Thursday, May 29, 2014

Council Member Emerald honors Crawford New Arrivals Center

San Diego City Council Member Marti Emerald has honored Crawford High School's New Arrivals Center with a proclamation that declared May 16, 2014 "Crawford High School New Arrival Center Day" in the City of San Diego.

Students perform The recognition was accepted by the school, as well as special recognition for teachers Gwen Osgard, Skye Cooke-Pinon and Viraj Ward, during special performances by students reflecting the nearly 40 languages and more than 30 countries represented at the Mid-City campus. Students from the New Arrival Center celebrated their many cultures in a performance that included singing, dancing and poetry recitals in more than 10 languages. Parents, community members, staff and Emerald attended the afternoon performance entitled “The Big Celebration.”

Located in the Mid-City area of San Diego, Crawford High School is one of the most diverse high schools in San Diego, with more than 37 languages from 33 countries. The New Arrival Center, now in its sixth year, is a program that was specifically designed to assist the unique needs of English Language Learners as they make the transition from their home countries to the academic demands of high school.

Students are given a year in a self-contained classroom to not only acquire English in an accelerated course of instruction, but to learn about American cultures and customs as well.
During the celebration, Emerald presented the New Arrival teachers with the proclamation to acknowledge the efforts of both the center’s teachers and its goals.

Emerald said that “immigrants are the backbone of the strength and diversity of the United States “and they often “face immeasurable traumas and obstacles when they arrive to the United States.” She extended the Council’s “appreciation of the service, value and contributions” of the New Arrival Center at Crawford.

For more information on the New Arrival Center, contact Principal Ana Marie Alvarez at (619) 362-3700.