By Bella Ghile, Entertainment Editor
Herndon MSA recently finished in first place in the D.C. Muslim Interscholastic Tournament last March. MSA is one of Herndon’s very few religiously-affiliated clubs, which makes it especially unique. The club serves as a mixing pot of cultures from all over the world. “We all have different social groups, we aren’t in the same grade, we all come from different ethnicities, but we connect on that one level that we’re all Muslim and share similar experiences.” Many Muslim students “long to connect with people who share the same experiences.”
During the weekend of March 25th, Herndon’s Muslim Student Association (MSA) made history. For the first time, they had earned first place at the Muslim Interscholastic Tournament (MIST). The event drew in schools from all over the DMV region. Senior Ayesha Hassan, president of Herndon MSA, recounts the emotions she felt while receiving the trophy, “I just started crying in front of so many people. Because it just meant so much to me…like we made history that night.” Hassan was the only student that had been to MIST before, once during her freshman year; this was the first time the other members of MSA had gone through the tournament.
Just like with many Herndon clubs, COVID threw a wrench in MSA’s plans. Hassan recounted her time in the club from freshman year until now, saying, “My freshman year, it was kind of like the last full year that we had.” She grew attached to the club, which always keeps its members active and involved. Because COVID had shut down school during Hassan’s sophomore year, MIST went on hiatus. Consequently, during junior year, “We did not have anything during COVID.” No major events, no fundraisers, nothing. At the start of this year, Hassan was the lone returning member, as the majority had already graduated. “My main focus was getting as many people to come as possible.” And it paid off—the club has reached an impressive high of 45 people. The club has no requirements, and Ayesha implored, “You can come anytime you want.”
Herndon MSA’s meetings are on Fridays—a day many students don’t wish to stay after. However, Hassan explained, “Friday are our holy days, like Christians have Sunday and Jewish people have Saturday.” Because students are at school, they’re unable to attend the mosque, so the club gives them the opportunity to pray in an area altogether. Afterwards, “we usually have announcements, catch up with each other, and we plan some events during that time,” Hassan said.
The events could include community outreach or service opportunities. In the beginning of the year, they held a bake sale to raise money for Afghani refugees. Hassan said, “we raised around $250.00.” They also have fundraisers to fund their own club fees and future costly events like MIST.