Migrant Education Program helps diverse students in Warren County

In the Commonwealth nearly four percent of all residents are immigrants. Some are refugees and while others are migrants.

The Warren County Public School district has a special program just for this diverse group of students.

In this classroom there are kids from all around the world…. Asia, South America, and Africa. They are enrolled in the Migrant Education Program through Warren County Public Schools.

Some students are migrants whose families move around for agricultural work, while others are refugees who fled from violence in their native countries.

 “The sense of resilience that they all have, you know.  They have been through challenges that I could never even imagine and they face challenges right now with housing, with purchasing food and with just assimilating to life here in Warren County… Bowling Green.” says Skip Cleavinger, the Director of English Learner Programs for Warren County Public Schools.

The Migrant Education Program is a federally funded program across the United States and requires migrant students to take 80 hours of academic work during the summer months.

While they face many challenges here in the United States, this program is designed to help them learn the English language.

 “It’s just a phenomenal group of kids. They’re intelligent. They have a sense of, as I said, resilience. They are courageous. But they really want to be contributing citizens and contributing members of this community.” adds Cleavinger.

These students are learning valuable skills, but the teachers say they learn just as much from the students.

 “I love absolutely enjoy interacting with them and seeing their perspective. They have a sense of community that we don’t always have here.” says Gaelle Jego, a Migrant Tutor for Warren County Public Schools. 

There are currently over two thousand English Learners in the Warren County Public School system.

The program ends on June 27th.