For many of us, Thanksgiving has become predictable.  Turkey and stuffing, too many pies, football games, and family and friends stopping by.  It all seems a long way from the original holiday when settlers celebrated safe harbor and hope in a new land.

But that original spirit of gratitude is still very much alive in many homes where families are new to this country. And it was apparent last week at a special Thanksgiving ceremony held at Hugh B. Bain Middle School.

At the school, students who are Multilingual Learners (MLL) are assembled under the name the “Dream Team,” and work with a variety of teachers to tackle their classes while also learning English.  Many of them never heard of Thanksgiving before they arrived here, and many have stories of harrowing journeys to get to America.

It is a Bain tradition for the Dream Team students to celebrate the holiday by writing essays about their heritage, how they came to Rhode Island and what they are thankful for.  They share their essays by reading them aloud at a special assembly followed by a Thanksgiving dinner.  For some it is their first Thanksgiving here.  For others, their second or third.  Some ready their essays in English while others need translation from team leader and English teacher Kerri Lapierre.

This year there are 60 students on the Dream Team and they hail from 16 different countries. In their essays, they were honest and frank about the challenges they have faced and may still face.  But they were all also eager to write about what they are so happy to give thanks for this year.  Below is a sampling of the students’ remarks during their special gathering.

“I am so thankful too because now my family and me are in America and we have already been here for one year in America,” said Rood Kemly Tingue, who is originally from Haiti.  “It is safe now.  We are in a better place where you can work and find a job to do, where you can go to school without paying a lot of money, where you can be whatever you want to be.”

Albert Gonzalez Andujar is celebrating his second Thanksgiving after coming to the United States from the Dominican Republic. “I'm also grateful to be in this country because things are better here for my mom and me,” he said. “My mom has a better job, and we have a better house. I've made a lot of progress in school and every day I learn more and more English with my teachers and my friends.  Overall, life in the USA is better for us and this Thanksgiving I am thankful for that.”

Among the many things that the students said they were grateful for, it was gratitude for safety that was moving for many in the audience.  The room was still as Iqra Faqiry read her essay about having to flee Afghanistan three years ago because her family members lives’ were in danger due to her dad’s work for the U.S. military.

“I am thankful for being in America because I am able to learn,” she said. “In Afghanistan, women faced significant restrictions, often barred from schooling or meaningful employment. I feel fortunate to be here, attending school and pursuing my dreams.

“In the United States, my family and I have found a pleasant home and the freedom to learn and grow,” Faquiry said. “I look forward to continuing my education and hope to one day help those in my homeland who are still facing hardship.”