Contemporary Issues in Literature is a new English elective being offered for the first time this semester.  In this course, students have the opportunity to read, analyze and discuss current social issues and events as they are represented in literature and media. 

Our first book this year was Internment by Samira Ahmed.  This book, which takes place, according to the author, “15 minutes in the future,” depicts a United States in which Islamophobia has run rampant, leading the government to establish internment camps for Muslim Americans.  The main character, Layla, is a strong-willed young woman who refuses to accept this fate and, along with several allies both inside and outside the camp, rallies for change.  

Following our reading of this novel, students chose an “action project” inspired by the text.  These projects included collection drives for those in need in our own community, creation of Google Sites to share their research, and essays and infographics demonstrating what the students had learned.  The students’ personal passions and desire to improve their community were inspiring!  Thanks to the Lions’ Roar for sharing some of the amazing projects of these students.

Here are the two Google Sites created by other students in the class:

https://sites.google.com/chclc.org/actionproject/home 

https://sites.google.com/chclc.org/actionprojectjuliacheinsummers