Student's Book Illustrates the Immigrant Experience

Asked to write an essay for his English class, Mario Soriano went a step farther than most kids: He made a book.

His photo essay of New York City captures the life of the city and the vigor of the immigrants, shouldering the freedom of their new lives in America.

These are feelings Soriano knows, coming here from Nicaragua.

From there, before he came, Soriano says he thought America was all white. When he arrived here, he says, he realized "it's a country of immigrants, a country of opportunities."

These are the photos he shot in New York City, photos that show the press and crush of Chinatown, the European-style architecture of parts of New York, a bank with Chinese writing on its side next to a store blasting its message in English. The jumble of cultures, the colors and chaos of the city, the quiet that is Ellis Island, the sorrow of the memorial to 9-11 victims.

"I want to send a message that this country is about immigrants," Soriano says, "and not only legal immigrants. Legal or illegal we are helping the economy. Legal or illegal, we want a better life."

On the acknowledgment page, Soriano writes:

The purpose of this book is to try to portray the experience of the immigrant newcomers to America. When they arrive in New York City they are overwhelmed with new sights, sounds and smells. They are consumed with hope and dreams of a new life of opportunity and freedom.

In Montville High School in Montville, Connecticut, there is a very large immigration population due to the job opportunities at Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods. Many of these students are English Language Learner Students. These students have excelled academically. They are reaching for their parents’ dream. Since 2002 100% of the English Language Learner Students have graduated from the high school and 100% of these graduate have went on to a two or four years college. More than 65% of the English Language Learner Students achieve honor roll.

The Montville high school population has included students from China, Tibet. Nepal, Peru, Nicaragua, Egypt, Jordan, Columbia, Ecuador, India, Syria, Haiti, Bangladesh, Iraq and Iran.

Soriano likes his life here, and he likes life at Montville High. Mostly, he says, he likes the security he feels in the school. He went to NFA before coming to Montville, and "I feel more safety here."