A new book edited by island poet and teacher Merna Hecht and designed by former islander Annie Brulé is a collection of poems, stories and recipes written by refugee and immigrant high school students and women.

“Our Table of Memories: Food and Poetry of Spirit, Homeland and Tradition” celebrates the rich connection among food, memory and culture.

The book is a collaboration between two programs — one created by Hecht — with shared missions of helping immigrant and refugee students and women.

Six years ago, Hecht established a poetry program called Stories of Arrival Poetry Project for students at Foster High School in Tukwila, one of the most language-diverse high schools in the country.

Nearby the school is a community center that houses Project Feast, a culinary training and certificate program which, according to Hecht, empowers refugee women through their own love of food from their own cultures.

“I thought, what a great idea to collaborate,” Hecht said. “All of the students in the project are English language learners who have been here less than a year. Most are from countries experiencing conflicts, and many are from refugee camps.”

There are 37 students in the project from 10 different countries. Hecht praises her students, saying they are good citizens, eager to be educated and take what they learn back to help their countries.

“One student from Burma wrote a tribute poem to Aung San Suu Kyi called ‘Justice on Her Head’ and another about the tea that colonized Burma, called ‘My Grandpa’s Black Tea.’ I honestly believe if they were in charge of things, we would have a much better world,” Hecht said.

She wrote in a press release that “Project Feast and the Stories of Arrival serve to help refugees and immigrants share their strengths and their experiences, and by doing so they literally and metaphorically nourish the larger community.”

The book is designed by Brulé, published by Arundel Books and will be sold at Vashon Bookshop following its release on Thursday.