Building One Community “B1C” – The Center for Immigrant Opportunity – took advantage of a rainy day and brought their homework club students on a field trip to the Bruce Museum.
The partnership between B1C and The Bruce Museum in Greenwich has bolstered B1C’s academic enrichment program for Stamford Public Schools students K-5th grade to receive hands-on learning in science, technology, engineering, art, and math.
The homework club reinforces classroom learning through after-school sessions with volunteer tutors, helping 137 students in 2023 complete homework and build confidence in the classroom, so this weekend outing was an extra special treat.
The students gathered at 417 Shippan Ave with raincoats and chattering teeth. Their parents waved them off as the wheels on the yellow school bus went round and round all through the town to Greenwich. The excited students disembarked to start on the special project of creating their own kaleidoscopes.
Playing with color and pattern, the kids built their own little worlds, and even brought in B1C pride with a drawing of the sunburst graphic from B1C’s logo.
“I love bringing the students to the Bruce Museum,” said Bernadette Sotomayor, B1C’s education support coordinator in a release. “They always learn something that changes the way they think or see the world. We are thankful for our partnership with the museum!”
The students continued their exploration with the exhibit by Anila Quayyum Agha called, “Dualities,” a sculpture installation which introspected “topical concerns around migration, transience, and the politics of displacement.”
While the artist is from Pakistan, many of the students, whose parents have come from Latin America, are familiar with these themes from their own experiences. B1C’s mission to advance the successful integration of immigrants and their families breeds a sense of belonging and provides a soft landing for those navigating their way through a new world.
The B1C and The Bruce Museum partnership is critical as it connects children of low-income immigrants to free academic enrichment opportunities that often come at a high price and, therefore, remain unreachable for the immigrant community.
Exposing students early to STEAM programs can awaken their curiosity and make them more likely to pursue careers in these fields.
This hands-on learning not only gives these students a boost in the classroom, but also encourages them to explore personal and cultural identity, giving them a boost in the world too.
To learn more about B1C and its programs and services, please visit the website www.b1c.org.
Building One Community (also known as “B1C”) is a nonprofit organization established in 2011 that provides a comprehensive resource center for immigrants in the greater Stamford area. The mission of Building One Community is to advance the successful integration of immigrants and their families. Since its inception, the organization has served nearly 17,000 immigrants from 124 different countries. B1C provides free services that educate, employ, empower, and engage immigrants and the broader community.
Programs offered include English Language Learning (ELL) programs, family and individual support services, immigration legal services, and workforce development programs. Community volunteers, donors, and partnerships are an essential component of the growth of Building One Community.