In a classic celebration fashion, the Dearborn Academy known as (TDA) celebrated 20 years of educational services at Greenfield Manor on March 16th, 2018.
Dearborn, MI
The Yemeni American News
The charter school which is now on Oakman and Michigan Avenue was founded by Mahmoud Younis 1997 managed by American Institutional Management Services. His son, Waseem has taken over the company. Not only he’s the president of the management company, but he is an active educator and coach at the school. The school which is located on Ford Rd in East Dearborn has 60% percent of its students in the ELL category (English-language learners).
The event was introduced by Dan Quisenberry, president of the Michigan Association of Public School Academies. Mary Bigler was one of the keynote speakers of the night and presented some of her students’ work in a funny and amusing presentation. The other speaker was Mike Enayah, who blogs for Arab America presented some of the Arab norms and contributions of Arabs to literature, math, and science.
“I always enjoy teaching, and making it fun always brings joy and success,” Bigler said. She stressed the essence of teamwork in teaching and that everyone contributes to the learning process.
Siknah Bazzi and Soha Younes were honored for their contribution ever since the start of the Dearborn Academy. Mike Sareini, President Pro Tem of the City Council thanked the Dearborn Academy for contributing to Dearborn’s learning community and provided the school a citation of appreciation on behalf of the mayor’s office.
Students also had their own share of the event. Danielle Jiminez-Colon, an eighth-grader sang the national anthem, and eighth-grader Nevaeh Adams recited a poem titled, “TDA: My Home.”
President Waseem Younis thanked everyone who supported the Dearborn Academy. He stressed the importance of next steps beyond TDA. “We want our student to know what college life looks like, that’s why we provide university tours,” he said.
The event concluded with a cultural dance by the Arabian Knights dance group and entertainment by a live DJ.
