For many refugee students attending Surrey schools, their bodies may be safely in a classroom, but their minds are still inhabiting the dangerous places they fled.

Surrey likely has the largest population of refugee families of any city in B.C., and the number of refugee children exhibiting signs of trauma led the school district to establish its Expressive Arts program – designed to heal mental anguish – in 13 schools.

A total of 120 refugee children from kindergarten to Grade 12 are enrolled in these programs and The Vancouver Sun’s Adopt-A-School campaign is being asked for $6,000 to pay for two of them.