Student journal to be web published

Garden Valley Collegiate
Winkler, Manitoba

By Sandra K. (Grade 11)

It's that time again: Another school year is coming to a close. While many students are wrapping up another year and starting to think ahead to what the summer might bring, other students are reflecting on the year gone by. Arlene N., a grade 12 student at Garden Valley Collegiate in Winkler, Manitoba, is one of the students thinking about the time that has past.

With hopes of a better education for Arlene, her family moved from Mexico to Canada in August 1994. Being in a strange culture and only knowing a limited amount of English, Arlene started grade 10 at Garden Valley Collegiate.

Arlene began writing a journal which records her struggles and the many changes that she has gone through in adapting to our Canadian culture. Her journal will soon be published on the G.V.C. web site www.gvsd.mb.ca. Arlene hopes it will help other immigrant students to understand that they are not alone and that they need to go out and meet new people.

During her first year at GVC Arlene made some close friends, but after a short while they dropped out of school and got jobs. This made it more difficult for Arlene to stay in school, but with a firm dream of becoming a teacher she persevered.

In grade 11, Arlene realized that in order to meet new people she would have to take the initiative. She learned to talk to people and to get involved in their activities. By the end of grade 11 she had again made some friends.

Now nearing high school graduation--a milestone in her life--Arlene is truly a person to be admired. In a short span of time, she has learned a new language, has made dozens of friends, and moved much closer to her goal of becoming a teacher.


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