He wasn’t at Canyon Ridge High School for long, but Bhutanese refugee Lok Darjee feels a sense of attachment to his school.
As graduation day approaches, Darjee — who arrived in Twin Falls February 2011 from a refugee camp in Nepal — said he’s sad about leaving high school.
“I always feel school is home, you know,” he said.
Canyon Ridge High vice principal Mike Gemar describes Darjee is a good student with “exceptional work ethic” who shows a high level of respect for his teachers.
Darjee, he said, also provides leadership for other students in the English Language Learners program.
“He won’t tell you that, but I will,” Gemar said.
Darjee said his family members and teachers helped him get to graduation day.
“My teachers are like my parents,” he said. “They take care of me in every sense.”
Darjee will join 217 of his classmates during Canyon Ridge High’s graduation ceremony Friday at the College of Southern Idaho gymnasium.
He wants to continue his education at CSI, but isn’t sure what to study.
Darjee said he can’t leave Twin Falls because he helps take care of his family members. That includes translating and completing paperwork. Throughout his time in high school, he balanced those family responsibilities with schoolwork and a job.
The downside — it didn’t leave much time to be a teenager and spend time with friends he made at school, he said.
As a Canyon Ridge student, Darjee said one of the largest obstacles is the language barrier. Although he learned some British English growing up, he said some people at school can’t understand what he’s saying.
The school experience in Twin Falls is “totally different” than what he experienced before, he said, adding that he sees it as a higher quality education.
One of his favorite memories of his time at Canyon Ridge was International Week this spring.
Students had a chance to share food, music and customs from their home country. Darjee was the emcee for a school-wide assembly with musical performances.
He also enjoys videography and while he was in Nepal, he worked on a documentary about life in refugee camps. Darjee said he produced a video last week about school bullying.
High school students, Darjee said, face a variety of obstacles. But he said he wants to let other teenagers know there are opportunities available to them.
“High school is one of the opportunities for myself to know who am I,” he said.
Courtesy : Time-News
Good luck!!!
But is he a refugee from Nepal?? This makes me upset because once you start doing this, what remains for future is a big question mark. In my opinion, you will lose your identity in the future. Now if you question a resettled refugee from Bhutan as an example” where are you from”?..you will get a reply “NEPAL”. So what do you think? Who wins and who is the looser? Still there are resettled Bhutanese who do not claim as Bhutanese fearing that they may lose their dignity. Unless you are not cleared what you are supposed to be then that throws whole community a big ball of mystery. The time has come for most of us to teach our young generation who we are and what make a difference between a Bhutanese and a Nepalese. If you recall a word” Ethnic Nepali” from Bhutan ???? what consequences are we facing right now because of this word? Please be very clear before using the word especially in the news paper. This Darjee Bhai is doing a great job. we need to praise and appreciate his doings but he should not be miss leaded. It is not good to make things controversial.
Good Job,
Lok Vai is Hard worker and sincere to everyone. He always polite with different new creation and present on public favor.
By knowing this news, I am so proud of him and get much happier with him. He make new way and help our people. He feel whatever our people feel. ” Beginning is always Today .” mero Bhai, anyway COngtrs for your Graduation and new post helping people ” english Leaner”.