International Students Share Their Cultural Journeys Through Storytelling

Our amazing middle and high school English Language Development (ELD) students are now published authors, each book rooted in personal and cultural storytelling.

Written (in English) and illustrated by the international students (with help from AI tools like Adobe Firefly), the fictional stories are set in their hometowns and reflect cultural elements that are meaningful to them. Throughout the project, students explored what culture means, how it shapes who we are, and how picture books can offer a glimpse into the richness of their identities. The ELD students also visited the elementary school classes and read their stories to the students, which helped them build their English language skills further.

With the support of Dr. Jon Pennington, Bella Congdon, and others, their books are now available on Amazon. We’re so proud of our students for using their creativity and voices to make their cultures seen, heard, and celebrated!