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Pride and Hope at Ridgemont High

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by Mohamed Amin
Hiiraan Online

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Nowadays Somalis all over the world can be forgiven for expressions of despair and pessimism. After 18 years of civil war that has killed, maimed and displaced millions of Somalis, the greedy and godless warlords in Somalia can agree on only one thing: looting what remains of Somalia and Somalis and in the process allowing Somalia seas and land to be mercilessly exploited and becoming the world’s dumping ground for toxic waste. As a result of this, I, like many Somalis, have swung between anger, hopelessness and utter despair.

This story, however, is a departure from the above anecdote. It is about a success story, not necessarily unique, but often overlooked.

On Wednesday June 25, I and some Somalis in Ottawa, attended a graduation ceremony at Ridgemont High School (RGS).  RHS is located in the South East of Ottawa and its students are very diverse. Present in the ceremony were various dignitaries including David McGuinty, an MP from the area where the school is located. Mr. McGuinty also supports many initiatives that help the Somali community in Ottawa. Several proud and happy parents were also in attendance. I am grateful to these parents for their tireless efforts to help their children succeed.

Abdikariim
Abdulkarim Ahmed graduated with average (GPA) with over 97%
The school has seven Somalia employees, the highest number of Somalis working in a single school in the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board. The school also has, I am told, the lowest drop out rate of Somali students among all the schools in the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board.

This year, however, was special one for Somali students in the school and the Ottawa Somali community in general. Out of roughly 135 graduating students, Abdulkarim Ahmed graduated with highest Grade Point Average (GPA) with over 97%. It is noteworthy that Abdulkarim Ahmed maintained an excellent GPA from grade nine to graduation.

Abdulkarim Ahmed’s achievement is extraordinary by any measure, but the fact that he is from the Somali Community in Ottawa makes his success more unique and all the sweeter. This is because the Somali community in Ottawa is often on the receiving end of negative stereotypes and endless discrimination. In fact there is a well-known radio talk show host in Ottawa who has made a profession out of degrading Somalis and other ethnic minorities.

These three students won prestigous award in the School's annual graduation cermony


Moreover, Abdulkarim Ahmed was not alone in this year’s amazing success story. Roughly 19% of the graduating students were Somalis. Many of the graduating Somalis won prestigious awards in the school’s annual graduation ceremony. For example, out of the 28 students who won the Ontario Scholars Award, five wereSomalis: Abdulkarim Ahmed, Yasir Mohamud, Abyan Ali, Dahir Dahir, and Asha Mohamed. In the category of Members of the Ridgemont Honour Society, three Somali students, Abdulkarim Ahmed, Asha Mohamed and Yasir Mohamud, were among the 31 students in this category.
Others award Somali student won include Dramatic Arts Award (Asha Mohamed), Canadian Tire Associate Store 210 (Heron Road) Scholarship (Dahir Dahir), Ridgemont Award of Scientific Distinction (Abdulkarim Ahmed and Yasir Mohamud), Spartan Pride Award (Asha Mohamed and  Adam Shirwa), Ian Wightman Memorial Scholarship (Asha Mohamed), Ridgemont High School Staff Scholarship (Adam  Shirwa), Principal’s Prize (Adam Shirwa), and Ottawa-Carleton District School Board Silver Medals (Abdulkarim Ahmed and Yasir Mohamud).

I don’t know any of these students but I am moved and encouraged by the extraordinary achievements of these young men and women. History tells us that in order for a civilizations to rise, at least two elements are needed: a motivated and talented cohort of people and an environment that brings them together and gives them an unifying purpose to serve, a purpose greater than their individual short-term self interest.

I am refraining from making far fetched idealistic prediction here but I have to admit that on Wednesday June 25, 2008, at Ridgement High School, in Ottawa, Canada, I flirted with the idea, the dream, that the next generation or the one after that may for the first time in our history not only compete with the best of the best, but lead us to the promised land of justice, peace and prosperity.

Mohamed Amin, BA, MEd
[email protected]

Mohamed Amin lives in Ottawa, Canada, and works for Health Canada. He is also a consultant in International Development and a regular contributor to Hiiraan Online. He has written numerous articles and is a published poet.

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