Eden Prairie Education Project

Immigrant student, leaders parents, community advocates from Eden Prairie, Minnesota have been working in their community to improve the quality of education immigrant students receive in the public schools. These student leaders are working on shifting the perception mainstream community has about the immigrant population and new arrivals in the community. They are bringing together school administrators, students and parents in order to address systemic problems that are affecting the quality of education and the educational environment within their schools. These systemic issues are lack of quality English Language Learners  curriculum lack of parent communication, lack of cultural sensitivity and healthy school environment for students to succeed. Our student leaders have successfully organized students and parents  in the Eden Prairie School District and have been empowered to voice their concerns to school administrators. The school district agreed to work with students to make changes needed to improve the quality of education.

One of the major accomplishments of the Eden Prairie School District Project has been the completion of a video in which immigrant students spoke passionately about the challenges they face in Eden Prairie schools. This video has been incorporated into ethics training sessions for Eden Prairie administrators and teachers.

Another major accomplishment has been the designing of work-plan and recommendations by the students for the school district to follow through in order to improve the policies and practices that are holding students of color back such as removing barriers to enter advanced placement classes, improving ELL so students can get out in due time so they are not stagnant and enter mainstream classes and enter higher level reading and math classes.

Another accomplishment has been the establishment of Eden Prairie Parent Workshops that teaches parents about current issues within the system.  Parents are assisted in successfully navigating themselves through the school system, as well as working together toward common goals. 

St. Paul Education Project

In Saint Paul, we connect and reach out to diverse immigrant and non immigrant students of color as Hmong, Oromo, Somali, African American  and Latinos that want to address emerging issues in the schools and other services which impact immigrant youth. Bringing together our diverse youth and immigrant leaders will enhance the power to address challenges and bring about positive change that can be achieved through the unification of communities in common issues of education and mainstream barriers. 

 Student leaders of St. Paul Education Project have been working to  address the issue of bullying in their neighborhood high schools, helping  parents who have language barriers learn how to navigate the schools successfully, and conducting youth group sessions to address issues the concern them in the community through focus groups and leadership development sessions. 

CrossingBarriers conducts these presentations and workshops to local schools, teacher training programs, community centers and student organizations.

• The risks and rewards of advocacy through community partnership.
• Issues in education relating to students of color who are are not succeeding in the public school.
• A child’s Right to Education.
• Working with ELL students.
• Family resources available to immigrant and refugee families.
• Improving police relations and immigrant youth.
• Suggestions about working with English Language Learners.
• Public engagement in immigrant communities.
• Issues facing Somali youth how to stop youth violence.
• Issues, the need for civic engagement and advocacy strategies of CrossingBarriers.