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Howland class is 230 strong
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Yousef Mousa, who graduated from Howland High School Wednesday night, came to the United States two years ago from Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and didn’t speak English. He plans to attend Kent State University in the fall.
By Jordan Cohen
WARREN
Yousef Mousa was one of 230 Howland graduating seniors awarded diplomas in commencement ceremonies at W.D. Packard Music Hall on Wednesday evening — an amazing feat considering that less than two years ago, he did not speak English.
A Palestinian living in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Mousa moved with his family to Howland and enrolled in classes in the 2012-13 school year.
“I didn’t know much,” said Mousa, whose native language is Arabic, “so I tried to think in English [and] I watched American movies with Arabic subtitles.”
He attributed his ability to absorb his new language to the help he received from Susan Brucoli, a computer-science teacher. “She really helped me,” he said.
Brucoli said she was equally impressed when she first met him.
“I put him on the yearbook staff,” she said. “He’s accomplished so much.”
Mousa said educators in Dubai tend to be stricter with students than at his new alma mater, but he is impressed by the relationship at Howland between teachers and students.
“They do great work over here, and they are so nice,” he said. He plans to study biology and take pre-med courses at Kent State University.
His fellow graduate, Kelley Boyd, will attend Youngstown State University and also hopes to enter the medical field as a nursing assistant. “I’m nervous about it, but I’m excited to move on,” she said.
Daniel Ames has specific plans for his career. He wants to tie it in with his love of skiing, but not as a competitor.
“I want to become the [chief financial officer] of a ski resort,” he said. Ames will be studying at Farmer School of Business at Miami University in Ohio. He said his inspiration is Janice King, his math teacher.
“She taught me life lessons,” he said.
King’s name came up again during the ceremonies when Alex DiBell, a valedictorian and one of two seniors chosen by his fellow class members to speak during commencement, noted King’s constant admonition to “always remember your roots,” apparently a mathematical reference.
“I’m still not sure I understand what that means,” admitted DiBell, whose comments about life at the school with his classmates brought laughs from the audience throughout his address.
“Many of the lessons we learned were taught by the inhabitants of this psych ward we call teachers,” he said to the continuing laughter from the audience, which responded with loud cheers and applause when he finished his speech.