Khaled, a child who recently came to the US from Syria, logs on to every English language tutoring session with Ben Levin ’23 with his face as close to the camera as possible, sporting a huge smile.

“What’s up BRO!” Khaled says each time.

“Khaled is a sweet, energetic, and enthusiastic eight-year-old who uses his bed as a bouncing-off spot for both his ideas and his body,” said Levin, Khaled’s tutor through Elizabeth Ann Hepford’s TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) class, held in Fall 2021. . .

Helping a refugee family isn’t easy, but it’s rewarding, and.worth every minute of effort, according to Terry Schmitt.

“It can feel wonderful, frustrating, and sometimes it’s stunning. Sometimes it makes you feel proud. You have to be prepared for anything,” said the town resident, who co-leads the group Welcome Home West Hartford. They aided a Syrian family when they resettled in town in 2016, and are now getting ready to assist two families from Afghanistan. . .