Summer school for newcomers: The meaning of Christmas and other cultural lessons

ForMahamed Ali Abdisalam, summer school paid off when the words his teacher was speaking no longer sounded like "blah, blah, blah."

For Amal Dubow, success was finally learning why school was inexplicably cancelled for two weeks each December.

The two Somali children are students at Horumar School, a one-month summer program for newcomers where they brush up on academics, work on their English and learn about their traditional cultures and the sometimes still-foreign culture of Canada.

• 6 tips for tackling Edmonton's Heritage Festival
• Edmonton Mennonite Centre for Newcomers expanding to meet increased demand

At a graduation ceremony this week, the school itself was celebrating a year in which it expanded to two locations, meaning no children were left on its waiting list, said the school's program director Hanan Ali.

"I try to make them proud of who they are, no matter where they come from, and allow them to share their personalities and build that confidence," said Ali, who attended Horumar as a student before being hired as staff.

"When they hit September and go back to school, they know who they are, they are confident of who they are, and they can make new friends at whatever school they go to."

When the school started in 2015, it had about 40 students; last year it had 100, and this year, with operations at Glengarry and Cardinal Leger schools, it reached 170 students with Somali, Palestinian, Libyan, Lebanese and Nigerian backgrounds, Ali said.

Ali frequently talks about confidence and pride when she describes what the school aims to give students, programming that includes reviews of school work subjects, arts and crafts, gym, religion and learning about Canada.

The ceremony, held Wednesday at Balwin Community Hall, was fairly bursting with pride, from the presentation and cheers honouring program volunteers to the songs performed by younger kids on the stage, to the parents who gathered for the graduation.

"Most of the students that come are new immigrants," Ali said. "It's kind of like a leeway for them to know the norms of the Canadian culture, so they can go back into the school in September. For them to kind of fit in with the kids around them."

Mahamed, 12, has attended for three years and is proud of his improved English skills.

"I never knew what the teacher was speaking, it was like blah, blah blah," he said. "Now it is way better. If she speaks something, I can understand it and if she asks something I can raise my hand and get it quickly."

For Amal, 13, learning about Canada Day, Easter and Christmas was eye-opening and offered her information about cultural traditions that are the same but different. July 1, for example, is also Somalia Day and features a celebration at Rundle Park.

"I was very surprised with Easter, about all the eggs and egg hunting. I thought that was very fun," she said.

"And Christmas, about getting presents and spending time with your family, which is very fun, I believe, for you guys."