skip to main content
skip to newscasts

Monday, April 21, 2025

Public News Service Logo
facebook instagram linkedin reddit youtube twitter
view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

After meeting wrongly deported man, Sen. Van Hollen accuses Trump of defying courts; AZ Secretary of State demands proof of noncitizen voting; Iowa rights activists plan to fight social service cuts; Coal miners could pay if inspectors lose offices on DOGE list.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Sen. Van Hollen warns of a "constitutional crisis" after his El Salvador trip. Defense Sec. Hegseth shared military information in a second Signal chat. Former President Clinton calls for unity while commemorating the Oklahoma City bombing.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Money meant for schools in timber country is uncertain as Congress fails to reauthorize a rural program, farmers and others will see federal dollars for energy projects unlocked, and DOGE cuts threaten plant species needed for U.S. food security.

School Grant Helps Refugee Families Integrate in Washington State

play audio
Play

Monday, March 20, 2017   

SEATTLE – A grant program is helping refugee students travel the long emotional distance from their homes to integrate into schools and their communities in the United States.

The Office of Refugee Resettlement distributes Refugee School Impact Grants to 38 states, including Washington, and helps students who recently have arrived in the country get on their feet.

In the Evergreen State, the grant is administered by School's Out Washington. The organization has many partners, including Lutheran Community Services Northwest, which helps schools prepare for the mental health aspects of the refugee experience.

Beth Farmer, director of refugee and asylum services for Lutheran Community Services Northwest, says many families come here because of the nation's educational system.

"One of the big reasons that we see refugees' families come to the United States for resettlement is because they are so deeply committed to their children having an education," she stresses.

This school year, grant recipients included 12 community-based organizations, which provide both in-school and afterschool programs for resettled families, in 10 school districts across the state.

Farmer says refugees face unique challenges once they come to this country. Many have escaped violence and suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder. Youths often are years behind in their schooling.

Farmer says school staffs have to be extremely patient with students, who may not speak the language or feel like they fit in. She says it's important for students to have activities to participate in, such as sports or artistic endeavors, while they catch up in other aspects of their lives.

"Draw or paint or sing,” she says. “Trying to really promote areas that allow people's competence and sense of self-efficacy to shine through is really critical."

Farmer says the recent travel bans ordered by the Trump administration, both of which have been struck down by federal judges, have added to resettled families' stress levels. Many have family members in their home countries for whom they are waiting to arrive in the United States. Some fear deportation. Yet, Farmer says, it's incredibly inspiring to work with these families.

"For those of us who get to work with refugees and asylum seekers, there's just a ton of light there,” she states. “People are resilient. They're moving forward with their lives. They're seeking a future. They've survived already so, so much."





get more stories like this via email

more stories
The National Library of Medicine reports that many schools are incorporating mental health awareness into their curricula to reduce stigma and help students recognize and manage emotions. (Rido/Adobe Stock)

Health and Wellness

play sound

A national report card finds that even with a $150 million budget threat last year, Michigan still made solid progress in staffing up its school …


Health and Wellness

play sound

Law enforcement officers and drug prevention advocates in Missouri are joining forces to tackle prescription drug misuse. As part of the Drug …

Environment

play sound

The "Make Polluters Pay Superfund" bill goes before the California Assembly Natural Resources Committee Monday. The bill would direct the California …


It has been widely reported the Social Security Administration has moved more than 6,000 names into its "death master file," although the taxpayers are not deceased. (Adobe Stock)

Social Issues

play sound

President Donald Trump continues his pressure campaign on immigrants -- both documented and undocumented -- disrupting the lives of many in Virginia…

Environment

play sound

A new report found 122 million Americans drink water with high levels of cancer-causing chemicals, frequently from runoff at livestock factory farms…

Mushrooms and other psychotropic plants have been used in healing, spiritual and ceremonial contexts by cultures around the world for thousands of years. (Adobe Stock)

Health and Wellness

play sound

By Kate Ruder for KFF Health News.Broadcast version by Eric Galatas for Colorado News Connection reporting for the KFF Health News-Public News Service…

Social Issues

play sound

Parents of students killed or injured in school-zone crosswalks are backing a measure in the Ohio General Assembly to increase the penalty from a misd…

Environment

play sound

Minnesota is becoming less reliant on energy imports to power up homes and businesses. That's a key finding in the latest summary of contributions …

 

Phone: 303.448.9105 Toll Free: 888.891.9416 Fax: 208.247.1830 Your trusted member- and audience-supported news source since 1996 Copyright © 2021