October 2012 - American Youth Academy

NEWS FROM THE NEST
October 2012-Edition 2
TH
5905 E. 130 AVE. ●TAMPA, FLORIDA 33617
www.ayatampa.org ● (813) 987-9282
A Message from Br. Souheil…
Assalamu Alaikum Students, Parents and Community Members,
The month of October was truly a vibrant time at AYA. Our community had the chance to
celebrate many events and achievements. Masha’Allah, our cancer awareness activities
raised over $1,500 to help the American Cancer Society and local Muslim families with
members suffering from the disease. I am so proud of this sunnah hasanah (good
tradition) .
Hajj Simulation was another beautiful tradition at AYA. Br. Mahmoud and his team of
dedicated teachers, students, and parents did an amazing job organizing the event. We
welcomed over 600 students, parents, and community guests in the ICT Hall that day, and
the Tampa Bay Times published a nice article about the event. Please see Page 5!
Another great event organized in collaboration with the ICT administration was the “Meet
the Candidates” evening. Sr. Magda did a great job moderating the debate, and our 9th graders shined with their focused questions.
I am certainly looking forward to the month of November, when we are scheduled to kickstart the STEM Fair (Science Fair) season and the Tarbiyah Program. I am also looking
forward to a successful completion of the first quarter and an energetic start of the second
quarter, insha’Allah. Let’s keep up the good work, everybody. Go Eagles!
November events...
1- Thursday: IPTA Meeting
1- Thursday: 5th Grade Field Trip
2- Friday: Tarbiyah Program
6- Tuesday: Re-Takes & Group
Pictures
6-National Election Day
7-8: Q1 Exams, Early Dismissal
9-Friday: Q1 Exams & End of Q1
13-Tuesday: MS Soccer at Sefner-4PM
13-Tue: HS Soccer at Tampa Prep-7PM
15- Thursday: PreK-SOTM
15-Thursday: HS Soccer at Home- 4PM
16- Friday: SOTM
19-Mon: HS Soccer at Academy at the
Lakes- 4PM
20-Tuesday: MS Soccer at Home- 4PM
21-23- NO SCHOOL: Thanksgiving
26-30: Parent Observation Week
26-Monday: HS Soccer at CDS-4PM
27-Tues: HS Soccer at IRIB-7PM
29-Thurs: HS Soccer at Calvary-6PM
30-Friday: Cultural Day
Look inside...
Awards & Class Activities
AYA’s Gone PINK
Hajj Simulation
Sports, Clubs & Students
Thank you to our following
sponsors who contributed
towards our Staff
Breakfasts & Lunches:
Golden Bakery, Petra, Zeko's,
Salem's, Tazza, Pita's, and
Shine All Cleaning Service
3
4
5
6-7
Newsletter Submission
DEADLINE:
November 26, 2012
Please email submissions to
ayanewsletter@ayatampa.com
Business Ads Welcome!
Hadeeth: Should I tell you who is most beloved to Me and closest to Me on the Day of Judgment?...The best of you in character.
NEWS FROM THE NEST | OCTOBER 2012
2
By: Ayah Elfaouatih, 8B and Fatimah Bouarfa, 8A
New AYA Family Welcome Camara Family
Mabrook to Br. Samer
and Sr. Carola Salhab on
the birth of their baby
boy, Ramzi Osama!
We would like to
congratulate AYA’s new
Secondary English
teacher, Mr. Gonzalez, on
his engagement to Ms.
Elaine Velez!
Public Speaking
Community News!
K-Kids hard at work
Did you know that there is a wonderful
organization that collects donated hair and
makes wigs out of it for young children who
suffer from cancer and have lost their own hair
from chemo? Locks of Love, an organization
that was founded in 1997, does just that.
Students and teachers from the American
Youth Academy have participated, too. Ayah
th
Elfaouatih, 8 Grade, donated 12 inches of her hair to Locks of Love.
Just this summer, Su’ad Macedonio, 2nd Grade, decided to cut her hair for
the cause, too. After 12 inches of her hair was cut by a local stylist, I spoke
with Su’ad to see how she felt about the whole experience.
PLAY!
♥ How did you get the idea of donating your hair? I watched a movie
called “My Sister’s Keeper.”
♥ Do you think you changed a kid’s life when you donated your hair? Yes,
because they would look pretty.
♥ How did you feel while having your haircut? I felt good because I was
doing a good deed.
Please visit: http://www.locksoflove.org/ for more information.
NEWS FROM THE NEST | OCTOBER 2012
3
By: Ghadh Soukieh, 7A and Halima Hammad, 8A
September Students Of The Month
K4A: Amir Samhouri &
Shahd Ibrahim
K4B: Sam Alkhalil &Talia Hamil
K5A: Salma Al-ababneh &
Zain Tamari
K5B: Waad Ibrahim & Ewan Elbooz
Gr. 1A: Kayra Iceli &
Waleed Yousef
Gr. 1B: Nevin Tanoukhi &
Aminah Khan
Gr. 2A: Muhammad Maarij Mustafa &
Noel Tanoukhi
Gr. 2B: Ridha Mohamed &
Moustafa Ismail
Gr. 3A: Alla Taha &
Abdul-Malik Zekri
Gr. 3B: Banah Swar & Lana Shada
Gr. 4A: Samya Soukieh &
Dana Barakat
Gr. 4B: Hedaia Mohammad &
Muhammad Falah
Gr. 5A: Danya Yousef &
Mariam Elsayed
Gr. 5B: Omar Omer &
Danya Awshah
Why I love AYA
By: Sabrina Atiq, Grade 4B
The reason I’m writing this is because, I think that American
Youth Academy should be more popular around Florida. I really
like this school! Sure, I know I’m new, but I love AYA! It has
already really helped me a lot. At my old school my report card
only had two A’s and my other grades were B’s. Now, almost all
my progress reports have been A’s. My mom is really proud of
me. I’m not saying other schools are bad! They're good, but this
one is, well you know, better.
There are other reasons why I like this school. One is that it
teaches the students how to behave. When I get home, I do my
homework without mistakes, use a napkin for dinner, and mind
my manners. My mom is very happy.
You know what else? This school is for Muslims! In my old school,
I felt bad because I didn’t get to celebrate Halloween and
birthdays. I was different from everyone else. This school has
great Muslim friends, just like me!
So all I am saying is, I like this school. I think others will, too.
1st Grade Science
NEWS FROM THE NEST | OCTOBER 2012
4
By: Bayane Elhayboubi, 8A and Nermean Qasem, 8B
Thursday,
Oct. 18th was
Pink Day
Cancer Awareness at AYA
Dear Sr. Helpout,
I want to become mutahajibah and
people tell me not to. I don’t know what to do. They tell me I am
too young and should wait. Can you help? - Secret Keeper
.
Dear Secret Keeper, I know what you’re going through. It’s normal,
it happens. I want you to do what you think is right. It is also good
to talk to a friend or adult that you trust. When I felt I was ready, I
did it. Everyone is different, so do what is right for you and don’t
let anyone stop you. Read the article below, too. Maybe it will
inspire you. Sincerely - Sr. Helpout
Breast Cancer Awareness
at AYA!
Almost
everyone
sported pink
to show
their support
for Breast
Cancer
Awareness.
All donations
went to
cancer
research and
to help
families
whose
members are
battling
cancer.
Thank YOU
for helping,
and May
Allah accept
it as
sadaqah.
By: Layal Barakat, 6B
Breast Cancer isn't fun. It isn't liked by anyone.
It's usually deadly, I'm sorry to say, if you find out early there is a way.
The doctors do surgery, and then you are free, and when you are,
you'd be lucky.
Cancer is actually a test. It means that Allah knows best.
If you don't have cancer, and you are healthy, Your cells always
divide, out evenly. But if you have cancer, the cells don't divide right,
they divide uncontrollably, which causes fright.
I'm writing this to tell you, that you should be aware, And then you'll
show the victims, just how much you care!
Many believe that the Hijab is Sunnah. It is not. The Hijab is obligatory!
We know this from the Quran – ALLAH (SWT) says:
“And say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze
and guard their modesty; that they should not display their beauty and
ornaments except what (must ordinarily) appear thereof; that they
should draw their veils over their bosoms and not display their
beauty……And O ye Believers! Turn ye all together towards – ALLAH -,
that ye may attain Bliss.” (Quran 24:31)
I would like to say congratulations to my daughter- Iman Ahmad, 8B on
becoming muhajiba when she was only eleven years old. I pray that she
may stay strong and that Allah (SWT) may increase her Iman. Inshallah, Allah will accept it and make it easy on her. I am so
proud of her and I hope every Muslim girl will decide to wear the Hijab, too. Also, I would like to say congratulations to my
students for becoming muhajabat, Nermean Qasem, Al-Dana Fetais, Zena Omar, Khawlah Altoubah, and Mariam Elsayed. May
Allah (SWT) shower all of them with His mercy and reward them with the highest level of paradise. Ameen. – Love, Sr. Remah
NEWS FROM THE NEST | OCTOBER 2012
By: Dana Fetais, 8B and Iman Ahmad, 8B
5
HAJJ
Hajj season is finally here! If
you really want to go to hajj
but you can’t, don’t worry.
The
American
Youth
Academy has an annual activity called the “Hajj Simulation”
that gets students excited for their chance to go to Hajj one
day. During this year’s event, students decorated their
classrooms. Many students built a small Kaaba or did a
project. Grades K2 through 5th actually performed all the steps
they would overseas. Parent volunteers made sweets and
goodie boxes for the students, and this year AYA’s IPTA also
sold ice cream from Cold Stone! Hajj mabroor wa dhamb
maghfoor wa saee mashkoor to Sr. Heba, Sr. Dalia, and Sr.
Eman, who were able to go to hajj this year. If you would like
to read about the event in the Tampa Times, go to:
http://www.tampabay.com/news/religion/students-at-tampa-islamicschool-simulate-the-hajj/1258164
Pink Erasers Guessing Game Winners: Haadiyah Khan - 1A, Malik Zekri - 3A,
th
Iman Ahmad - 8B, Lama Mattar – 12 Gr. (not pictured) and Sr. Dunia Saed.
Thank you to everyone who made this
event such a wonderful success!
NEWS FROM THE NEST | OCTOBER 2012
6
AYA Sports
By: Rami Mari, 8B
By: Rami Mari, 8A and Ahmed Kamel, 8A
The AYA soccer teams are
blooming this year. With Coach
Reza as our hard-working and
determined Director, this year’s
training sessions are like no
other. The H.S. Team is featured
to the right. The M.S. team won
their first game against Pepin
Academy (9 – 2). Our AYA
Eagles will continue to do their
very best to take on the challenge
of each game.
Thank you to our Sponsors!
Middle School Electives: PE
Safety Patrol
By: Ahmed Kamel, 8A
AYA’s students make the school safer for
everyone! They direct traffic and keep people
from harm’s way. Parents: please do your part
by staying OFF of your phones while driving!
NEWS FROM THE NEST | OCTOBER 2012
KIDS’ CORNER
By: Layal Barakat, 6B
What is your favorite part of
your day with Sr. Layla?
Art Time- Jude Barakat, K3
Who is your best friend?
Baba- Fawaz Alkhuzaim, K2
What do you like to play with?
Books- Zahraa Omer, K3
7
By: Layal Barakat, 6B and Reham Ali, 8B
The American Youth Academy
is a
school filled with amazing writers and artists, who
have great imaginations. Saif Abduljaber, a
student in 3rd Grade, made up a story about Max
and the Derexeions.
Max, who lives in
Hero Palace, has
lots of adventures
and has to defeat
the extremely evil
Derexeions. Saif is a
talented and artistic
boy, with a BIG
imagination! Here is
one of his cool
drawings of his main
character, Max.
What do you do with your mommy
for fun? I like to play with my
mom. Firas Othman, K3
AYA Art Submissions
What are some of your
techniques for passing
the school year?
My techniques for
passing the school year
are taking notes,
listening to teachers,
and studying hard. ~
Ahmad Ali and Hussein
Harake.
Would you
recommend this
school to a friend or
family member?
“I love AYA! It is the best school ever. I love the teachers, too!” - Saajid Khan, 2B
Yes, for several reasons.
One reason is that it is so
much better than public
school. Also, the
teachers are very nice
and the academics are
good. ~ Sarim Akram
NEWS FROM THE NEST | OCTOBER 2012
8
By: Ahmad Abdulmagid, 6B
The FUN PAGE is Back…with special Hajj activities!
Monkey’s Journey By: Saleem Sekkat, 2A
Once upon a time there was a monkey who loved his
family. When they were searching for food, the
monkey got lost. He went on a long journey to find his
family. He didn’t find them, but he found another
monkey who would take care of him. He loved that
monkey.
If you really want a clue: BOYS,
the 1st one probably taught you.
The 2nd one is special, you see.
She’s an administrative assistant,
who helps you and me. The last one teaches students to cook, to
knit, to sew, and she makes lots of crafts, you know. All three are
very different, you see; but all still are friends to you and me.
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Motto of the Month!
William Feather once said – “Success is largely a
matter of hanging on when all others have let go.”