I received an ARC of this through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review; I ended up listening to the audiobook on Hoopla, since it was already after the publication date. I was interested in this since I had lived in the Chicago area for over 50 years. I found it all right;nothing exceptional. I think I would have liked hearing about more of the students and more of what brought them to the Chicago area. I think this book is going to be rather forgettable. Probably should be rated more 2.5 stars, up to 3 for Goodreads. In fact, I read the book several days ago and I really remember little about this; 2 stars would be more what I would rate it nearer to 2 stars, but I go with my gut reaction when I finish a book or within 24 hours or so.

Refugee High is one of those books that you love from the beginning until the end, especially because it is about something that we all need to reflect: integration. The author Elly Fishman is describing what happens inside and outside the Sullivan High School, for a century an engine of education and integration for immigrants in the city of Chicago. While the US President, Donald J. Trump, was threatening to end DACA (a program created by the Obama administration that granted immigrant youths brought unlawfully to the US the temporary right to live, study and work) and imposing travel bans on citizens from seven Muslim-majority countries, the Sullivan High School was strenuously continuing his task of integrating young immigrants coming from different countries and helping them to acquire a great education and what it is necessary to become a proper citizen and live a happy life. Throughout the pages of this book, the author is also exploring other problems that are very difficult to tackle in the US country such as gun violence and gangs. Many of the students of the Sullivan High School directly experienced gun violence and gang violence (in particular one of the students was shot when he was coming home by a gang member), but also poverty, racism and xenophobia.

A detail that left me spellbound is reading that in the US there is a necessity to install a metal-detector at the entrance of every school, something that sounds very strange in other western countries, because we give for granted that schools are the safest place in the world. But, in the US it’s a matter of fact that schools are extremely vulnerable due to the easiness to buy guns, something that is forbidden by strict laws in the majority of countries.

As a teacher, I am very pleased to read how teachers and other personnel are extremely interested in creating an inclusive environment for foreign students that are struggling to adapt into a new context and are experiencing a variety of problems, most of them financial ones. With their adequate educational strategies, they are honouring their mission of creating a positive, supportive, learning environment and they are positively contributing in creating the basis for a multicultural society in which no one can never feel as being an outcast.
To sum up, I definitely recommend this book, because once again it convinced me that diversity is the real strength of our societies.

A year in the life of Roger C Sullivan high school in Chicago, a school that has one of the highest proportions of refugees of any school in the US. The book takes the reader right into the heart of the lives of these refugee students and into the school whose dedicated staff leave no stone unturned in order to help them. The school offers the students not just the chance of an education, but also a haven from their often difficult home circumstances. There are students from 35 different countries speaking more than 38 different languages. Many of them are traumatised by their experiences in their home countries and by the challenges of adapting to a new life in America. And of course the staff face enormous challenges as well in finding the best way to help them. The book gives a real insight into all these challenges and difficulties and I found it both illuminating and eye-opening. An important and relevant account of contemporary immigration, refugee and educational policies in the US.

Unfortunately, this one wasn't for me. I felt it was a struggle to get through to the end. I appreciate the subject matter and the stories told here certainly broadened my view of the world, but I just struggled to stay engaged.

The POVs bounce around a lot and it was sometimes hard to remember whose story was whose. I really wanted to be able to feel a connection while reading but unfortunately the writing felt a little distant.

What an important book to hear the voices of the youth that hide in the shadows of our culture, but will one day emerge as the leaders. It certainly helps that I teach in a high school, but this book is for everyone.

While this didn’t quite read as a nonfiction book, knowing these stories were as real as the people who lived them spoke to me as a reader. All the individuals within this book are shown as survivors who live through some of the worst events one can experience in life. Their courage and persistence in moving forward while living in an environment outside of their control shows the extent of each person’s character and the ability to find hope within themselves and the others around them.

Gave a good range of issues confronting immigrant high schoolers with decent specificity (each country's immigrants were treated separately) even though it was based on a single high school. I liked that you heard from the school staff, about the kids, and from their parents-it's a broad perspective that's often lacking a little in anthropological studies of immigration. The tone was a little distant but not in a way that detracted from the stories it was telling.

3.5 stars
This was an interesting account of refugee teens and their families in Chicago. I found this book depressing, which was probably the point. It was eye-opening; something many Americans do not think about. These kids come to the US as refugees having experienced horrible violence and poverty in their home countries. Now they are alienated, impoverished and struggling to learn English. They may be the objects of bullying or other violence. They are also trying to fit in with American kids while their parents are pushing them toward their own cultural traditions, including arranged marriage at an early age.
The book is well-written. These kids' stories come to life. I felt very sorry for these kids and wanted to help them, which is probably also the point. Most of the stories are heart breaking. Fortunately, the author throws in some positive examples which keeps the book from being too terribly overwhelming. I found the information about life in the native countries interesting.
This book raises awareness of the situations faced by refugee children in the US.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Refugee High is a chronical of the school year 2017/2018 in Chicago's Sullivan High School, which contains one of the highest proportions of immigrant and refugee students in the US. In that year, there was students from thirty-five different countries, and thirty-eight languages were spoken inside the school.

The author spent the entire school year following four students; Mariah, an Iraqi refugee, Alejandro, an asylum seeker from Guatemala, Belenge, a Congolese refugee, and Shahina, a refugee from Myanmar. She shadowed each one of them inside and outside of school. And shared stories of other students from Syria, Congo, Burma,..

A story of violence, racism and fear. A hope of a better life but the struggle continue.
There it comes Sullivan High and its administration and the programs they created to help this kids.

The story of Tobias, Belenge's father in Congo and how he fled to a refugee camp in Tanzania was heartbroking, the arranged marriages of young Muslim girls (14-16 yo) were shocking, even unbelievable! Alejandro's story

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. (via Netgalley)

Thank you to NetGalley and The New Press for providing me with a free review copy. Refugee High is now available for purchase.

We need more people like Sarah Quintenz and more schools like Sullivan High.

Refugee High follows a year in the life at Roger C. Sullivan High School in Chicago, Illinois during the 2017-18 school year through the perspectives of students, parents, and faculty members. Under the national leadership (I use that term loosely) of number 45 *shudder* the most anti-immigrant president I, personally, can remember in my own lifetime we experienced “the worst global refugee crisis in history.” This incited deep panic and fear in families and individuals across the country; adults who’ve been here for decades and still haven’t gotten citizenship, kids who’ve lived here since before they could talk but weren’t born here, and the people whose families might be torn apart.

Shahina and her mother don’t speak anymore after she ran away from her arranged marriage.
Alejandro had to leave his mom and sisters behind in Guatemala after watching several of his friends get killed in or around gang violence for fear that he might be next.
Belenge is terrified to leave his house after his friend was shot in cold blood outside of a local grocery, his assailant still at large.
Mariah barely remembers her life before coming to America and now that she’s here she is not going to let anybody dictate what she does with her life; not her parents, not her teachers, and definitely not some guy twice her age that her family expects her to marry.

Once upon at time, America prided itself on being a safe and generous and resourceful place that welcomed any and everyone with open arms and that’s what they teach in their schools, but literally any non-white person can tell you that that’s not true at all. There are thousands and thousands of stories of people who came to America to flee dangerous and potentially life threatening situations only to come here and find out that they’re no safer here than they were there; and even if they do feel safe then that rug can be pulled out from under them at any second because the path to American citizenship is not as quick or as easy as those “as long as they come here legally” folks think it is. Refugee High tells a few more of these stories in an emotional, heartbreaking, and also heartwarming way. Sullivan High School is more than a school to some of these kids; it’s the place that let them feel at home in the States; it’s where they met the friends and teachers who gave them their opportunities and grounded them in their new lives.

<spoiler> I wonder if Alejandro has had his court date yet. </spoiler>

I love learning the hows and whys of immigration stories and this book was no exception. While it did seem to start out a bit slow I became fully invested in the students’ histories and the struggles.

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book dives into the lives of students and staff of Sullivan high school.

I was hoping for more about the students and their experiences. Given that they're the actual refugees I wanted to understand more about their lives. I understand why there isn't more from their perspectives, but it was not what I was expecting. It felt more like a story about the staff and the hurdles the face than the lives of refugee students.

That being said it's an interesting read. We learn about the students and their lives and adjusting to American high school. There is a focus on gang activity and girls leaving school because of arranged marriages.

It's a peak into Sullivan high school and what students experience.

REFUGEE HIGH by Elly Fishman is a newly released work of non-fiction about a year (2017-2018) at a public high school in Chicago named for Roger C. Sullivan. Fishman, a former senior staff editor at Chicago magazine, describes the ups and downs of that time for several immigrant and refugee teens, their siblings, parents, teachers, and friends. These students come from Iraq, Guatemala, Tanzania, Burma/Myanmar, and Syria. It is not an easy transition for many reasons. According to the Illinois State Report Card, the students at Sullivan under-perform relative to the district and state; chronic absenteeism is quite high (63%), and the graduation rate relatively low (72%, versus a state average of 86%); plus, English Language learners represent a sizeable (45%) part of the student body. Fishman spent hours with these students and their families – she clearly cares for them and offered a brief update in her author's note. I personally wish that she had also crafted an introduction to REFUGEE HIGH although she does a commendable job of sharing stories. Reminiscent of books written roughly 20 years ago like Freedom Writers' Diary by Erin Gruwell or Inside Mrs. B's Classroom (also set in Chicago) by Leslie Baldacci, REFUGEE HIGH offers an important look into the lives of students that Fishman shadowed and is likely to build compassion and empathy amongst readers, especially in the face of growing vocalization of anti-immigrant sentiments.

LOCAL EVENT: Glencoe Public Library will be sponsoring a virtual talk by Elly Fishman on September 21. The author's website and the library will have updated information soon.

Links in live post:
https://www.cps.edu/schools/schoolprofiles/sullivan-hs
https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/School.aspx?schoolid=150162990250042
https://www.ellyfishman.com/events

I found Refugee High to be a really involving interesting informative a look at the lives of the high school the refugees who attend.This is the type of book. That would be perfect for bookclubs classroom discussions and educators.Ibwill be recommending #netgalley#thenewpress

When I didn’t fully understand something, or what someone goes through, I read. I find as many stories as I can to try to understand circumstances and views of others. Only through true understanding can we completely accept and help people after all, and, of course it stands to reason that misunderstandings breed fear and hate. To better understand what an immigrant might face, and why they would choose to leave home, I have read several books. I have been lucky and lived an easy, safe life; so I can’t imagine living in a refugee camp for the better part of my life with hundreds of others. Here, we have four different students, families with different pasts and dreams, that let us know them and their stories. I feel like this is really important. Once here, life isn’t simply magically better- they have to learn a whole new way of life, not just speech but markets, housing…. finding work, some are going to school for the first time. There are also those that have trouble letting go of the familiar, or who can’t figure out how to mesh their old and new.
I found this book to be well written and gripping. I felt for these people- what they’d been through and the fears they still possessed. You don’t leave everything behind on a whim. It’s important to me, as an American, to see what trials someone who comes to the states “legally” goes through- the sometimes decade long wait to name just one. If my child was starving, sick, in danger or even not getting a good education I think that wait would drive me mad. Also, there is one young man that was an Asylum seeker- someone that comes to the boarder believing their life at risk and asks for aid. It was hard to see how he was treated like he had done wrong by coming for aid. Having his whole life on hold for court dates that keep being pushed back. What must it be like to be here for half a decade, and not know if you’ll be allowed to stay? Even if you know that returning to a home you miss desperately means death? You can’t read this book without wanting to change things. To cut through the insanity that makes immigration take so long and cost so much, to force them to see Asylum as what it is- a desperate plea for immediate help and mercy. For me, this book is a cry for change- change in the way we view immigration not just on a government level but in communities as well. I actually finished this book a few weeks ago and it haunts me. I loved it! For me this is a five star book.
I was lucky enough to receive an eARC of this book from Netgalley and The New Press in exchange for an honest review. My thanks!

CW: gun violence, prejudice, racism

Thank you to NetGalley and The New Press for an advanced electronic copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

This nonfiction book visits the school with the highest refugee population in the USA, Chicago's Roger C. Sullivan High School, in 2017, a year that was heavily filled with anti-immigrant rhetoric. We follow the stories of multiple students and teachers, learning about their experiences and the present-day state of American immigration and education systems.

I found myself checking multiple times to make sure that this was actually nonfiction, because the storytelling was done so well. I have seen other reviews sharing that this book is heartbreaking, and I agree. I also found it interesting to read about how the teachers' approaches to teaching English language learners and inclusion methods were met with varying levels of resistance by students, showing that there really is no "one size fits all" in education, and reinforcing that students need teachers who can adapt and support them.

I was a bit nervous to pick up this book given that it comes so close to home. I work in a school very similar to the Chicago high school depicted in this reporting. It's a school to welcome newcomers to our country, helping with the language, the introduction to the US school system, and the social and emotional pressures they feel every day. While the student and staff experiences shared here definitely reached through and gripped my emotions, I am happy to have read this.

The journalist who wrote this book did long-term (3 years) and intensive interviews and observations at Sullivan in CPS. She particularly followed four students (all refugees or asylum seekers) and the director of the English language learner (ELL) program at the school, although the stories of many people overlap and interact throughout. Potential readers should go in expecting that this is a close and personal look at the experiences of a few people, not a broad discussion of trends and underlying questions. The author does briefly reflect on how political changes in power affect immigration policy and creates challenges for those who wish to enter our country and those already here.

I love the way the stories shared here demonstrate the many feelings immigrant kids have about being here in the US, from the good to the bad. There are conflicting feelings about home, language stress and cultural clashes, and new friends and adventures to have. These teenagers are in some ways like any other while also harboring intense traumas and responsibilities unique to their journeys.

From the teacher's side, I appreciated the way the book highlights how systems both help and hinder these kids and their families -- mostly hinder. Even for staff members passionate about providing needed supports and a safe space, funding stress can undermine the best plans and intentions. Also, the stories demonstrate how all the important relationships and personal growth built up at school aren't reflected in the data school districts and funding bodies care about.

I appreciated being invited in to hear about these students, their families, and their school. This is a topic I wish everyone had more knowledge about, especially with such vitriol against refugees and immigrants occurring in the public sphere. I highly recommend this, especially if you're not overly familiar with refugee experiences in the US. Thanks to The New Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this advanced copy. It's out 8/10.

As a teacher who has worked with English Language Learners, I really appreciated this book. It is always heartwarming to be able to read about the relationships between students and their teachers, and often, we teachers can see ourselves in these stories. We also become more reflective of our own practices, biases, and teaching style. I hope to encourage other teachers to read this so we can discuss it together.

Sullivan High School, located on the North Side of Chicago has historically been a home and refuge to immigrant students. This book chronicles the 2017-2018 school year at the high school - a time when when there great fear in immigrant and refugee communities.

Over half of the population of Sullivan is immigrants and we are fortunate to meet a varied cast of bright and interesting characters. They include Alejandro, who has fled gang violence in Guatemala City but may be deported, , Belenge a Congolese refugee who spent tumultuous time in a Tanzanian camp and faces gang issues in his neighborhood, and Shahina a refugee from Myanmar who has a fragile relationship with her parents as she embraces more and more US culture and avoids an imminent arranged marriage.

As a teacher who works with ELL students I was immediately attracted to this book. I truly loved many aspects of the book and learning about the students. I have to say the teacher Sarah seemed inappropriate in her language many times and that detract from the story - my school is suburban and thus I try to keep an open mind regarding what these professionals think will work best with so many students suffering from past and current traumas.

The descriptions and discussions could be facile at times, but the story is gripping and I will be sharing this book as a gift to many of my colleagues. It's fascinating to follow the journeys of so many diverse people in our country. Thank you @NetGalley and #NewPress for this ARC in exchange for a fair review.