Saturday

Cultural Diversity in American High Schools

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

STEPHEN FRAZIER, CNN ANCHOR: More figures released by the Census Bureau this week, and we certainly didn't to see them to know that the nation's growing even more diverse. Now, here's CNN's Garrick Utley to report all one has to do is to look and listen.

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GARRICK UTLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Does it seem ironic that an American, Max Desilets (ph), is teaching Chinese history to Chinese in Chinese in a high school in New York City? Is it not doubly ironic that Chinese students in this high school study with their bilingual teacher, Paul Cheung (ph), the history of American imperialism in Asia?

But then, there is not much time or space for irony in overcrowded Newtown high school in Queens, New York. There are 4,200 students, born in 96 countries, whose parents brought them to this country, to this community. To the community of Elmhurst, ZIP 11373, believed to be the most culturally diverse ZIP code in the nation, where immigrants have come to settle since the 1600s.

Today, the signs of change are everywhere. At Newtown high, the students from those 96 countries and cultures speak 59 languages at last count.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Is this correct? What is the problem?

UTLEY: And that raises the question that has been asked as long as there have been immigrants, how well will they adjust, adapt, assimilate? Forty percent of the students are being taught English as a second language. A problem? Of course. But Charlene Nieves says it can be handled.

CHARLENE NIEVES, ENGLISH TEACHER: A ninth grade student who I had in level one and is graduating high school, and you could not tell that they were not born in this country. They assimilate so quickly into the American society; it is unbelievable.

JOHN ROONEY, ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL: If the rest of the country can have some of the success that seem to have had, knock wood, so far in this community and in this school, the future looks good.

UTLEY: And it will also look different.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Please stand now for the Pledge of Allegiance.

UTLEY: But then, difference and diversity have been the story of Elmhurst for more than 300 years.

Garrick Utley, CNN, Elmhurst, New York.

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