I was struck by the observations of Emily Hewitt about the girls in her class. I have some thoughts of my own on this topic. I wonder if it is the bi-cultural nature of the experience in the USA that helps immigrant girls.
Some students assimilate towards a academic-oriented role.
Others move towards roles of the popular culture. Some girls clearly want to move towards the greater perceived freedoms of their US peers. Others see roles models with their culture that are successfully bi-cultural. They provide a concrete set of role options for young immigrants. Participation, however, does not always have to be vocal.