Introducing
The Welcome Handbook
A Handbook By Youth For Youth
Whether you are an educator, parent, or student, we've got what you're looking for. This Welcome Handbook is designed for new immigrant students as they adjust to a new school system in the US.
Testimonial
"As an immigrant myself, I struggled early on especially in elementary school because I didn’t understand the education system and had to figure everything out on my own. I was confused about social cues, how to choose the right classes, and where to find opportunities like clubs and extracurriculars.
Over time, I picked up tips and tools that helped me get to where I am today. That’s why I truly believe that Tulip Promise’s welcome handbooks would have made a big difference for me.
These step-by-step guides, focused on social-emotional learning and cultural expression, are exactly what new immigrant students need to feel supported from elementary school through high school.
Tulip Promise is creating a resource that gives students the guidance I wish I had - something that can help them succeed both socially and academically. This handbook ensures that they will enter the school system prepared and motivated which is why you should support this project."
-- Meerub Malik, Graduating High School Senior
Where It Started
Through talking with new immigrant students and researching local policies, we discovered two main gaps when new immigrant students transitioned to school: first, most transitioning-to-school information were given to parents and not passed to students and second, the information given to families was only related to legal requirements and the high school to college transition.
The Problem
But legal requirements and the high school to college transition are not the only barriers a student faces when transitioning to a new school system in the US: the cultural, social, and academic norms that a student needs to navigate can be very difficult, and without any support to face these challenges, studies find that student's academic, social, and emotional health can decline drastically, making it difficult for a student to thrive in school.
Our Part
That's where Tulip's Promise's Welcome Handbook steps in --- to bridge this gap by making an interactive, step-by-step guide which focuses on social emotional learning and cultural expression to assist new immigrant students as they navigate the transition to a school in the US.
Today
This handbook, mentored by Professor Colleen O'Neal at College of Education, University of Maryland, has been adopted by the Howard County Public School System (HCPSS) in the state of Maryland and developed in collaboration with HCPSS staff from the Student Access and Achievement department, a Board of Education member, middle and high school counselors, and new immigrant students.
Preview
