Category: Children

More Alike Than Different

8/3/2020

2020 n13
Sarah’s purple hair catches many by surprise, so she walked into her KIN interview willing to change the color if Jani, KIN’s Volunteer Outreach Coordinator, thought she should. But Jani loved it, and Sarah began her internship with KIN a couple of days later.

As a college senior, Sarah already knew she wanted a career helping those without a voice in society.

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When Unprecedented is Good

5/19/2020

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2020 n09
Twice a week, Mrs. W logs into an online meeting platform and connects with a family across town. The three siblings are lined up, ready to work with her for about 20 minutes each. Their father is there, too. He follows along, encouraging the children, but he usually learns a few new things himself, too.

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Because Teeth Are Important

8/5/2019

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2019 n14
Going to the dentist is nothing new for Omar. He used to go every year in his home country, but after his father was kidnapped and the family fled, it wasn’t so easy to get proper dental care. Since he and his family arrived in Knoxville a few years ago, they haven’t had insurance or reliable transportation for dental appointments, so he didn't go.

That fact changed in the summer of 2019.

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Backpack Blessings

1/21/2019

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2019 n02
Remember the excitement of the first day of school? Remember how proudly you shouldered your new backpack and marched into school?

International children now have the same feeling after they visit the Knox County Schools Welcome Center, where new families enroll their children in school throughout the year. Every child receives a well-stocked backpack, readying them for that first day in their new schools.

In 2018, KIN collected 100 backpacks for the Welcome Center. Ms. Sharon Cate, the director, described the impact this way:

"When new students arrive to our district, they come from a variety of backgrounds and experiences. As they prepare for school in a new environment, there are many new experiences they encounter, one of which is being screened for ESL services. They do this by completing an online language screener. As you can imagine, this is sometimes stressful for new students.

"Just one example of how the backpacks have helped our students is demonstrated by a young student who broke into tears upon learning that she needed to complete an on-line English screener. To calm her down, we stepped away from the screening area and invited her to pick out a backpack filled with school supplies. She was so happy to have the materials she needed for school and a new backpack. She came back ready to complete her screener and go to school.

"The gifts of your time, money, and materials make a difference. The backpacks and school supplies are a tangible way of showing our new students and their families that they are indeed welcome in Knox County. Thank you so much for your support."

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Replacing Ronaldo's Hope

12/3/2018

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2018 n03
A bomb robbed young Ronaldo of much of his hearing. Then an international move robbed him and his family of their home and everything familiar. It’s no surprise Ronaldo struggled in school after they reached Knoxville. He couldn’t hear well, and what he heard wasn’t always understandable. He couldn’t sit still in class. He couldn’t finish his homework, and he resisted discipline at school. Ronaldo was frustrated. His parents were desperate.

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More Alike Than Different

When Unprecedented is Good

Because Teeth Are Important

Backpack Blessings

Replacing Ronaldo's Hope

IMPACT

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