The Fugees
There is a unique youth soccer team/in the US. The team was named “the Fugees”/because the members were all refugees.
The team is based in Clarkston,/Georgia. Clarkston used to be/a small, traditional town. In the 1980s,/the town was chosen/as a place/where refugees started their new lives. Since then,/a lot of refugees/have come to the town. Some of the citizens/were not happy about this. However,/the local government continued accepting refugees.
The town changed dramatically/within a decade. A school had students/from over 50 countries. Ethnic restaurants and shops were opened. Different languages were spoken/by a variety of people. Clarkston became a diverse community.
The team was founded/by Luma Mufleh. She was the coach/of a girls’ soccer team/in Clarkston.
One day in 2004,/Luma saw some refugee boys. They were playing soccer/on the street. As they looked happy,/she asked,/“Can I play soccer with you?” The boys were suspicious/at first. However,/once they played together,/the boys noticed her soccer skills. That was the moment/when they changed their attitude.
Later,/Luma learned about the boys’ past. She realized/that they were able to forget about it/while they were playing soccer. She also understood the feeling of isolation/because she herself came from Jordan/at the age of 18. She wanted to do something/for the boys.
Luma started teaching soccer/to the refugee boys. The team practiced every week/on a public field. In practice,/Luma emphasized/the importance of teamwork,/and the boys trusted her. That was the reason/why they continued training hard. Soon,/the team made progress.
Yet,/there were some problems. Some boys were bullied at school,/and others joined gangs. Luma encouraged such boys,/saying,/“Focus on soccer/and make friends with your teammates.”
In addition,/many of the boys/had not received enough education/in their home countries. Some of them could not read or write. They could not do simple calculations,/either. Luma supported them/by providing private lessons/after school. This was helpful for them/to catch up with their classmates.
The Fugees gradually became a better team/and attracted people/in Clarkston. In 2007,/the team was featured/in The New York Times . Many people in the US/learned about the team/and also started to cheer for it. Some people even donated money.
With the donations,/a school was established/for refugee students. It was named the Fugees Academy. At this school,/the class size is smaller/than that of other schools. The school has been very successful. All of the first graduates/went on to college.
The young refugees still have difficulty/living in the new community. However,/thanks to the Fugees,/they can feel accepted/and find a way/to a bright future.
There is a unique youth soccer team/in the US. The team was named “the Fugees”/because the members were all refugees.
The team is based in Clarkston,/Georgia. Clarkston used to be/a small, traditional town. In the 1980s,/the town was chosen/as a place/where refugees started their new lives. Since then,/a lot of refugees/have come to the town. Some of the citizens/were not happy about this. However,/the local government continued accepting refugees.
The town changed dramatically/within a decade. A school had students/from over 50 countries. Ethnic restaurants and shops were opened. Different languages were spoken/by a variety of people. Clarkston became a diverse community.
The team was founded/by Luma Mufleh. She was the coach/of a girls’ soccer team/in Clarkston.
One day in 2004,/Luma saw some refugee boys. They were playing soccer/on the street. As they looked happy,/she asked,/“Can I play soccer with you?” The boys were suspicious/at first. However,/once they played together,/the boys noticed her soccer skills. That was the moment/when they changed their attitude.
Later,/Luma learned about the boys’ past. She realized/that they were able to forget about it/while they were playing soccer. She also understood the feeling of isolation/because she herself came from Jordan/at the age of 18. She wanted to do something/for the boys.
Luma started teaching soccer/to the refugee boys. The team practiced every week/on a public field. In practice,/Luma emphasized/the importance of teamwork,/and the boys trusted her. That was the reason/why they continued training hard. Soon,/the team made progress.
Yet,/there were some problems. Some boys were bullied at school,/and others joined gangs. Luma encouraged such boys,/saying,/“Focus on soccer/and make friends with your teammates.”
In addition,/many of the boys/had not received enough education/in their home countries. Some of them could not read or write. They could not do simple calculations,/either. Luma supported them/by providing private lessons/after school. This was helpful for them/to catch up with their classmates.
The Fugees gradually became a better team/and attracted people/in Clarkston. In 2007,/the team was featured/in The New York Times . Many people in the US/learned about the team/and also started to cheer for it. Some people even donated money.
With the donations,/a school was established/for refugee students. It was named the Fugees Academy. At this school,/the class size is smaller/than that of other schools. The school has been very successful. All of the first graduates/went on to college.
The young refugees still have difficulty/living in the new community. However,/thanks to the Fugees,/they can feel accepted/and find a way/to a bright future.