Community News V16-I20

Sheikh, Syed on team which won US Academic Decathlon

El Camino Real Charter High School won a record seventh national title on Saturday at the 2014 U.S. Academic Decathlon in Hawaii. The Woodland Hills school finished with 52,601.1 out of a possible 60,000 points. Team members included Neelam Sheikh and Thasneem Syed.

The Los Angeles Unified School District has won 12 straight years and 15 overall. Teams from the western San Fernando Valley have won 10 of the last 12 titles, including the last five. El Camino Real, Granada Hills and Taft Charter High School have combined for 13 titles since 1989.

Monica Carazo, a public information officer for LAUSD, said the school district has mastered the Academic Decathlon locally, statewide and nationally.

“It’s incredible that all our hard work up until this point has finally led to this moment. This is what we’ve been waiting for all year. We could not have done it without each other, without the support of our parents and our incredible coach. It was a team effort, and we made it happen,” Thasneed Syed, a senior at El Camino told the LA Daily News.

Abdelhakim, Syed Win Chancellor’s Award for Excellence

Stony Brook University students Safa Abdelhakim, Raniah EL-Gendi, and Ali Syed were among the fifteen students selected for this year’s Chancellor’s Award for Student Excellence.
“Students honored with the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence truly embody the power of SUNY,” said Chancellor Zimpher. “As proven leaders and role models, scholar athletes, creative artists and civic volunteers, each student is recognized not just for academic achievement, but also for the profound impact they have on college campuses and local communities across New York State. Congratulations to the Stony Brook University students being recognized today.”

The Chancellor’s Award for Student Excellence was created in 1997 to recognize students who have best demonstrated, and have been recognized for, the integration of academic excellence with accomplishments in the areas of leadership, athletics, community service, creative and performing arts, campus involvement or career achievement.

Muslim wrestler granted waiver to keep his beard

A  college Muslim wrestler, Muhamad McBryde who refused to shave his beard for religious reasons has been granted a waiver by the NCAA. He had opted to sit on the sidelines while the dispute was being sorted out.

NCAA rules say that wrestlers must be clean shaven. He missed nearly a whole season of competition because of the conflict.

In April, the NCAA Wrestling Rules Committee said McBryde could compete with a beard during the 2014-15 season, as long as he wears a face mask and chin strap to cover it.

Nominations sought to honor Muslim Georgians

In an effort to show the positive civic contributions of Muslims, the Islamic Speakers Bureau of Atlanta is seeking nominations to honor 100 Muslims in Georgia. The deadline is May 15th.

The 100GAMuslims, who are to be honored, will be selected for their accomplishments in transforming vision into action, surmounting challenges, breaking down barriers, sparking innovation and attaining success for their organizations an communities.

Qualifications for the honor include having lived in Georgia for at least a year, identifying oneself as Muslim, being available in person at a gala celebrating in the fall of 2014 his or her success, and being endorsed by two people willing to substantiate the nomination.

Nominations will be accepted from anyone who has personal knowledge of the individual and can attest to his or her contribution. Only applications that are thoroughly completed will be considered.
For more information please visit: http://www.100gamuslims.com/

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