Photo by Tina Nelson
Marge Powell (third from left) and American Association of University Women Dearborn Branch President Anne Gautreau (fourth from left) present awards to Yara Fakhoury (left) of Dearborn High School, Mariam Jalloul of Fordson High School and Fatjona Gjoka (right).
DEARBORN — Three local high school girls received the American Association of University Women Dearborn Branch Marge Powell Leadership Award at a ceremony last week at the Ford Community & Performing Arts Center.
Powell and branch president Anne Gautreau presented awards to Fatjona Gjoka of Edsel Ford High School, Yara Fakhoury of Dearborn High School and Mariam Jalloul of Fordson High School.
The awards are based on a female student’s academic credentials; involvement in school activities such as sports, band and student council; and community volunteer efforts.
Fakhoury, through her church, has visited local nursing homes and hospitals as well as served meals to the less fortunate. She also has spent summers working as a mentor with Students Taking A New Direction — a program that helps bring awareness of issues such a bullying to the students of the Dearborn Public Schools.
Gjoka last year began to volunteer at a local hospice. “Volunteering at a hospice really taught me the value of life, and the importance of being kind to others,” she said. She also has worked helping at her family’s business after school and on weekends which she said “instilled a work ethic in me that I will have for the rest of my life.”
Jalloul has spent her summers with the Students Today, Leaders Forever organization traveling to other states to perform community service. As president of the school’s Key Club, she has planned and worked on fundraisers to help the community’s less fortunate.