A Safe Place to Land
Refugee students from all over the world have attended THS. Here’s one of their stories.
When Russia invaded Ukraine, Pamela Perederii ‘25 and her family were living in Kyiv. During those initial days of war, they fled by car, first out of the city to an aunt’s house, then to the Polish border, and finally to stay with friends in Slovakia. It was February 2022, and Pamela was 14, a freshman in high school.
By March, Pamela’s parents Galyna Perederii and Jonathan Cepeda had decided the family would move to the USA, where they had relatives. Restarting in New Jersey was surreal. Worried about her friends in Kyiv, Pamela watched her cousins go about their everyday life—school, college, socializing. As a self-described “very social person” and “extrovert,” she struggled. She found herself craving structure, missing an academic environment, and being around kids her age.
“We were just sitting and grieving. We needed to do something,” adds her mother Galyna about that time. They began attending services at Hoboken Grace Church, where they met THS parent Vinny Hu (P ‘23 and P ‘30), who introduced the Perederii family to former Head of School Paul Perkinson.
“Mr. Perkinson was very supportive,” recalls Galyna. “In our meeting, I remember he had the Ukrainian flag. It meant a lot for me, especially in that emotional moment.”
And that’s how Pamela—who will graduate next spring—came to The Hudson School on April 1, 2022, less than two months after war first broke out in Ukraine.
“Mr. Perkinson was very supportive,” recalls Galyna. “In our meeting, I remember he had the Ukrainian flag. It meant a lot for me, especially in that emotional moment.”
THS has “always been a safe haven for people who need to find a home."
Holly Walker, Assistant Head of School
The groundwork for Perederii’s rapid admission to The Hudson School was actually years in the making and part of a longer tradition. Since 2016, refugee students from Afghanistan, Chad, Ukraine, and Eritrea have attended THS. Various parents have served as conduits, including Bess Morrison (parent of Logan Miller '22) who introduced a number of students to the school via her work with Welcome Home Jersey City, a refugee resettlement organization.
Even before regularly welcoming refugee students, THS has “always been a safe haven for people who need to find a home,” said Holly Walker, Assistant Head of School. When an anti-Muslim backlash arose after the September 11 attacks, a number of Muslim students transferred into THS. Over the years, the school has also attracted LGBTQ students looking for a welcoming, open environment. Walker credits THS founder Suellen Newman with this mindset. Her attitude was always: “We will figure out tuition, but your child needs a safe space,” says Walker.
Once a refugee student comes to school, they are offered ESL (English as a Second Language )instruction for as long as they need it. The school counselors are also particularly attuned to their emotional needs, understanding the upheaval that comes with life as a refugee. “We're often checking and asking 'How are they adjusting?' 'How are they reacting to additional challenges?’” said Walker. “And then we'll work to match student needs with any of our resources like one-on-one tutoring and counseling.”
THS has been involved with the local refugee population in other ways too. High school and middle school students have volunteered with Welcome Home Jersey City. They often join the organization’s “Fun Club,” where they play with young children. All these experiences greatly enrich The Hudson School community overall, believes Morrison.
THS students have marked where they are from and where their ancestors are from on a map.
THS students have marked where they are from and where their ancestors are from on a map.
“The more diversity that you can have, the stronger the education is,” she says, adding that the perspectives of students who have come from war zones add unparalleled depth to the THS experience.
Once Pamela arrived at The Hudson School, people were very warm and inquisitive about her experience. “People were asking me to tell them my story. And that made me feel special—because everybody was just so curious.”
During her first year, she had ESL instruction, though her English was strong already. Within a year, she no longer needed supplemental support. She credits that boost to Dr. Szalai, her 10th grade English teacher, and the school’s writing center, in addition to fully immersing herself—academically and socially—into an all-English environment.
Once Pamela’s English improved, all aspects of life at THS felt more accessible to her. In the last few years, she’s fallen in love with math. In particular, she cites Mr. Coggins as a teacher who fostered that intellectual excitement. “Honestly, all my math courses were a blast,” she said.
During her sophomore year, she joined a number of clubs: Yearbook Club, Diversity Club, Film Club. She was also a part of girls varsity basketball and volleyball. Among her fondest memories are the Upper School trips to The Ashokan Center and Frost Valley. She appreciated having the opportunity to bond with students in other grades.
Having been exposed to so many different subjects, she has contemplated various careers. But at the moment, she wants to be an orthodontist. She was inspired initially by her dad’s orthodontic treatments and has since shadowed her orthodontist. She is currently in the midst of applying for college and is thinking about dental school requirements.
When Pamela thinks back about what THS has given her, she says it’s “Literally everything. The Hudson School has given me my education. The Hudson School gave me my friends. The Hudson School made me explore other sports that I would probably not think of exploring in Ukraine. The Hudson School helped me explore my passion for math. The Hudson School has helped me develop my communication skills,” she says, “I owe credit to the Hudson school.”
"The Hudson School has given me my education. The Hudson School gave me my friends. The Hudson School made me explore other sports that I would probably not think of exploring in Ukraine. The Hudson School helped me explore my passion for math. The Hudson School has helped me develop my communication skills. I owe credit to the Hudson school.”
- Pamela Perederii
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