Immigration Researchers Luncheon

“It’s important that we learned about countries we haven’t learned about before,” Zion said at the conclusion of the immigration researchers’ luncheon. “It’s helping us know more about immigrants’ stories.”

“Lots of different people immigrate, mostly for a better life,” Lilly added.

Last week, 3rd grade students concluded several weeks of research into the stories of first-generation immigrants among the GDS faculty and staff. Families and faculty were invited to view the projects and sample different country’s traditional foods. The posters students created (with partners) featured an essay based upon a student-staff member interview, a storyboard of the subject’s immigration journey, photos, a flag, a hand-drawn portrait, and other illustrations and notes. To make the event even more meaningful, faculty/staff members whose stories were featured visited the luncheon to check the final projects, sample foods, and congratulate the students on their great work.

Ali: “We also learned a lot about people’s past and what it took to get here.”

Max and Livvy: “For example, Victor was 35 when he immigrated. We know more people who immigrated when they were young, like five or two [years old]. Victor was older and knows how to handle himself and fly on a plane alone. Maybe that made it less scary for him.”

Alix and Ariane: “We learned about all the fruit trees [in the Domincan Republic], and we’re proud of the flag illustration, which has a lot of detail.”

Zion: “I’ve learned about different countries and other people and their heritage and what they liked to do in their country.”