Hamden hall Hornets TV

"Stinging the Green Screen"

Our Hamden Hall Hornets had a very exciting time working on the Media project for our Middle School, our group is known as TV 1. We had the chance to go around New Haven and interview citizens to gain knowledge on the topic of immigration. This is what we have made, enjoy and thank you for your support!

My Video.mp4

Here's our broadcast of Colin Caplan talking to Hamden Hall's middle school. He taught us some very important facts about New Haven's history.

Jakob Colin.mp4

Eleventh moment Day 2

One of our reporters, Max Tomak had the chance to talk to Doris Navarrete from "Junta for Progression Action". She helps people from Central and South America everyday.

Prof. Kennith Venit

Professor Venit provided information to the students on how to conduct an interview and the objectives of journalism. He used to be apart of " WTNH News 8," he taught our Hamden Hall students ways of being comfortable on camera.

Junta.mp4

Julian Dmitry.mov

The WHHH talked with Mr. Viron Rondo about his wife, Denada Rondo. Mr. Viron is towner of Viron Rondo Osteria in Cheshire, Ct, a suburb of New Haven. He talked to us about his wife that almost got deported and the past immigration trends that he was forced to withstand to keep his business running.

Salad at Viron Rondo Osteria

A few of our students went to Viron Rondo Osteria for a lunch break. We had a chance to talk to the owner of this restaurant about his wife´s story. Our group found out that his wife, Denada almost got deported last summer.

Fried Eggplant at Viron Rondo Osteria

Pizza at Viron Rondo Osteria

Viron Rondo's heartbreaking story

Viron Rondo has a heartbreaking story. Denada Rondo, Viron´s wife, as a young girl was in a country where the government was very unstable and unsafe. The girls had the fear that they were going to get kidnapped and brought to a different country. They feared of doing things they did not want. Denada’s mother spent a lot of her money for Denada to travel to America overnight. They had to use someone else’s passport for this to happen. When she came to America she applied for political asylum but didn’t make enough money and she failed good attorney. The nightmare started from there. She was very unlucky because up until last year the government used to inspect people one by one but now they would send everyone out. Mr. Viron Rondo and his wife did everything they could to keep her in America, they waited until the last minute in hope that they would look at Denada’s case individually. He thought they would look at it in a more human way but they didn’t, that’s when Mr. Viron Rondo decided to go public. They were hoping that people would pitch in and help keep Denada in America because she was supposed to leave in December of 2014. When Denada went to Hartford to ask to stay for another month, they put a metal bracelet on her foot to track her. They also made her go to Hartford two times a month to get a checkup such as a fingerprint. When she went, she was amongst all the criminal immigrants. She felt as if she was being treated like a criminal. The bracelet on her foot caused her to avoid water, she needed to be in a good WiFi area or else she would get a call from Hartford. Denada has skin problem so her skin covered the bracelet, she couldn't get it off until about two weeks ago. Mr. Viron Rondo said, “It was a terrible experience and I don’t wish it upon anybody.” There is definitely a lot more to this story. This story is so sad, it made me think about what I have and taking advantages of it since people around us are truly suffering.

~Maria Bailey

JD interview.mp4

Former Mayor John DeStefano Jr. also took time out of his busy day to discuss past immigration trends for New Haven.

Industry of New Haven

There is a Company called Sargent which was one of the major factors that started the whole wave of Italian immigration to New Haven and other parts of CT. When everyone was in debt and the companies were in need of cheap labor, Sargent, one of the main companies recruited people who wanted to come and work for them. Then there were ships sent over to Italy to get immigrants and allow them to come to the United States but had them working for the companies to help them succeed. The states number 1 area, New Haven, with the most Italians, over 13,000 people in 1910 then another 27,000 in 1930. It was because the need for Italians immigrant workers grew bigger. The natives wanted a higher pay but the companies couldn't afford it and let it go. The Italians were put in the places of the natives who wanted a higher pay, immigrants, however, would work for less money. The immigrants worked for mainly the Sargent’s metal factory from the rail line connecting Boston and New York. There were many labor companies that Italians worked for, there were also some middle-class Italians who founded Italian associations and were involved in the press. There were many associations and societies created by them. There were societies like La Calabria, La Marchigiana, La Fratellanza, and La Marineria societies.

New Haven Pizza

"World's BEST"

Pizza was invented and created first in Naples, Italy. The first recorded Italian Baker in New Haven was in 1890 using brick structures. After that, many Italian bakeries turned mainly from bread to pizza in demand of many people. More bakeries then began selling Pizza. Frank Pepe, a major man in the pizza world first came from Italy with his wife Filomena in 1920. He started first by working for other bakers on Wooster street which was practically taken over by the Italians. Then they expanded by renting a bakery and employing his wife and brother, making and delivering bread and pizza by cart to factories and markets. Frank Pepe created Pizzeria Napoletana, one of the cities most popular pizza spots. He hired many people like his nephew Mac, Sally and Tony. Mac created Apizza Westville, then they opened Sally’s Pizza, Mike’s, Modern Pizza and more. There were a pizza created in Meridan created by Vincenzo Verdolini, pizza grew bigger from there and New Haven still stays top-ranked places for pizza.

We had a panel of guests bringing us what they think about Immigration. Someone who really stood out to me was Ahmed Badr. His hard childhood, many hard times and struggles came knocking on his door. Just like the bomb that struck his home in Iraq. Luckily no one was killed because the bomb was a dud. After the bombing, Ahmed had to move to Syria. After a short time there he moved to America at the age of 10. In America he has achieved great things, he wrote a poem. It’s called ¨A Thank-You Letter From the Bomb That Visited My Home 11 Years Ago¨, this amazing poem made Ahmed famous. The reason I think it made him famous is that it captured emotions, and what it’s like to feel such trauma. It definitely showed no matter what circumstances you are in you can always push through the problems. You can always turn your life around. Ahmed at the panel and his poem really made me understand what life in Iraq and Syria is like, thank you, Ahmed, for bringing my peers and me great information.

~ Chenna Onwuasoanya

Studio Rumberos

Jeff Hudson is a Bottega house salsa dancer, he has his own studio in New Haven its called Rumberos - Salsa and Tango, the dance studio focuses on dancing specifically on salsa and tango as it says in the name. This place is composed of lots of different cultures and has a very unique style to it.

Studio Rumberos.mp4

Polling Graph

The Pollsters went out to the New Haven green and got to interview lots of people, they were able to find out that most of the older people thought that immigration was positive for New Haven. Everyone that thought New Haven was affected negatively was under the age of thirty. I think that the reason why the older people thought New Haven was affected positively was that they had lived in New Haven for a longer time and have seen changes happen, people would get wiser throughout the years.

Immigrant Stories from Greater New Haven

Today two groups went to West Haven High. We interviewed lots of kids from different places in South America. There was one kid that gave a lot of good answers and really understood what I was saying. This was Eduardo from Guatemala. Eduardo came to America at a young age. He lives with his mom and his dad. Eduardo said that everything in America is the same in Guatemala except for the language barrier. He likes America but he’d rather live in Guatemala because of his friends, family and old way of life. He told me that it wasn’t a simpler life in Guatemala but he’s more a custom to that life. When he grows up he wants to be an architect. He was inspired by his father who is also an architect. He loves what his dad does and that’s why he wants to be an architect. If he could move back to Guatemala he would. Eduardo answered questions with his honest opinions. When I asked him what he thinks about what is currently going on at the U.S border. He said that they should let Immigrants in but it would be hard to separate them from the gang members. He also feels as if that Immigrants don’t get the same rights as American born citizens. Such as getting allowed to stay in the country and being able to go there home country and back. Visiting West Haven High School and talking to all different types of Immigrants was a blast. The kids were excellent people to interview and were very polite.

~Chenna Onwuasoanya

Dr. Dmitry Kravtsov 45, is an immigrant from Russia. Who had one son and a daughter, who goes to Hamden Hall but the son is too young to go to school. They all speak fluent Russian and English. Dmitry came to America to explore his opportunities. He was a medical doctor back in Russia and here he is a medical engineer who helps create medicine. Here is the phone call with him.

Visiting West Haven High School

By Dilan Nichols

West Haven High School created a special program for documented and undocumented immigrant kids to support them academically and help them get settled into their new environment.

Some of the newcomers have immigrated with their families and some are alone in US, their families are in their home country. For example Ismael came to US two years ago, from the Dominican Republic. He came with his mother, after she found a better job in US and opportunity for better future, since he could not stay by himself at home. He lives in West Haven and still struggles with English. His native language is Spanish and he finds that some things are more difficult here,“the people speak another language and sometimes there is a miscommunication” and some people bully him because he does not speak good English and speaks Spanish most of time. He likes the school because some people try to help him and the teachers are supportive. He feels safer in US then in the Dominican Republic. Some of the new things for him in US are security, the technology, teachers are more dedicated to help students and the food is better.

Mike came from Haiti in Caribbean last year, in 2017. He came because he did not feel safe in Haiti and Haiti had very poor economy in Haiti. When he first came, he was amazed to see how everything was so much bigger, beautiful, there were so many buildings and computers. He saw snow for the first time. Mike wants to be a journalist, his native language is French and he found that the learning environment in US is much better and there are more opportunities for his future. One of his dreams is to travel around the world and specifically to visit London.

Giselle arrived in New Haven from Cape Verde, an island off the coast of West Africa. Although on her island, it was safe and quiet, the economy was poor. She came to US for better opportunities, because here there is a freedom of speech and people do not get in trouble for expressing their ideas. When she first arrived, she was amazed to see that everything was so much bigger, tall buildings, many cars, noise and the use of new technology everywhere. She wants to be a police officer.

Most of the students that are enrolled the International Academy at New Haven’s Wilbur Cross High School seem to be happier, safer and supported here than where they came from. The teachers in the High School appeared to be very caring for these new students, working hard to support them and guide them. The new students are starting to adjust to their new life and all looked happy, learning and joking around.

Casey Armstrong

10-24-18

Your Life vs. My Life

11 years

11 long years I've been here

Mourning the loss of all that was once familiar to me

Four of my best friends were killed

Shot on the streets of my former homeland

No one deserves to witness or suffer such fate

Like I did

Overwhelmed with the newness of my new country

New language

New customs

New everything

I now live in the land of opportunity

But I have never felt so limited

12 years

12 long years I've been here

I have the privilege of

Never wondering where my next meal would come from

Having enough clothes to fill two closets

A private school education

Having money to spend on things I want

Having access to all the latest technology

Having a family I'm not separated from

I live in the land of opportunity

And I have never felt so limitless

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