I am going to help this young man I met today, I am determined find a way. He deserves our support and consideration. I understand that this hard work with long odds but I feel it is possible.

When I hear a story like Noorul Hotak’s, it’s stab in the heart to hear people talk about immigrants as rapists, killers, liars and thieves. It just hurts. Today, I met a remarkable young man named Noorul Hotak, he is thirteen years old.

Kathy Sosa, his teacher at the Hackett Middle School in Albany, asked me to come to the school to meet Noorul, she said he was a brilliant student, he had never missed a day of school or a test, and was an “amazing pupil.”

He needs an environment with strong  teachers, small classes and an embrace of academic achievement. We met just after school got out at 3 p.m., Kathy serves popcorn and snacks and sugar-free soda to her students. It was such a lift to see how much she loves them and how much they love her.

Noorul and I said down at one of the desks and talked together for about a half hour.  He was interested in my farm, and why I was there and what I liked about it.

He has been in America for two years, I was shocked to hear he didn’t know a word of English when he came to this country from Afghanistan by way of Pakistan, where his mother and her three sons fled.

Like most refugees I meet, he had a hard and wrenching story to tell.

His father, a physician, died just before Noorul was born, he contracted a disease he was trying to save children from. Noorul is painfully shy, I couldn’t get him to smile until I took my hat off and told him to look at my bald spot.

That always seems to work.

I got him to laugh a few times, but it took awhile.

There are five levels of achievement at the Hackett Middle School in Albany: Sure-Entering, Emerging, Transitioning, Expanding and Commanding. Noorul rose to the last and highest level in less than two years, while learning how to speak English, which he speaks fluently now.

He is an honors student, Kathy say she is one of the smartest and best students she has ever met. Initially, I balked at trying to get two kids into private schools this year, but Kathy badgered me until I cam to meet him. I was also blown away.

I had no idea English wasn’t his natural language until I asked.

He remembers that his family led a middle class life in Afghanistan, although he also remembers the fear  that permeated Herat, his town.

There were fears of bombings and assassinations and  killings, but mostly the fear was about the kidnapping of children for ransom.

Several of his family members were taken that way, they all were eventually returned, but his mother decided to leave.  It was getting too close. They went to Pakistan, then got to come to America. He’s not sure how. I am meeting his mother next week.

In America, she is working 10 hours a day at Wal-Mart, she cooks in the bakery. Noorul’s favorite subject is math, he hopes to go to college and be an engineer. They have a small apartment in Albany.

I hope I can  help him get into the right school. He needs to get to college, and probably on a scholarship. He is smart enough for that.

I know I will need a lot of help myself if I take this on.

Kathy and I have agreed that he should apply to the Albany Academy, where Eh K Pru is going. I am not at all sure that the school will consider another gifted  refugee student this year, I will find out next week. If not, I will contact other private schools in the area.

I want to fight hard for this young man, he is worthy and especially gifted. Kathy could not say enough about how smart and hard-working he is. I know it’s a tough task this late in the academic year, but I haven’t failed yet, I hope to keep the streak going.

Maria say’s I’m frightening when I get determined. We’ll see. Isn’t this what it’s all about, fighting for the worthy and the vulnerable.

As Kathy pointed out today, we make a great team. She has a great passion for teaching and supporting her students, many of whom are poor and vulnerable. I pray we can do this. He would benefit any school.

I could see that behind that shyness is a person of great strength and character. His accomplishments since coming to America are remarkable, it seems to me that this is exactly the kind of person we want to come to America and share the opportunity here.

So I’m going to try to figure this out. I’m meeting with the Albany Academy people next week, I’ll start there. What a gift it is to be able to help someone like this, even if I don’t know how yet.