News Talk 650 CKOM
Thursday, March 01, 2012
Immigrant high school students from across Saskatoon gathered Wednesday to talk with high profile public figures.
Students at a conference organized by the Open Door Society. Photo by News Talk Radio's Ashley Wills
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"We
meet important people, who I really wished to meet, and ask them
questions," said Sahra Arale, a Grade 12 student from Walter Murray.
From
MLA David Forbes, to Bev Hanson with Catholic Schools, students were
able to address their concerns on a variety of topics at the Voice of
Youth Conference organized by the Open Door Society.
"Education, city and transit, immigration, and see what they would like to change," said organizer, Laszlo Vesi.
One
student was concerned that the bus she takes from Bethlehem High School
is always over crowded. A transit supervisor with the city agreed to
look into it.
Arale is from Somalia and arrived in Canada with her
family four years ago. She says it's tough adjusting to classes that
are not in her native language, but adds she has friends who struggle
more than her.
"Her dad died in Somalia because he got shot. And
every single time I see her she is thinking, she's not thinking about
school, she is thinking about her mom," she said.
Arale said her
friend fails classes because she gets so worried about her family. She
addressed the panel with her concerns on students that get left behind.
The
bright student grins as she talks about her future. She says she has a
lot of goals, but hopes to get into social work after high school.
"I love to help people, I really love to talk to anyone, no matter where they are from," she said.