Sixteen YES! students from South Division High School traveled to Washington D.C. to meet with their elected officials, visit several museums, and learn more about American history and culture. Many of these students are immigrants and refugees from Asia, Africa and Central America, and we are proud to have collaborated with the Milwaukee Muslim Women’s Coalition and the Islamic Society of Milwaukee to provide our students with this extraordinary opportunity.

“My students are grateful for the American hospitality they have received and in the future many of them will become citizens of the United States and they will take and defend the values of our democracy,” said Marcelo Gallardo, teacher and YES student adviser at South Division. “Teaching for me is not only about content but also about teaching values, leadership and citizenship skills. I am so excited to teach these things to my students first hand through a trip to our nation’s capital.”

The Wisconsin Muslim Journal compiled reflections from the students who attended the trip.

Read more at WisconsinMuslimJournal.org