Real Life Brings Highland’s Community Closer With Our Refugees

The program Real Life allows students to tutor, work with, and mentor Highland’s refugee kids.

Centered on humanitarian services, Real Life is a branch of the Youthlinc organization that works to

provide peer mentors who are participating in the Youthlinc service an opportunity to volunteer. It

focuses on helping refugee and immigrant teens who are dealing with a wide range of obstacles with

adjusting to their new lives here. The program also gives students leadership opportunities as they

volunteer with the program.

Real Life gives our refugee kids the opportunity to create a bond with a peer that they normally would

not be able to have and also allows them to succeed academically. They get help with their homework

and have access to peer tutors.

“Just within this program we see a huge raise in grades and academic performance,” said Kate Harris

Highland student and Real Life intern. “They have this outlet to be able to come here and talk to a

student and confide in somebody and discuss academic issues that they’re having.”

There are also lessons taught that focus on English language practice, financial literacy, cultural

exchange, nutrition, physical and emotional health, and artistic expression among other things. These

lessons aim to be applicable to their lives and help these refugee students be successful in their futures.

“It’s like home,” said Islam Idraim when asked what her favorite part of Real Life was.

One of the drawbacks that refugee youth face is the issue of language barriers, which especially makes it

hard to advance in STEM subjects like math and science. The program helps the students with

comprehension of those advanced topics that can prove difficult even for fluent English speakers.

To become a peer mentor for Real Life, you can apply with Youthlinc and let the representatives know

that you are interested. If chosen, you then attend a mentor training, which is a one-day meeting that

goes over what Youthlinc is about and what Real Life does. After training, you can then participate as a

mentor and if deemed ready you can start teaching some monthly lessons and learn how to lead all

while volunteering.

“It helps all parties in the program to really get out of their comfort zone, especially for peer mentors to

be able to stand up in front of their peers and teach a lesson,” Harris said. “It really helps to educate

everyone together.”

It is held on Monday’s and Wednesday’s after school from 2:30 to 4:00 and the activity bus is an option

for getting home.

While this program is brand new to Highland this school year, it is clear that it’s already making a big

difference in the lives of all involved.