LYNN — English Language Arts (ELA) Multilingual Learner (MLL) juniors and seniors at Lynn Classical High School celebrated a year’s worth of hard work and dedication at their “We are America” book launch.
Jacqlyn Feldmann, ELA MLL teacher at Classical, said that the published hardcover book features 44 students’ personal narratives and pictures.
“We were able to just celebrate the fact that they’re published on the national ‘We Are America’ website, and that this whole massive year of learning about each other and themselves and exploring the connection of who we are in America, and what America is, and identity in physical form,” Feldmann said about the event Friday.
Developed by a teacher in Lowell, the We are America project has its own curriculum and works with teachers and students across the country to share stories on what it means to be an American.
Feldmann said teachers apply to a fellowship to be included in the project.
“I think for us to do it for a whole year was really the smart way to go for us. Because I’m working with students where English is not their first language, and so there was a lot of other learning and scaffolding and modeling that needed to be put into the curriculum for them to acquire and sit with the material,” Feldmann said.
The students were given the task to write a maximum of two pages about what American identity means to them. To make it more personal and easier for the students, Feldmann had the kids write the first draft of their stories in their native language.
“The only way for them to be introspective and trust themselves and develop the confidence to use their voice was for them to write in their native language,” Feldmann said.
They worked together to translate the material to English, making sure it expressed exactly what they wanted to convey.
“I think that this book really shows the world what it means to be an immigrant kid with dual identity. I think it really showcases the power that they have as people and the strength and determination,” Feldmann said.
The individual stories were put into one edition and bound into a hardcover that featured the student’s eyes as the cover artwork.
“For the kids to just walk in and see 100 copies spread out on a table,” Feldmann said. “ I just wanted to cry all day. It was probably one of the most … just a transformative life changing experience to see this.”
Feldmann said she is extremely proud of the finished product, and the students that made it possible.
“I think to sit and read these stories, which you know, are about immigration, and family, migration, love, some of them are about loneliness, and abuse and depression and illness. It puts a lot of your own life into perspective,” Feldmann said.
