Nabil fled Syria with his parents, brother and two sisters when the war intensified in their home city of Homs. They struggled for four years in neighboring Jordan before being given the opportunity to resettle in the United States. The family arrived in Seattle in September 2015.

Nabil on an IRC field trip to the MaST
Photo: IRC/Venice Buhain

When I met Nabil and his family, I was immediately struck by how close they are and how supportive Nabil’s parents are of their children’s education. During one of my first visits to the family’s apartment, every single family member walked together to each of the three schools the children would be attending. As we walked through the neighborhood, despite challenges with language, Nabil tried his best to communicate with me. The whole time he made jokes and brought a smile to everyone. He was beyond excited to have the chance to go to school.

With support from the IRC, Nabil has grown exponentially. He successfully completed ninth grade at Foster High School and has participated in many IRC youth activities. He was even chosen to deliver a speech at the graduation ceremony for our 5-week Summer School program. “My family and I feel safe in Tukwila,” Nabil said. “Every day the teachers come to my house and walk me and my sister to school. We learn English, math and science. We play soccer and make art. IRC Summer School is good because we learn new things and make new friends.” Nabil has gone on many field trips including to Highline College; the Marine Science and Technology Center; and a Sounders game—his very first professional soccer match!

Today, the family continues to thrive. Nabil’s father and older brother, Yazan, are chefs at a popular Lebanese restaurant in Seattle. His mother attends English classes and earned her Early Childhood Certificate so that she can start a daycare business. One of his sisters attends Middle School and the youngest has started first grade. Nabil, now 15, is in the tenth grade and has dreams of becoming a software engineer.

Despite all they have been through, Nabil and his family are eager to give back to the city that has given them a new life. Nabil and his brother volunteered handing out food and water to the homeless as part of a local outreach event. Nabil has simple but wise advice for other young refugees: “Study hard to get good work in the future and be kind to others.”

By: Amanda Cook, IRC School Readiness Coordinator