Marge Powell Leadership Awards Committee Chair Valerie Murphy-Goodrich (left) and AAUW – Dearborn President Joan Reed (right) recognize the 2026 Marge Powell Award recipients Fordson High School senior Farah Ahmed (second from left), Edsel Ford High School senior Yasmeen Saeed, and Dearborn High School senior Ranya Alsalmani April 29 during the presentation ceremony at the Dearborn Historical Museum McFadden-Ross House.
The American Association of University Women-Dearborn Marge Powell Leadership Awards Committee Chair Valerie Murphy-Goodrich speaks April 29 during the Marge Powell Leadership Awards ceremony.
By SUE SUCHYTA
Times-Herald Newspapers
DEARBORN – Young women from each of the city’s three public high schools were honored April 29 with the Marge Powell Leadership Award, which recognizes excellence in leadership, integrity and community service.
Marge Powell was the first woman elected to the City Council in 1975, ran unsuccessfully for mayor in 1985, was committed to public service and served as a role model for young leaders.
She championed expanding the role of women in government, education and service to the community.
Powell’s legacy inspires young women to dream more, learn more, do more and become more.
The 2026 recipients, Ranya Alsalmani of Dearborn High School, Yasmeen Saeed of Edsel Ford High School and Farah Ahmed of Fordson High School, each were recognized by the American Association of University Women-Dearborn branch and welcomed by Valerie Murphy-Goodrich, chair of the Marge Powell Leadership Awards Committee, and Katherine Savatsky, AAUW-Dearborn branch secretary.
Alsalmani, who will pursue pre-dental studies at the University of Detroit-Mercy, has volunteered more than 50 hours as a member of the National Honor Society, participated in fundraising, and served as a board member of the HOSA, a Future Health Professionals club.
Saeed, who plans to study political science and psychology in college, established a district-wide women’s empowerment club, and served on both the congressional youth advisory council and the superintendent’s advisory council.
Ahmed, who plans to pursue a degree in child neuropsychology, served as president of the National Honor Society, president of the Active Minds Group and vice president of FHS’s UNICEF High School Club, which educates, advocates and fundraises for the world’s most vulnerable children. She has also completed more than 300 hours of community service.
Drawing inspiration from the Marge Powell Leadership Award for high school students, the AAUW-Dearborn branch launched a new award to recognize its own members who exhibit the true spirit of community service, with Mary Nameth being the first recipient.
Nameth actually worked with Powell when she was a city assessor, and considered her a role model.
In addition to being a skilled salesperson, storyteller, crafter and carpenter, Nameth recently launched a community project with local middle school students to use looms and plastic bags converted to plarn (plastic yarn) to weave insulating mats for unhoused people.
Students at Stout, Bryant and O.L. Smith middle schools have made mats, as have children with special needs, particularly those with autism, many of whom enjoyed the project.
Nameth founded Crafty Creations, an AAUW-Dearborn interest group, and recently introduced seniors to the plarn mat weaving project through the Senior Center at the Ford Community and Performing Arts Center.
Mayor Abdullah Hammoud recently asked Nameth to chair the Senior Commission.
She is involved with numerous community activities, is active at her parish, St. Anselm Catholic Church, has been a Scout leader, and has worked with the Goodfellows and Toys for Tots.
Nameth is the AAUW-Dearborn vice president of membership, and the chapter ranks first in the state for recruitment of new members.
For more information about the AAUW-Dearborn branch, go to dearborn-mi-aauw.net, go to its Facebook page, AAUW-Dearborn-MI-branch, or send an email to [email protected].
American Association of University Women-Dearborn Membership Vice President Mary Nameth (third from left) is recognized by AAUW-Dearborn Past President Judy Buck (left), Marge Powell Leadership Awards Committee Chair Valerie Murphy-Goodrich and AAUW – Dearborn Secretary Kathy Savatsky April 29 for her contributions at the Dearborn Historical Museum McFadden-Ross House.