Hmong American Peace Academy

 Eighteen Global Scholars students met at the high school at 6:30 a.m. for an early-morning field trip to the Hmong American Peace Academy (HAPA) in Milwaukee. Our goal was to create a positive cultural exchange with HAPA students, and they did not disappoint! We had an amazing time and were grateful for the hospitality and insightful knowledge shared with our students during the visit.

When we arrived, we were greeted by Mr. Kearney, the school's Chief Academic Officer. He welcomed us alongside a group of approximately seven HAPA students, often referred to as Scholars. We began with brief introductions to help everyone feel comfortable with one another before splitting into small groups of three or four for a tour of the school, each led by a HAPA student.

Of course, our students quickly noticed some differences between HAPA and MHS. For example, HAPA students are served both breakfast and lunch, and the school has a café that students can visit. The café serves as a quiet study space during study hall for students who meet certain academic requirements. It offers plenty of reading material as well as a fully functional coffee bar complete with espresso drinks, boba, and more.

HAPA students also have the opportunity to work in the café, serving their classmates while gaining valuable work experience and earning a small paycheck. Very cool!

We were especially excited when our hosts offered each of our students a complimentary drink from the café. We then had the opportunity to sit together and engage in open conversations about our different school experiences and cultural backgrounds.

MHS students conversing with HAPA students about different school and cultural experiences in the school's Cafe.

Another aspect of the school that our students thoroughly enjoyed was the amount of Hmong culture proudly displayed throughout the building. For instance, every classroom featured Hmong-language writing alongside English translations, while artwork and traditional Hmong clothing were displayed in cases throughout the school.

One fascinating thing we learned about the Hmong language is that it is tonal, with eight tones! Essentially, a word's meaning can change depending on its tone. To put this into perspective, languages such as Chinese use three different tones, and Thai uses four. English is not a tonal language. The brief introduction of the Hmong language and the tones that are  tonal system gave our students a fascinating glimpse into the complexity of language and communication.

The Hmong language is also connected to music. During our tour, one teacher brought out a traditional musical instrument, a type of flute, and played a short musical phrase. The teacher then explained how the notes could convey a message.

Historically, during periods of conflict and persecution in Southeast Asia, music served as a way for Hmong people to communicate and preserve their cultural traditions. The flute was also used to send messages over long distances, serving as a fascinating example of how music can communicate meaning beyond spoken words.

Our HAPA student tour guide explaining different items in the school's museum.

Some of the fascinating and beautiful artwork on display in the school was paj ntaub which is also referred to as "story cloth." Some of the students that gave us a tour explained that their parents were actually refugees that escaped during the "secret war" (The Secret War was the US and CIA training Hmong fighters in Laos to fight against the North Vietnamese to prevent the spread of communism in the region).  You can see two of the story cloths below and the migration story they help tell.

Story Cloth showing refugees fleeing across the MeKong River into a refugee camp in Thailand.

A second Story Cloth showing the migration from the mountainous regions of Laos to an urbanized western cultured city.

We left the Hmong American Peace Academy with a large sense of excitement to continue learning and experiencing (the goal of any good field trip).  In fact the HAPA students showed an interest in visiting Mukwonago and MHS students showed an interest not only in learning more about Hmong culture but also learning more about their own cultural history. They came back inspired to learn about their own culture while also having an interest and excitement to learn more about others. They were very intrigued to learn about the Hmong New Year celebration that HAPA helps organize in Milwaukee and many students expressed an interest to attend. 

I would like to finish by expressing my gratitude to the students, Mr. Kearney and the Hmong American Peace Academy for welcoming us into their community. They showed great hospitality and our students had a great time and found the experience to be insightful and inspiring, which is a testament of the work HAPA put in to the experience.

To learn more about the Hmong American Peace Academy, visit their website linked here.

Book Review: Two Old Women

    Never judge a book by its cover—or, in this case, its title. I’m not going to lie: a title like Two Old Women is not the type of title that grabs my attention as a must-read. However, this book also highlighted that it was an Alaskan story of betrayal and survival, which piqued my interest. It is also the tale of an Athabaskan nation, one of the Indigenous groups of Alaska, which is why I have included it with our Global Scholars books. Yes, Alaska is part of the United States, but Native American and Native Alaskan cultures are part of the global diversity that we may miss out on in mainstream America. Exposure to these cultures can help us connect with the Indigenous communities of the world. So yes, this is Global Scholar approved.

  

  The book takes place in the Alaskan wilderness before the arrival of Europeans. It is a tale from the Athabaskan oral traditions that was put down on paper in this book by Velma Wallis, a member of the Gwich’in Nation, which is part of the larger Athabaskan group. The tale addresses the old tradition among nomadic groups of leaving older members of the tribe behind when they became too old to contribute to the group, essentially leaving them behind to die. However, in this story, the two old women who were left behind were not ready to give up and die in the wilderness. Instead, they worked together to persevere and survive despite being in their 70s or 80s. The story also explores the challenges of rebuilding trust, relationships, and community, as well as respecting life at all ages, including the elderly, and acknowledging the wisdom and knowledge that they carry.

    I do recommend this book to Global Scholar students, especially if you like books about survival or adventure. It is also a good, quick read for students who are trying to catch up on their books and literary reviews. It is only about 160 pages and could very likely be completed in a weekend.

This book can be found in Mr. Montanye's classroom, room number 228.

Where are they now? Delaney Kostrzewski - 2021

One very cool aspect of the Global Scholars program isn’t just the events and classes that take place in the high school building (although they are pretty great, if I do say so myself), but also seeing where students are a few years after graduation. This is what really highlights the benefits of the program and how it helps prepare students for a globalized future. Below is a spotlight on one of our Global Scholar graduates from the Class of 2021, based on responses to a few questions I sent her in 2025.

Favorite Memory from the Global Scholars Program

Hello everyone! I’m Delaney Kostrzewski, and I graduated in 2021. One event I remember vividly was learning from a guest speaker from the Peace Corps. He had served in Uganda, and we were able to ask him all kinds of questions. It really enhanced my understanding of the possibilities and requirements involved in participating in the Peace Corps. To this day, it is still on my agenda to pursue such an experience, of course, after I finish my degree.

I also had many opportunities to travel around Europe with the foreign exchange students I met during my high school career. In fact, I still keep in touch with many of them to this day!

 

Traveling to Prague with former exchange student from Czech Republic

What Global Experiences Have You Had After High School? 

I have been living in Venice for 2 and a half years. I am studying at Ca Foscari University, in the degree program for Philosophy, International Studies and Economics. I have learned how to speak Italian, which is super fun and helpful since I can now talk to locals and make new friends authentically! I feel more at ease having learned the language. Italy has become my second home. 

 

This is Roberta, one of my local Venetian friends! She doesn’t speak English, and that’s why it’s important to learn the local language! Fosters friendships of all kinds! 

 

Has Being A Global Scholar Helped You After High School? If So, How?

The Global Scholars program has helped me foster conversation and break down barriers that I might have otherwise encountered while living abroad. It has also benefited my education, as I am able to follow along more fluidly with the knowledge I previously acquired. Through the books I read that showed me different realities of the world, such as The Kite Runner, and through field trips that introduced me to different religious traditions, I have been able to gain a deeper understanding of people’s values and the complexity of our world.

Dressed up for Carnival in Venice

Book Review: The Last Colony

The Last Colony

I was excited to pick up a new book in our school library, The Last Colony. Written by international lawyer Philippe Sands, The Last Colony tells the story of the Chagos Islands and their journey through the International Court of Justice.

Philippe Sands has a smooth writing style, making this international legal drama easy to read and follow. He presents the historical background of the Atlantic Charter, a document signed by President Franklin Roosevelt and Prime Minister Winston Churchill during World War II, which outlined principles supporting decolonization and self-determination for territories around the globe. This document set the stage for the independence of many countries around the world today.

The Chagos Islands were part of the Mauritius territory before being separated to create the British Indian Ocean Territory. During this time, Chagos residents were relocated to Mauritius, which later became an independent country. This relocation is at the heart of the dilemma. The Chagossians claim that their removal was forced and unlawful under international law, and Mauritius brought charges against the United Kingdom for “crimes against humanity” related to the forced removal of its residents.

This is not an old historical story from a hundred years ago, nor one so distant that students would struggle to see its relevance. While the book provides historical background on the United Nations and the International Court of Justice, the court case itself took place in The Hague in 2019. The story continues even after the ruling, as countries stalled before acting on the court’s decision.

As a social studies and geography teacher, I also enjoyed the discussion of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), an AP Human Geography concept. This book is a strong example of what international law can accomplish today and has given me useful material to reference when students ask, “What does the International Court do anyway?” It is always helpful to have an example beyond simply “holding trials for people who committed genocide.”

The blue tab identifies the location of the Chagos Islands. 
Purple tab identifies the location of the International Court of Justice in Hague, Netherlands.

A quick Google search also shows that the Chagos Islands are of interest to the United States due to the presence of a military base, as well as the Trump administration’s criticism of the court’s ruling.

I recommend this book for students interested in international law and international politics.

Students learn about Refugee Resettlement

On December 3rd a group of global scholar students met in the Library after school to hear from Mr. Omar Mohamed, a worker from Lutheran Social Services who works with refugee resettlement in Wisconsin and Upper Michigan.  Mr. Mohamed shared insight into refugee resettlement and the experience of refugees here in Wisconsin.

Mr. Mohamed started with his own background and how he got involved with Lutheran Social Services. He was born in Somalia and fled the country with his family as a refugee when he was younger. They first traveled to Kenya seeking asylum, and after getting into the refugee resettlement program he and his family were sent here to Wisconsin where he was received by Lutheran Social Services to help with their transition into American life. Mr. Mohamed was a middle school/high schooler at the time and his family was able to become self sufficient to the extent that they became citizens and Mr. Mohamed went on to college. He attempted to intern with Lutheran Social Services but was actually hired and has worked with them ever since.

Mr. Mohamed's presentation continued with a brief history of the refugee resettlement program and its origin after World War II to help support all the refugees that were forced out of their home countries by the war.  However the program was extended in the 1960s to support refugees in continuing conflicts throughout the world making it international law to help support these people in need.  Wisconsin began by welcoming Hmong refugees and until recently were receiving many refugees from Myanmar/Burma (Rohingya), Democratic Republic of the Congo (Congolese) and a smaller percentage from Venezuela and Nicaragua.  (Until recently is referencing very current events and can easily change and reopen in the future). 

Among the challenges refugees face, Mr. Mohamed talked about the cultural challenges. How many refugees arrive and may speak zero English, yet are expected to get a job, support their families and be able to function in American society within 90 days.  Many will break down crying when they face this reality.  However 100% of all refugee families that they work with become self sufficient.  Mr. Mohamed actually referenced one Mukwonago business that has hired about 20 refugees and has helped both create stability for these people but also to show how refugees contribute not only to the Milwaukee & Wisconsin economy but also an impact on the Mukwonago economy.  Refugees are required to learn English so they can work toward a drivers license, get their green card so they can work and receive limited benefits and will need to quickly start paying money back to the government for their loan that has provided their plane ticket and other services when they first arrive.  Even for refugees fleeing from dire situations, there are limited free handouts.  Being self sufficient and independent is a requirement. Because of these challenges, many refugees are settled in areas where other refugees from their original country are located. This way there are people who can help them overcome the language and cultural barriers they run into when they first arrive.  During this time male refugees who are of age also register for the selective service (draft) just like other US citizens and many end up serving in our military. After living in the US and Wisconsin for five years they are able to go through the naturalization process to gain US Citizenship.

In addition to the cultural challenges, Mr. Mohamed also pointed out the political challenges refugees face.  For example the number of refugees that are allowed into the United States is a number that is set by the US government.  Our government sets a quota, and then we select refugees through an interview process that does not exceed that quota.  The number allowed into the United States has fluctuated from over 100,000 per year to less than 10,000 based on changes in administration and current issues.  For example refugees are individually interviewed by the United Nations, US Immigration, Department of Homeland Security and the FBI.  All of this is required before arriving in the United States. However after recent events of an Afghan refugee (who worked with US Soldiers in Afghanistan) in Washington D.C.  shot two National Guardsmen, many refugees from the past year will have to go through these interviews again. Also many refugees that may have been ready to travel to the United States are now stopped as the government is not allowing people from 19 different countries (all countries that have asylum seekers). However the program has not fully been stopped as Afrikaners that are seeking asylum from South Africa are still being received.

The one hour presentation from Mr. Mohamed was very interesting and insightful.  If students missed the opportunity to hear from him, they should reach out to Mr. Montanye who has a recording of the presentation so they can still learn about the process and complete a reflection for the Global Citizenship requirement. 

Book Review: "A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier" by Ishmael Beah

 It has been about twenty years since I first read this book. I remember picking it up at a Starbucks and reading it during my first year of substitute teaching. It was intriguing and eye opening twenty years ago and now the last couple years I saw students reading it as a choice book in one of their English classes a few years ago I felt it was worth reading it again.

Once again I enjoyed reading the book, while also feeling sadness for the experiences. The book is a nonfiction account by the author, Ishmael Beah, who grew up in Sierra Leone at the start of a Civil War that took place in his country. After his village was attacked and he spent months running through the jungle of west Africa for safety he was finally recruited by the army to become a child soldier. Through his stories of training, war and drug addiction you get a view of life for child soldiers. As a teacher (and from the view of a student) it is alarming to think he was the age of an eighth grader or freshman when forced into the war. Considering this is the age of students I work with (and the age of students who may read this book) it gives a lot to reflect on, even if we can't identify with the events that take place.

Thankfully the book continues after Ishmael is removed from the war and goes through rehabilitation where the reader is able to identify the challenges of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) that he has to struggle with while trying to reenter society  Ishmael is able to connect with some family before fleeing the country as a refugee. I appreciated the fact that the book wasn't just a collection of war stories, so you could actually see how Ishmael was affected and changed from his life before, during and after the war.

My final reflection is a good reminder that while these events took place in the early 1990's (I was often thinking of my life in middle school while the author, only three years older than I was fighting for his life in this war), this is a historical event. Last year (2024) we had an exchange student from Sierra Leone at MHS. While he shared stories of his home country with peers at the school, and presented in my geography class, he had very little to say about the history of the Civil War. But he had a lot of pictures and stories of how wonderful the country is today and why we should consider visiting. This was a good reminder that this story, along with many books that are read in the Global Scholars Program may provide good insight into a specific place and a specific time, but we cannot assume that the experience we read is representative of the current day.  Keeping the historical time frame in mind is important so it can help us understand different places historically and today. While the plight of child soldiers may be over in Sierra Leone, it is still active in over 15 countries today which provides another thought for consideration and learning while reading this book.

Ishmael Beah has continued to write and is a spokesperson for UNICEF advocating for children in conflict areas around the world. Below is a brief video from the UNICEF website about Ishmael's story and what he is doing today.

Book Review - Silenced Voices: Reclaiming Memories for the Guatemalan Genocide

 Reading a graphic novel was new for me, not just for the global scholars program but also in general.  As our high school library is working to diversify its collection, a new book was presented to me as an option for the Global Scholars program so I had to take a look at it. 

Silenced Voices: Reclaiming Memories from the Guatemalan Genocide was a very quick read (as I think many graphic novels are). Written by Pablo Leon, a Guatemalan author and illustrator, the book focuses on the historical memory of a Guatemalan immigrant. In this story, a mother is living in the United States with two teenage boys.  She has silently carried around the trauma of surviving a genocide in Guatemala and finally opens up to her two sons after the former President of Guatemala is found guilty, and then the verdict reversed in regards to genocide charges.  The story highlights the mother’s memories and then the attempt by her sons to try and relocate her sister who was separated from her during the genocide.

Once again this was a very fast read geared toward younger readers (middle school/freshman).  It did not necessarily have the depth I enjoy for global scholar books but it also highlights a historical event that many students are not familiar with and can be a catalyst for future investigations and learning. For this reason I think it would be a good book to check out to start building that background knowledge on recent history in Guatemala and Central America.