WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Two Wichita students whose families fled violence and civil war in their home countries are featured in a new documentary about refugee resettlement and its impact on the city’s schools.
Image courtesy KSU college of education
The film produced by the Kansas State University’s College of Education called “Refuge in the Heartland” will premiere during a free screening Tuesday at the Wichita district’s headquarters.
The film follows students Alain and Dorcas, who are among more than 130 refugees enrolled in Wichita schools. Their last names weren’t included in the documentary. Alain’s family lived in a refugee camp for 17 years and Dorcas resettled in Wichita after fleeing the civil war in Congo.
District officials say the university focused on Wichita schools because of initiatives such as the Newcomers program, which helps new immigrants and refugees transition.