Masha'Allah! This is a superbly written article that should give a lot of hope and encouragement to those attending and are joining us in the coming generations, insha'Allah. May Allah, subhaanahu wa ta'aala, continue to bless this project of Dar-us-Salaam.
| Addition of Twelfth Grade Capstone for Al-Huda High School |
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| Community News - Community News |
| Written by Saudah Ahmad, Muslim Link Contributing Writer |
| Thursday, 22 July 2010 08:54 |
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Principal Brother Imad Tibi and the rest of the school’s administration and staff are excited and grateful to be able to take such a big step forward. “It is a dream come true, by the Help and Mercy of Allah,” said Brother Imad. Vice-Principal for Girls Aisha Elahi said Al-Huda was able to progress as far as it has because of Allah’s help and also the support of the Dar-us-Salaam community. The school is the centerpiece project of the Dar-us-Salaam community. Though a major milestone for the Muslim community in the Washington DC metropolitan area, school administration and staff members acknowledge a high school poses its own challenges. “With blessing come great trials [as well],” said Sister Faiza Coleman-Salako, who teaches Advanced Placement (AP) Government and also Islamic Studies. Al-Huda School adminstrators scan resumes and conduct interviews all year long, as teachers with specialized knowledge in the sciences, math, and other core high school subjects are difficult to find. An accredited private school, Al-Huda only hires Muslim teachers and positions its teachers as role models. “Our teachers need to have a certain level of Islamic character and knowledge, in addition to being good educators and grounded in their content areas, so finding the right candidate – especially male teachers – is a challenge we face year after year,” conceded Vice-Principal Aisha Elahi, who helped conduct a summer teacher’s training institute at the school two years ago. This fall, three AP courses await the inaugural senior class. Currently in the process of being approved by the College Board -- the creators of the AP and SAT exams – Al-Huda aims to be competitive with the best area high schools by offering AP English Language and Composition, AP Biology, and AP Calculus explained Sister Rasha El-Haggan, the AP English teacher. Last year the class – then 11th graders – took AP Government and Politics alongside their core subjects which include Arabic, Quran, and Islamic Studies. College preparation workshops are also a part of the academic schedule. For parents of students who have yet to graduate, this is the moment they’ve been waiting for. “I’ve been waiting for Al-Huda to establish the 12th grade since 1999, when my daughter began first grade there,” commented Sr. Naadira Fitzgerald, mother of two students, one who is an Al-Huda Middle School alumni. There are several schools in the DC region, but for parents who entered their children into Al-Huda earlier on, the Islamic environment was the decision maker, explained Br.Abdul Baig, parent of two Al-Huda attendees, one of whom is an alumni. The first batch of seniors say they are prepared to move on to college. “Yes I do believe we’ll be prepared to enter into college. The work level is going to grow but I feel after 6 years with Al-Huda, I am ready for college. I just want to graduate already!” exclaimed Zahra Salhan, 17, an up and coming senior. For students who have been with Al-Huda since their early elementary years, graduation will be a bittersweet moment, but for all it promises to be an honor to be part of the historic graduation, set to take place June 2011. While the seniors have mixed feelings about graduating this year, juniors feel sad about being left alone. “Al-Huda will feel so immensely lonely without the present 12th graders. Without them school will feel really different,” said 16 year-old Sana Farooqui. As the first batch of students to graduate from Al-Huda, the seniors will be setting a precedent for the following years not only in how they continue to progress outside of Al-Huda but also during the school year. “I feel the 12th grade at Al-Huda is a transitioning year where we are treated differently. We are being prepared to enter a new phase of life,” said Mohammed Hijazi, 17, who entered Al-Huda as a toddler, spent less than two years in Dar-us-Salaam’s full-time hifz school and completed the memorization of the Qur’an and then joined his classmates back in Al-Huda School. Sana Nazar, an Al-Huda Middle School Alumni now enrolled at a community college in Maryland, wasn’t given the opportunity to benefit from Al-Huda High School but it hasn’t stopped her from coming back for advice. “One thing I can count on is for my teachers to always help me reach success through Islam and throughout my life,” she commented proudly. “Al-Huda school is truly a blessing. Make the best out of your years at Al-Huda. Whether it be the friendships you build or the environment you’re in, just know [that] some people would do anything to have the opportunities you have being in an Islamic school. The friendships I had at Al-Huda are still with me years after I left Al-Huda school and I’m grateful every single day,” advised Al-Huda School alumni, Nimat Baig, now attending the University of Maryland College Park. Despite the anticipation of accomplishment, opening the 12th grade is not the end of building education at Al-Huda School say administrators. Adding competitive sports programs, elective classes, and starting a university are in the short-term plan for Al-Huda, now serving about 600 students. When asked by the Muslim Link what constitutes “success” at Al-Huda School, administrators, parents, teachers, and students alike agreed that success cannot be measured according to the worldly gains of the students. “It doesn’t matter what you do or how much you make ... it’s all based on how much you give back, for the Sake of Allah,” explained founder Imam Safi Khan. Al-Huda school senior Feisel Abdelrahman, 16, agreed. “If I am able to view my life [going forward], Insha’Allah, I will rate my success based on how much I give back to the community for the Sake of Allah,” he said. “A student with a strong Muslim identity will have the confidence and ability to be a productive member of our society and will be able to lead our communities to next level of success,” said Vice Principal Aisha Elahi on what she hopes will be the fruit of an Al-Huda education. For more information on Al-Huda School, please visit www.alhuda.org. |
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