Somerville
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Somerville is often called "Immigrant City." For kids
in our community, the change from one location to another can be
difficult, especially if it also involves a change of language and
culture. Marie, age 10, is a Boys & Girls Club member who emigrated
from Haiti in the winter
of 2009, and started attending the Club this spring.
When she first started coming to the Club, Marie says
she spoke "a little bit of
English,” but not enough to communicate. The Club gave her a new way to
approach language. Outside of structured learning, she could simply
listen to English language. Exposure is a key component of early
language
acquisition, and at her age, this was important to her success. Marie doesn't hesitate to tell
staff that the Club helped her a lot in learning
English.
Marie says
that the Club helped her succeed in her schoolwork. Learning to read and
write in a new language
is as difficult as learning to speak it. The Club helped to smooth
this transition, and gave her a boost of moral support.
Marie uses
the
Club as a jumping off point to succeed.
Like all of our members, her success is our success. This is something
that the entire community can celebrate, even though Marie only recently
became a
part of it.