Twenty students from Montgomery Blair High School sit in a circle and talk about their role models. It might sound like freshman orientation, or even a session with the school counselor, but actually, these students are members of the Africa Club.

Ismahan, from Somalia, tells the other students that his inspiration is his mom. Sitting next to him, Sierra Leone native Carl Davis talks about how his parents have inspired him through their hard work.

The club is run by the African Immigrant and Refugee Foundation, which was started in 2000 by Dr. Wanjiru Kamau -- herself an immigrant -- to help students who are transitioning from life in Africa to life in America. Its signature initiative is the Catching Up Program (CUP), which helps local students address issues such as identity, education interrupted by war, cultural barriers, low self-esteem and difficulties with parents and grandparents.

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