They still might not understand the language or culture, but for years many U.S. immigrants have adapted theor former way of life in effort to stake their claim for a share of the American Drea

Kerr, Tom

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The University of Nebraska, Omaha

University of Nebraska at Omaha DigitalCommons@UNO Intergenerational Special Topics in Service Learning 6-8-1998 Project Shine Tom Kerr Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.unomaha.edu/slceintergenerational Recommended Citation Kerr, Tom, "Project Shine" (1998). Intergenerational. 43. https://digitalcommons.unomaha.edu/slceintergenerational/43 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Special Topics in Service Learning at DigitalCommons@UNO. It has been accepted for inclusion in Intergenerational by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@UNO. For more information, please contact unodigitalcommons@unomaha.edu. ., i;· . ' . .. . ·.-. .. ~ . ·,.-._; al p~ we are ~lter ~equipped to . offer more contributions .. to older adults ;:: , , ;i d~~imdei'stand the lahg{Iage '.~~ ·-·· seeking citizenship." . . , .··· . _ .. . :":J~~;~::: "./~,. < . ·. _\ Dr. Weisburd, who directs the Project ,,.L·~<if111~;. bu~.for years many· Shine program _at Temple. through ·the ~~;:!:.;:~;.L?Ci}ii:L\; <- • ·>, ' _ < .. :- Center for In~ati~ Leaming at u.s. ;~P"ti#fs'. ~Y~:<t<laPte4 their for"'. · -.: ate uilivemty,;Said 2 millioniegaJ. immi-, .. •i<V4"~~.,iJ,.:1,('.',:,';i:i~···~:·'., ... , · .:.'.···: •. , · .. grantset,mentlyareawai~gtheirci~-. mer~j~pfli,fe~~~ffoit to Stake their .. ship qualification in the·.uruted States._ ' 4,. .· -·· t" ... ~ • ~-· .•• . J ' . . . ; . . . . ,• ·f.~~~a.t:,::~~-:-·'..· · · __ ;.-. · · ., .,.. .. _.:, .. : TJ:ie,hugeback~pp~yisduetocuts clain\fPrJshare'9f~.AmericanDreain .• ' · in.welfare-and benefits'for•foreign resi-"-1_ £~-~}1,;·,·,;: .~;.;\ · :_ ·. : : ;. •:' _ .. ::1>~- · .. dents, w;hich .has spurred more· inuni,~ · . Ho~e}rei/tliese days eainingAmerican: = · grants to seek citizenship._ ~; . . · ci~pi.i$;~er_ than' ever, and. the ·.< _!"fhere baS been ~.lot.of.anxiety for -p~jS;.~~::i;noi'e.difficUlt :forolder~:'ff,:•these.:~Ie.in the. hist few·y~," she adulf:s ~lrto_~D:\~.U.S.,tj.tizens .. , . ' saicj; ."espedally .in trying to get in~o . , ' .. , . .... .. .,. , •. , ;_,,h •;·~, . . •.. ~\!fl'l,~~intergene.ratjonalprogram.. EngliSh as a Second. Language,: [ESL] hours per week.fo.r;,"Clll'aead~c.year. is helF~ tc> facilitate· tJle nattir!l1ization · cotirses. If these people ~'t get into these · -' · However; approxnnately 80 percent of.the p~ _J,jy ~v,ipg _coijege student;S assist courses, they can't get into citizenship students contribute at least foui" hours a elderly ~grants and refugees, Project classes." ·· week to the program, according to. ·Dr. Shine: j,s l1. national directive that helps Leaming English as a second language Weisburd. older adul,ts learn English and other skills is particularly difficult for older adults, Aside from getting a better understand-, they will-need to gain ci,tizenship. . Dr. Weisburd said. Lawful U.S. residents ing of culture,. Project Shine students also While the major focus of the directive is who are 55 and have lived in the states for benefit from the intergenerational-~~ to . h~p ~grants prepare for the 15. years or more· or those over. SO. who Immigration ... and. Naturalization Service - 1lave beerl J:tere at least 20 years may take m~¢w, _;the program also. benefits the · .. their interviews and tests in their native ~hidentS ··wno become mvolved through language. · federal worl<-study programs or courses However, for many others learning to ·that, iptegrate the service.project into their speak English is a requirement. While ;~~ .. .,,.: .. ;,,- -n::'.:•;:,'c ..• , 1·: .• • .•.. ProjectShinetriestorecruitbilingualstu-in1~~y; ;cglleges :i!i !ow,: tjties. a_cross ._ .de11ts, all students are encouraged to par- . -t:IJ~i~ati,c:m,,_ho~~··fPe .progi:am:, Temple. ticipa,te. r:- • _ ,, .. ..,c,• ... :c .. ,,, • . :University,.i.rl-Philadelphia, PA; Universi:: .'~About half of our students know !:Jl'1J-Qf~.,New,~¥el,dc<?.1and.~the' Technical . another.language,"-~ said. '~ObViously,. .. Y.<><::!ltio;ial , In.stihJ.te, in Albuquerque; ,it's easier foi: these students to help their . -Nolih~AA~rn ,pajyersity and .Roxbury elderly.learners; but. those students who .Y>mtnJinity[.coµege, in. Bosto~MA; and only s,peak :English aisO can· teach. by Qty,.,CQJ1ege c'9f .San. F,ran~ and San . -pointing, naming( sign language -and - l'.Fan9~9.:,,S~t.e< 1 Pniversity"" ill- _San . actions ... Yo1;1 would' be surprised how Francisc<>, C:A: :•;.: ·, ••'.<in,.-,: .. ,;,,;-•. ~.:.'!: .,,. . quickly' people can begin to leain through , ~·- In,the iirSt 1y¢ar.:oLProject·Shine, .. ~o ·these lllethods." !>jlingµitl;~d~natixe English-sp~aking ~ol- - Students learn to work. with people 'ege,students, 600'elderly immigrants and from llljl-llY cultures. and. backgrpunds, ~g~, .3QI:facajty,.!lfld. .. 25; C9mmunity . including:. Camrodian, . _,, Yietnamese, -P~r-'I'~~' parijgpl1t¢ in, ~e p~gram. _ Chinese, Haitian, Dominican, Somalian, J~ ~.fim.P~~;tJ:u;o~~#1e ,:t.earn _and Serve Ukrainiall, Russian and Mexican. · ,-AJnetjca progi:~ r;>f ~e.Corporation for . Students who participa~e in the pro-. ~,At;q®~c,e,)n:l-\l'ashington~ DC, '· · gram gain ~erience that they can use in . . ;;3,;~j~ ~N1u:u?:v,olv~Jroni .a, .similar -future careers such as anthropology, -pro,gr~ a,t:.:Temple, ,acco.rding to. P.roject Afric~-American studies, education, Shine national director Oaudia Weisburd, , ESL, Latin American studies, political sci-.J'N;)~;~~~;f9;1,iqj~~~e,J'~pl~· ~tart~ .. " ence, _psychology, urban studies and ence. . . "It's a very good opportunity to work with. the olqer. population,'~. the ll<lti<?nal director reported. "In terms of U.S. demq-graphics, the older ·adult populatior(Js growing at a hi~.i:ate, so w:~ feel it's Vf!!Y beneficial 'for ._the; younger. £eople dn preparirig for the_future. The st(ident,s ~ becomillg-sensitized to. then~ of ·alder adults, ,leah-ting about , ~u;fphyaj.cal aspects)1nd, :What ~ of .fuateriaIS · tliey can use in ,helping them learn." . · \ 'The students· come to. understand that even fraiJand-~ ~I'leJ_tav~;alot to give, she said. In addition,•·'1hey'.learn about other cultures and various ways of . life,. ~'which .are -advantageous regardle$s of your field of study." ·' ,, , ; . • Participation in the pro~am by allied health s_tUdents is parf:icularly,}Vekomed, .Dr. Weisburd.noted. /~~ ai:e ,a.lot.pf .. motor :. skills ·.and. physical ,<:ondjjjoning ·.·aspects that these students.coajd see here, and some :people have problems with memory and money managemept." ' , .. For .rrwre information .abolf.~ Project.; ,_Shine, · contact ClaUd~ W.eisb.U.1'd at.(215),20#7Q9;0r, by .e-mail,1it ~e~bw@astrp.~.temple.edu. ~~9.tl}~.J~;11gJW1;,J<JIJguage PJ'O~ail\S for: :,wom~'s.studies. ,. ,, '"~- . -,,.,. . .. , . .. , , ci~p;,l>ufn~lf,that;:we~.a~tiot;l- '· · , ,_·They <:ommit to a minimum oft:wo, . : "-Tom Kerr ispnstaffat ADVANCE, < 1...· . -~; ;-~:~~::,.:::. :-··· ·:.· _,:<;: · , : _:-~~- ·: ~: :_:, -.·: , , ·· · ;~f#~n~ s;,,;998 :~;.1.f>\f~C~ t.o(S~~ft\:4lng~~g~-ff!~o19gi~~::~Av.ilfi>ioglst5· -~Z: lmt~?;,\'~%:4~~:,, +, ,;c"<;."' . . •. -! ,,, ••.• f ~· '·"'" '(.Y" ; .• , ~. I r:l,_ 

Project Shine

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Project Shine

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