In School for the First Time, Teenage Immigrants Struggle

New York Times by Jennifer Medina | Jan. 25, 2009 (Special Report)

Fanta Konneh is the first girl in her family to go to school. Not the first to go to college, or to graduate from high school. Fanta, 18, who grew up in Guinea after her family fled Liberia, became the first to walk into a classroom of any kind last year.

“Just the boys go to school, so I always knew I was left out,” said Fanta, a student at Ellis Preparatory Academy in the South Bronx. “But here, I am trying. I can say many things I did not ... Full Story »

Posted by Kristin Gorski

More Info

Tags Help
Subjects: World, Education
Topics: Global Literacy
Editorial Help
Posted by: Posted by Kristin Gorski - Jan 25, 2009 - 7:41 PM PST
Reviewed by: Kristin Gorski (review), Kaizar Campwala (review), Dale Penn (review)
Edit Lock: This story can be edited
Edited by: Kristin Gorski - Jan 27, 2009 - 10:50 AM PST

Reviews

Show All Comments
Show All | Notes | Comments | Quotes | Links
Kristin Gorski
4.3
 by Kristin Gorski - Jan. 25, 2009

An original, insightful and in-depth look at a sub-group of New York City's complex and diverse student population: immigrants entering school for the first time as teenagers. Solid sourcing throughout, including current research by a linguistics professor at City University. The accompanying video and PDF of selected students' memoirs help convey what many students have had to face in their young lives and explains their views on the importance of education.

Kristin posted this story.
See Full Review » (20 answers)
Dale Penn
4.4
 by Dale Penn - Jan. 28, 2009

This story provides an informative look at the seemingly insurmountable problems facing undereducated students as they attempt to assimilate into the American educational system. Fascinating.

See Full Review » (6 answers)
Kaizar Campwala
4.2
 by Kaizar Campwala - Jan. 27, 2009
See Full Review » (6 answers)

Comments on this story Help (BETA)

Sort by: Oldest | Newest Hide All Replies
NT Rating | My Rating

Ratings

4.3

Good
from 3 reviews (30% confidence)
Quality
4.3
Facts
4.0
Fairness
4.0
Information
4.3
Insight
5.0
Sourcing
5.0
Style
4.0
Accuracy
4.0
Balance
4.0
Context
4.0
Depth
5.0
Enterprise
5.0
Expertise
3.0
Originality
5.0
Relevance
4.0
Transparency
4.0
Responsibility
4.0
Popularity
4.3
Recommendation
4.7
Credibility
4.3
# Reviews
1.5
# Views
5.0
# Likes
1.0
# Emails
1.0
More
How our ratings work »
(See these related stories.)

Links Help

No links yet. Please review this story to add some!