Jun 27, 2012 — The Newcomb Central School District in the Adirondacks celebrated a big milestone this week. It boosted its enrollment to 101 students. That may not seem like a lot, but considering the school had only 55 students five years ago, topping 100 is a big deal. The turnaround began after Superintendent Skip Hults began accepting foreign exchange students.

These students get a uniquely Adirondack education, the locals get more diversity and Newcomb Central fills classrooms. The program caught the attention of Congressman Bill Owens, who was the commencement speaker at Newcomb on Saturday, June 23. Andy Flynn has our story.  Go to full article

Plattsburgh, NY, Nov 16, 2011 — SUNY Plattsburgh is celebrating International Education Week with a series of workshops, lectures, debates and the "Night of Nations" cultural showcase on Saturday. Todd Moe talks with Student Association president, PJ Shah, an international student from Nepal, about the lure of attending college in Plattsburgh.  Go to full article

Nov 24, 2010 — Public schools in the North Country have been closing one-by-one for decades. It's a heartbreaking event for small towns.

But dwindling populations and rising costs have forced districts to consolidate and bus their kids long distances to bigger schools.

Incoming Governor Andrew Cuomo has indicated that he wants more districts to merge, and the state has already cut education funding.

The entire Newcomb school district has fewer than a hundred kids.

But as Brian Mann reports, the community is fighting for survival by trying to attract international students to fill its empty classrooms.  Go to full article

Sep 17, 2010 — Across the North Country, border patrol road checkpoints where agents stop cars and ask passengers their citizenship have become a part of daily life. Today we have a story about another step in the creeping influence of homeland security inside the border.

It's now become commonplace for federal agents to board buses and trains across Upstate New York and ask passengers for proof of citizenship. The checks are sweeping up some drugs and illegal immigrants, but also people who are here legally. David Sommerstein reports.  Go to full article

Watertown, NY, Sep 17, 2010 — One wrinkle in the immigration picture has been particularly difficult for foreign students and professionals working in the U.S.

There are two agencies within Homeland Security that handle visas. The one that issues them is U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. It says a foreign national may reapply or change a visa status "in a timely manner" before its expiration date. The visa itself may take weeks or months to process. The U.S. Border Patrol however, only looks at the expiration date.

If a person's visa has expired, that person is subject to detention. Immigration lawyer Hilary Fraser of Ithaca has defended clients caught between these two interpretations of the law. She told David Sommerstein one was a Filipino national living in Watertown.  Go to full article

Plattsburgh, NY, Nov 11, 2009 — International Education Week kicks off Monday at SUNY-Plattsburgh. The week's activities include lectures, music, films, literature and food. Jackie Vogl, Director of the International Student Services Office at SUNY-Plattsburgh, tells Todd Moe that the events help foreign students share their cultures with the local community. It's also part of Plattsburgh's long tradition as an international gateway for trade, immigrants, visitors and ideas.  Go to full article

Oct 17, 2008 — School officials in a small town in the Adirondacks are pushing for a change in federal law that could help to stem the tide of declining student enrollment. The Newcomb Central School district, with an enrollment of about 70 students, wants to bring in international students for longer periods of time than the current one year allowed under federal law. The district is asking the New York State School Boards Association to support a change in federal law that would give public schools the same right to international students as private schools. As Chris Knight reports, several school districts in the North Country are backing the proposal.  Go to full article

Oct 06, 2008 — Last week, we reported on efforts to expand the agricultural visa program known as H2A. The federal system offers migrant workers from outside the U.S. a chance to earn decent wages on farms, without the complications and dangers of working illegally. Dairy farmers in the North Country hope H2A can be modified to better serve their industry, which faces chronic labor shortages. The program has already put a new face on the region's apple industry. Brian Mann has our story from Peru, in the Champlain valley.  Go to full article

Nov 07, 2007 — Tourist businesses in the Lake George area have been fined more than $120,000 for allegedly cheating their foreign workers. An investigation by New York's Labor Department found that hotels and restaurants were denying wages and violating child labor laws. Labor Department spokesman Chris Perham told the Associated Press that many of the workers were foreign students involved in a work-exchange program. "Some weren't being paid properly," Perham said. "I understand some of them weren't being paid at all." Ramada Express and the Quality Inn and Econo Lodge in Queensbury were among the businesses that agreed to pay the fines. Lake George Mayor Robert Blais, who co-founded a worker support program called The Student Connection, told Brian Mann that the enforcement case began after a worker approached him with a complaint. State officials say much of the 120 thousand dollars in fines will be used to reimburse employees who have returned to their home countries. The tourism businesses affected by the penalty have not returned reporters' calls asking for comment.  Go to full article

Jun 13, 2006 — Yesterday was a grim debut for Team USA in the World Cup in Germany. The Americans had little to surprise heavily favored Czech Republic in their 0-3 loss. According to an ESPN poll, most Americans didn't adjust their routines to watch the noontime match. A couple dozen mostly international students took in the game in Clarkson University's student center in Potsdam. It was a far cry from thousands of chanting fans filling squares in other countries. But hey...it's something. David Sommerstein sent this audio montage.  Go to full article