Salaiha Najeeb works to help immigrant students adjust to West Potomac HS. She is president of the school’s Muslim Student Association and she founded and leads the Marhaba Club. (Marhaba is the Arabic word for ‘welcome’.) Members of the club greet immigrant students who are new to the school. They seek to familiarize them with the atmosphere of West Potomac and to show them ways to bring their own customs into the school. Salaiha says that the club helps students who are new and alone become acquainted with other classmates. They also make school supplies available to any student who cannot afford them.
As part of the Marhaba Club, Salaiha has established and conducts ongoing cricket games. Salaiha points out that cricket is a popular sport among immigrants from South Asia, and she says that playing a familiar sport makes many students feel more “at home” in the US.” Currently only boys are playing, but Salaiha hopes to extend the opportunity to more students.
Salaiha speaks four languages: Urdu, Hindi, Punjabi, and English. She is a DEN Leader (Freshman Mentor) for teacher Sherri Terry’s freshman class. In this role, she offers leadership and academic advice to the underclassmen. Ms. Terry says, “Salaiha is a student ‘drum major for peace,’ as Martin Luther King would say. I have watched her grow from a freshman to being an active senior who is motivated, a hard worker, and has a passion for inclusivity.”
With the cooperation of Principal Jessica Statz, Salaiha helped establish a room for students to pray and meditate. She set up a Friday “Jummah” prayer for Muslim students using this room. The room is currently open during lunchtime, and several students from different faith traditions pray and meditate there every day. Salaiha is currently arranging to have the space available during the entire school day.
Salaiha works for understanding and peace. She has brought together students from several clubs including the Muslim Student Association, the Jewish Student Club, the Black Student Union, and the Hispanic Leadership Association for meetings and socializing. She helped host International Night, where students from different backgrounds perform. Salaiha seeks to gently and delicately negotiate differences and tensions among students of different religious and national backgrounds, and she believes that students are able to help the older generation, including teachers, accept and welcome people from various communities.
Dr. Statz says, “Salaiha is a true student leader. She advocates for all students and really wants to make a difference even at her young age. She has truly shown that she is dedicated to the well-being of all people.”