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'Generation One': How One School District Responds To Dramatic Demographic Changes

Stella M. Chavez
/
ËÄ»¢Ó°Ôº
Brandy Salmeron and her father, Samuel, visit the Grapevine Community Outreach Center.

Immigration is transforming the Grapevine-Colleyville school district near Fort Worth. In the last decade, it has seen its overall student population shrink while the It's the latest story in a 

'Generation One': How One School District Responds To Dramatic Demographic Changes
The ËÄ»¢Ó°Ôº Radio story.

One in three Texas kids is either an immigrant or the child of immigrants. Over the next several weeks, ËÄ»¢Ó°Ôº will explore the challenges these kids face and the ways North Texas schools are trying to weave them into the American tapestry.

These kids have to learn a new language, adapt to a different culture and try to fit into a community that may not embrace newcomers.

Chapter 2: Going From Spanish (Or Urdu Or Arabic) To English

takes a look at how the Grapevine-Colleyville school district is responding to the dramatic demographic changes.

In recent years, the number of students learning English — they’re called English language learners — has climbed 60 percent. 

The district partnered with the police department to create the Grapevine Community Outreach Center. And the district launched the Language Assessment Center over the summer. Kids who aren’t native English speakers get tested at the center and are then placed in the right language program.

Of the students learning English in Grapevine-Colleyville, most speak Spanish. But kids also speak Korean, Urdu, Hindi, Arabic and Ukrainian.

says Jodi Cox, the district’s world languages director.

Chapter 1: In A Land Of Strangers, Paving His Own Path

The first story features  Just two weeks after arriving from Africa, David enrolled at Conrad High School in Northeast Dallas. He started school in a new country where students speak a different language. It can be overwhelming. Now, a year and a half later, David is helping other refugee kids making the transition.

About the series

Each Tuesday through the end of the year, stories will air on ËÄ»¢Ó°Ôº 90.1 FM. Explore the stories in , which features videos and an showing where Texas’ foreign-born population comes from.

Generation One is part of .

Eric Aasen is ËÄ»¢Ó°Ôºâ€™s managing editor. He helps lead the station's news department, including radio and digital reporters, producers and newscasters. He also oversees keranews.org, the station’s news website, and manages the station's digital news projects. He reports and writes stories for the website and contributes pieces to ËÄ»¢Ó°Ôº radio. He's discussed breaking news live on various public radio programs, including The Takeaway, Here & Now and Texas Standard, as well as radio and TV programs in New Zealand and the United Kingdom.
Stella M. Chávez is an investigative reporter for The Texas Newsroom, a collaboration between NPR and member stations around the state. She's based at in Dallas and is currently reporting on how state government is working with federal agencies on immigration enforcement and border security.