Niles North DECA, an academic club for students enrolled in business courses during the year, has the goal of “preparing emerging leaders and entrepreneurs.” And it has not failed to do so.

Each year, students hoping to attend the State Competition in Rosemont, IL, work year-long on a competitive event and a research topic. They do a variety of community service projects, run DECAdant Delights every Thursday, and donate to worthwhile causes; the list is infinite.

This year, two very ambitious Juniors Sarah Feroz and Jasmol Kaur began their Public Relations Project known as “Immigrants of Skokie. “

Immigrants of Skokie is an initiative through which Feroz and Kaur hoped to fight the stigma behind immigrants and refugees within our community.

“We live in a bubble,” explained Feroz. “With our school’s diversity and the diversity in the Skokie community, we tend to overlook topics that may be difficult to talk about, including immigration. Immigration is generally a sensitive topic because social media has said that being an immigrant or refugee makes you a particular way. Our goal is to change this.”

This, however, is not the first year that Feroz has taken an initiative in leading a conversation about controversial topics. The past school year, Feroz led another Public Relations Project called “Islam Awareness” where she sought to teach people about Islam in hopes to reduce Islamophobia. She visited local elementary / middle schools and spoke to staff about what Islamophobia is, how it is destructive for students, and how to prevent it in schools. She also spoke at the Islamophobia forum at MSA and W.H.O club.

For Immigrants of Skokie, Feroz and Kaur have taken great steps to educate the community, and create a safe space for immigrants at our school. At the beginning of the year, they teamed up with Immigrant Rights Club, taking part in discussions about DACA, the Rohingya Crisis, Japanese Internment Camps, and the Libyan Slave trade – all of which have been brought back to the treatment and struggles of immigrants today.

Feroz and Kaur have gotten other DECA and Immigrant Right Club members involved in their campaign as well. They held a candy bag fundraiser where students sold up to two candy bags each with the intention of donating the funds to a scholarship envisioned for immigrant and refugee students. It is difficult for many undocumented or immigrant or refugee students to receive federal student aid, or in-state tuition fees, thus reducing their chances at attending colleges or university.

However, in most cases, they are eligible for scholarships. For this reason, and to make immigrant / refugee students feel both more welcome, and have hope for higher education, Feroz was encouraged to establish the scholarship. It is expected to be posted on Naviance and outside the College and Career Resource Center before winter break.

In addition, the campaign has taken initiative to share the stories of the immigrants and refugees at Niles North and within their community. The stories are meant to provide people with a look into the lives of immigrants, and show what it means to be an immigrant.

With hopes to reach more students and community member through their project, Feroz and Kaur have created a Facebook and Instagram page for their campaign. On both, they share updates about recent immigration news, local events, and stories they have collected.

To show your support for their campaign, visit their Facebook page @immigrantsofskokie and their Instagram page @Immigrants_of_Skokie.