Middle and High School Students Tutor Refugees From Around The World

Each Saturday from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. nearly a dozen middle and high school students at Magnolia Science Academy-5 (MSA-5), a Grade 6-12 STEAM charter public school in Reseda, stroll back into the classroom; this time as teachers offering free English tutoring to refugees from around the world via Zoom. They are part of the First Bricks Education Project created by Embrace Relief, a nonprofit organization that provides international humanitarian aid including the First Bricks Online Academy, and adopted by MSA-5 to meet its Student Learning Outcomes global citizenship goal. MSA-5 is located at 18238 Sherman Way, Reseda, CA 91335.

Participating students range in grades from middle and high school, to college and beyond, and hail from countries such as Greece, Turkey, Germany, Belgium, Denmark, and others. The ratio of MSA-5 student teachers to online students ranges from 1:30 to 1:123 with an average of 3-10 student teachers.

“It’s great to see our student teachers volunteer and help others in this way,” said Ali Kaplan, MSA-5 principal. “It’s a program where educator volunteers train students to become teachers, and refugees around the world become the students. Our student teachers are simultaneously tutoring, learning and mentoring students. The program aligns with our school’s five pillars, which include: innovation, creativity, literacy, growth mindset, connection, and, especially global citizenship,” added Kaplan.

The online academy volunteer program, which starts a new cohort every eight weeks, helps displaced underprivileged children and adults around the globe access free online lessons and tutoring, while offering MSA-5 student-teachers an opportunity to complete volunteer service hours toward a Congressional Award Program (CAP), established by Congress in 1979 to get kids involved in leadership and public service. Thirty-two students have participated in the program since its launch at MSA-5 in 2019. Last year, a student teacher received a Congressional Award gold medal in Washington D.C.

“It’s gratifying to see first generation students who are also learning English, connect with immigrants and refugees around the world,” said Doganay. “We started with 6-7 kids who are now in college, and have growing interest among students who wish to participate. We prioritize seniors, but also make the program available to students in other grades,” he added.

The program uses curriculum established through Voice of America Learning English, a multimedia news source that offers English newscasts as a way of helping people around the world learn English. MSA-5 Counselor, Mr. Ibrahim Doganay, checks in with his team of student teachers each Friday, and serves as the initial contact leading the first online sessions over the course of several weeks until students improve their English-language skills or achieve the program’s “Ready To Go” level. Once they achieve levels 1 and 2, they are ready to be paired with a middle or high school student teacher.

Keyri Villatoro Echevería, a 10th grader from El Salvador and English Learner says she’s only been in the U.S. five years and is excited to this year be a part of First Bricks. “It feels great to teach students in other countries, because we are learning together,” said Villatoro Echeverría. “Students are teaching me that age doesn’t matter when you want to learn. I thought it would be hard, and never thought that I would be teaching English,” she added.

Magnolia Science Academy 5 in Reseda, is one of 10 MPS tuition-free college preparatory charter public schools in SoCal focused on Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math (STEAM). It serves 215 students in Grades 6-12 (100 middle school and 115 in high school), 92% are on the Federal Free and Reduced Lunch program, 91% are Latino, 33% are English Learners, and 16% are Special Education.

Overall, MPS schools are located in high-need areas from the San Fernando Valley to South Los Angeles, Orange County, and San Diego. Nearly 78% of students are on Free and Reduced Meal programs, 78% are Latino, 15% are students with disabilities, and 20% are English Learners. The MPS instruction model ensures all students, especially underserved and socioeconomically disadvantaged populations meet rigorous State academic standards. Statewide assessments show gains exceeding those of the L.A. Unified School District (LAUSD), Santa Ana Unified (9 out of 10 schools are located within these districts), and San Diego Unified.

MPS shows higher college-ready graduation rates (91.7%) compared to LAUSD (52%), Santa Ana Unified (40%) and the State (45%). Earlier this year, MPS received the California Charter School Association Heart, Vision, Equity, and Innovation School Award, and is one of 17 organizations in the nation to receive a U.S. Department of Education Charter Management Organization Grant to replicate and expand its education model.

To learn more about the First Bricks program and how MPS brings quality STEAM education to underserved communities, you can visit https://www.magnoliapublicschools.org/ and follow MPS on social media: Instagram @magnoliapublicschools, X @magnolia schools, and Facebook @magnoliapublicschools.