Bowling Green begins another year of The Academy for New Americans

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – Bowling Green began this year’s Academy for New Americans at the Neighborhood and Community Services building on top of Hospital Hill Thursday morning.

This five-month program aims to increase leadership capabilities and help new Americans gain a better understanding of their community and how it is run. Bowling Green mayor Todd Alcott was there this morning delivering remarks and holding discussions about their experience and what the future could look like.

Leyda Becker, the International Communities Liaison for the City of Bowling Green, says that with Bowling Green’s already diverse population, new Americans will play an integral role in Bowling Green’s future.

“We already see the diversity that Bowling Green has with 100 languages being spoken in our school systems. And so, we want to capitalize on that diversity and help to create networks and connections throughout all sectors and industries in our city to help give a voice to those communities so that they can help us and inform us on how the growth is,” Becker said.

While The Academy for New Americans provides an opportunity for new Americans to be involved in the future of Bowling Green, it also provides opportunities for them to get involved in their community now by showing them job and educational opportunities, as well as participating in a volunteer project with a non-profit in the community.