DISD Welcome

I cannot imagine being an elementary school aged child and one day leaving my hometown with only the clothes on my back, going across the ocean and settling in a new land. I’d have to learn a new language, make new friends, adapt to new cultures, eat new foods, follow new rules, etc. Its easy for an adult but for children, it could be very intimidating.

That’s the fate of dozens of children who arrive in the Dallas ISD every week! Since the start of school last fall, the Dallas ISD has enrolled more than 200 refugees. Among them, dozens from Burundi, a small, central African country. There was also an influx of children from Myanmar. Some were born and spent most of their lives in refugee camps. Most did not have a formal education before coming to Texas. The teachers are specially trained and oh so patient.

This Thursday at 4:00 p.m. and Sunday at 8:00 a.m., Kristi Nelson shines the Spotlight on the DISD Intake Center. It is filled with patient adults who evaluate immigrants and refugees and integrate them into the classroom. For anyone who suggests its just easy to “learn English” and assimilate, take a look at this story. We’ll show you how the district works with parents and children to place them in an environment where learning can take place.

All children deserve a good start and this place makes sure it happens for young immigrants and refugees.

Diverse in DFW

One of the highlights of living in North Texas is the incredible diversity. According to DFW Community Alliance, 40% of people here are immigrants or the children of immigrants.

This Sunday, January 27 at Noon, we’re taking a closer look at some of the stories of those immigrants: where they’ve been and where they’re going here in North Texas. We want to make it clear, the special focuses on people who’ve come here legally. Some came for educational or business opportunities, others simply came to the United States simply for survival. Among the stories, you’ll see:

-”The Lost Boys“: You’ll see the incredible survival stories of a pair of Sudan natives who’ve relocated to Dallas.

- DISD Intake Center: We’ll take you inside the special center where the Dallas ISD welcomes children from all over the world. Some are refugees from war zones. See how educators meet a special challenge in adapting these children to our school system.

- Dance, Dance, Dance: Meet a Mexico City native whose dance company has performed for First Lady Laura Bush and hundreds of schools. Learn how his passion for the arts is being passed onto the next generation.

- Delicious Deli: We’ll take you to Southlake to a unique store with a truly European essence.

- Culture Connection: We’ll show you a new partnership between the University of North Texas in Denton and a country in Southeast Asia. This new program is helping transform students into scholars in Denton who will eventually make a big difference halfway around the world.

Immigrants enhance our communities, grow businesses and help put the American Dream in perspective for people whose families have lived in the United States for generations. I hope you can join us Sunday at Noon for their special stories. Our thanks to the Rose Marine Theater in Fort Worth, which allowed us to photograph “Spotlight” host Kristi Nelson on location.

Addison’s Ace

The Dallas-Fort Worth area is one of the fastest growing and diverse areas in the country. Immigrants play a major role in that growth and diversity. Over the few weeks, we’ll “Spotlight” some of the success stories of these new Texans in business, education, politics and philanthropy. We want to make it clear our stories are focused on “legal” immigrants.

One of the most recognizable faces in Addison is the Mayor Joe Chow. Although Texas ranks fourth in population for Asian-Americans, Chow is one of only a handful of Asian-American political leaders in our state.

This Thursday, January 10 at 4:00 p.m. and Sunday, January 13 at 8:00 a.m., NBC 5’s Kristi Nelson profiles Mayor Chow. We find out what brought him to Texas, how he rose from entrepreneur to the top man at City Hall and why he’s not only a role model for Asian-Americans, but people of many backgrounds.

From Texas to India… With Love

You never know where life will take you. Our next “Spotlight” story (airing Thursday, Jan. 3 at 4:00 p.m. and Sunday, Jan. 6 at 8:00 a.m.) is about “Baal Dan.”

The founder of this charity is Tanya Pinto. She is a petite, young mover-and-shaker in Dallas. She is a native of India but left that country many years ago with her family. After living in Dubai and Australia, she moved to Dallas and signed on at The Richards Group.

While on a trip to re-connect with her homeland, Tanya discovered something eye-opening: because of a rapidly expanding population, extreme poverty and other reasons, MILLIONS of children call the streets home. Many are under the age of ten. Tanya also discovered that it took very little money to change the lives of these children with materials, education and love.

In our story, find out what “Baal Dan” means, see how Tanya got started and how its making a difference. If you’ve ever felt like one person cannot make a difference the world can feel, this story may change your mind.

And if you want to help Tanya.. it’s very easy! Just log onto http://www.baaldan.com/ or stop by Blue Mesa Grill at their NorthPark Center location. Blue Mesa Founder’s Jim and Liz Baron were so moved by Baal Dan, they decided to donate a dollar from their Tacos For A Cause program goes to Tanya’s charity. For more information, click on www.bluemesagrill.com/tacos-for-a-cause/