On this edition of Teen Connection, a panel of Somali teens and their parents who have been granted refugee status in Wisconsin will tell their stories of adjustments to living and going to school in Wisconsin.

Wisconsin is one of many states that have granted refugee status to people from Somalia. The war torn country in east Africa has been without a functioning government since 1991. Since then, nearly 300 Somali refugees have taken up residency in Wisconsin communities. Many are children enrolled in Wisconsin’s public schools.

Teen Connection will explore how these Somali teens and families seek to find a balance between two very different cultures. On the program, a panel of teens and adults will address common misunderstandings about their culture, and speak of the discrimination they face in the community. And, they will give viewers a firsthand look at the unique aspects of Somali culture and traditional customs ranging from food to clothing and familial roles.

The current statewide Somali population is 286. More than half of those refugees, 172, arrived between 2005 and 2009 according to records kept by the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families.

Toll-free phone service is provided by Nsight Long Distance.

Host Kathryn Bracho appears courtesy of WBAY-TV/Green Bay.

WPT is a service of the Wisconsin Educational Communications Board and the University of Wisconsin-Extension.