T.A. Blakelock High School celebrated the publication of a book created entirely by the approximately 50 students in the school’s English as a Second Language (ESL) program, detailing their experiences as newcomers to Canada.
Called Finding Myself: Far Away From Home, the ESL Department at T.A. Blakelock HS aims to create an opportunity to amplify the voices of ESL students by bringing students and staff together to launch the book. Spearheaded by ESL Teachers Katherine Attwell, Sylvia Gonçalves, and Frana Barry, the project-based initiative allowed the students to come together and share stories and memories from home, as well as advice to newcomers to Canada.
Everything in the book was created by students, from the stories to the artwork. Once the book was complete, students applied for, and received, grant money to print the book and share it with the T.A. Blakelock HS community, and beyond.
Launched at an event on April 12, students read aloud passages from the book, sharing stories and experiences in the hopes of helping others feel more connected. Hundreds of fellow Blakelock students attended the book launch to support this accomplishment.
"For me, writing this book was a good way to express myself, and I hope that my story will help people who are in the same situation as me,” says Sirine, a student in the ESL program.
ESL Teacher Sylvia Gonçalves says a great part of the event was how it connected to the
HDSB’s 2020-2024 Multi-Year Plan, particularly the Equity & Inclusion area of focus.
“We’ve been looking to do more project-based initiatives in our ESL class to amplify student voice, to amplify ESL students’ presence and make the word equity actually meaningful in our school,” she says. “We wanted it to be a celebration of the richness that this student population brings to T.A. Blakelock. We wanted them to understand that their voice matters and the rest of the school needs to hear what they have to say. It’s a huge part of creating positive change in our school and creating a much more diverse and equitable environment.”
Vicky, a student in the ESL program, says she hopes the book will inspire other newcomers.
“It means more people know our story, and some difficulties we encountered when we first came to Canada. It's not easy to come to a brand new country but I hope this book can provide encouragement to others who have just arrived in Canada. I'm very happy to participate in this activity.”
Yimeng, another student in the program, is proud of what the ESL class was able to accomplish.
"I felt very proud after the book was published. I felt that it was a dream. I never thought I would publish a book, share my experiences, and read my story in front of the public."
Finding Myself: Far Away From Home is available for purchase
online. Proceeds from book sales will go to the T.A. Blakelock Angel Fund, which provides assistance to students in need in the Blakelock community. These funds are used to support students with experiential learning opportunities and other curricular opportunities.
