Joining arms brings success

Tom Hintgen, Fergus Falls Daily Journal

Yusuf Abdi, a native of Somalia, has come a long way in personal growth and fulfillment since arriving in the United States five years ago. Even though he's only a junior at Pelican Rapids High School, he's shown leadership both within and outside the school system.
“Joining arms brings success” is the theme for the new Somali Students Association, with Abdi as chairperson, at Pelican Rapids High School.
In a nutshell, the students who are members will help one another in all aspects of student life, for personal betterment. High school student members like Abdi also are assisting Somali students who attend Viking Elementary in Pelican Rapids.
“It's important to help our fellow members with social issues,” said Abdi, who also works part-time at Lutheran Social Services in Pelican Rapids. “We want to promote unity among the Somali students and the community as a whole.”
That's a worthy goal, said association advisor Nadine Brown.
“Abdi is a unique individual who has a lot going for himself,” added Dianne Kimm, who supervises Abdi in his job at LSS in Pelican Rapids. “He's acclimated very well to Pelican Rapids and the surrounding area.”
That said, Abdi fits in well as a part-time employee at Target in Fergus Falls. This coming school year, 2006-07, he is contemplating spending his entire senior year at MSCTC in Fergus Falls, under the student options program. He would graduate with fellow classmates at Pelican High in the spring of 2007.
Abdi is a member of the PRHS Student Council, has been a member of the joint Pelican Rapids-Hillcrest soccer team, is a class officer, and is a member of the high school-based Students Against Destructive Behavior.
The Somali Students Association was established two months ago at Pelican Rapids High School. With close to 30 students, the group hosts a diverse set of events both on and off the school grounds. And the Association, noted Abdi, “will promote the Somali culture to anyone and everyone.”
“We'll work hard to promote service and leadership opportunities,” he added. “At the same time, we won't lose sight of our mission to help fellow Somali students with legitimate issues they face at both the high school and grade school.”
The Somali Students Association pledges to never allow any form of discrimination against not only Somali students but also any student based on nationality, region, tribe, gender, color, or religion.
“All students will be welcome to join our Association as guest members,” said Abdi. “We want to get some new ideas and suggestions from people here in Pelican Rapids and from people in other communities.”
For now, they’re excited about adhering to their theme of “Joining arms brings success.”