AAYSP awards 25 student scholarships and honors community members at their 8th annual gala
By: Khansa Alhaidi – The Yemeni American News
DEARBORN – The American Association of Yemeni Students and Professionals (AAYSP) held its 8th annual scholarship gala on Wednesday, May 17 at Byblos Banquet Hall with record attendance of community educators and supporters.
Current president of AAYSP Michigan chapter Mohamed S. Alrayyashi, in his presentation of the organization at the gala, explained the various events that AAYSP caters. These events include mentorship at Edsel Ford High School, free college tours, networking mixers and career fairs, monthly community meeting with school administrators, and parent engagement workshops.
A total number of 25 students were awarded scholarships through the gracious support of sponsors in the community. The students were high school seniors as well as undergraduates. Abraham Alway, one of the scholarship recipients, was nominated for the Student of the Year award. Alway is a senior at Edsel Ford High School and the Dearborn Center for Math, Science and Technology (DCMST). He was recognized for his academic excellence and his involvement in school and community organizations.
In addition to the scholarship recipients, AAYSP also awarded members of the community for their contributions and their efforts in their field of work.
The Teacher of the Year awards went to teachers Fatima Moussa from Edsel Ford High School, Elham Barbat from Salina Intermediate, Jeanne Lawson from Salina Elementary and Bipanjot Kaur from Universal Academy. The Community Award was awarded to Zenib Ali, a Dearborn Public Schools employee. The Leadership Award went to Mary Lane who is serving 17 years on the Dearborn School Board. The Family of the Year award was given to the Huraibi Family for their pursuing and excelling of higher education. Kareem Naimi, the Graduation Interventionist Specialist at Edsel Ford High School received the Administrator of the Year Award. The Lifetime Achievement and Youth Impact Award was given to Paul Bruce, a teacher at Salina Intermediate.
The keynote speaker, Dr. Miriam Ezzani, discussed the importance of education and overcoming the socio-economical barriers.
AAYSP is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization with a mission to promoting higher education and to break socio-cultural barriers within the Yemeni-American community. AAYSP continues to advocate for higher education and its importance within the Yemeni-American community.
For more information visit http://www.aaysp.org/.
