Walt Whitman High School’s Muslim Student Association (MSA) hosted its 5th Annual Day of Unity conference at the PAC on Wednesday, April 1st. They welcomed MSAs, student leadership groups, and student multicultural groups from ten school districts across Long Island for a day of exchanging ideas about how students can take leadership roles in their communities to create a more accepting climate for everyone regardless of their beliefs and backgrounds. Created and organized by Whitman’s MSA in 2022, the event has grown in size every year, from four schools the first year, to an average of a dozen districts from both Nassau and Suffolk counties signing up to attend each year since then. 

 

South Huntington was proud to welcome Commack High School, Elwood-John Glenn High School, Farmingdale High School, Half Hollow Hills West High School, Harborfields High School, Islip High School, Kings Park High School, Malverne High School, Valley Stream Central High School, and HB Ward Technical Center (Eastern Suffolk BOCES).

 

“This event has grown from a local project for just our school district into a much larger celebration of Long Island’s diversity,” said Whitman Principal Dr. John Murphy. “It is a huge credit to our teachers and students who are working hard to make sure every background and culture is respected.”

Thanks to the hard work and planning of MSA Senior President Ayaan Siddiqui and President Alaina Qureshi, the Executive Board, faculty advisors Kristen Crichton and Kaitlyn O’Keefe, the program ran smoothly. A theme is chosen for each conference and for this year it was We Belong to “remind us that every student matters and every voice has a place in our school community.”  

 

Ayaan Siddiqui joined the MSA as a sophomore. “I just felt very disconnected from my peers, and I wanted a place where I could feel comfortable with other students at my school. Just seeing so many people with different identities come together as one body, it felt really empowering to me. In today's world it's very easy to become separated by our differences, such as religion or culture, and it's important that you recognize that there are other kids out there with identities and beliefs other than your own, and accepting those beliefs are a big part of making everyone feel more comfortable,” explained Ayaan. 

 

To promote interfaith understanding, the group heard from two speakers from the Huntington Anti-Bias Task Force – Joanne Polichetti and Helen Boxwill. This non-partisan group formed by the Town of Huntington and made up of community members to address instances of intolerance, prejudice, and discrimination, has been an important contributor to this event since the first year.

 

Holistic meditation coaches from The Zen Den, teachers Michelle Anglisano and Kristen McDermott, have also been valuable supporters of the Day of Unity each year, guiding the students through visualization and affirmations to achieve a calmer sense of being. Their mission is to help the students change reactions and thinking processes during difficult times to present an open-hearted and mindful way of viewing and living life as a path to happiness.

 

A centerpiece of this year’s program was the first-ever Educators Panel, featuring principals and superintendents from several of the participating schools from across Nassau and Suffolk. It also included representatives from the NYS Department of Education’s Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, notably Executive Director, Dr. Diane Wynne. “The new Educators’ Panel adds a way for schools to be totally honest about what’s working. It’s a chance for districts to look at each other and say, ‘I never thought of doing it that way!’ By sharing their ‘how’ and ‘why,’ schools can learn from one another and copy the best ideas to make every classroom more inclusive,” said Dr. Murphy.

Schools were also able to learn from each other before the day-long event wrapped up in the afternoon with student leadership presentations from each district showing what they’ve been doing in their schools to promote inclusivity. Successful events have included hosting a school-wide Iftar to educate classmates about Ramadan or hosting an Eid party. Some schools have provided a safe prayer space for Muslim students while others have lobbied for daily halal choices in their cafeterias. 

Whitman’s MSA Advisor Kristen Crichton has noticed the positive influence this event has had on districts that have attended in previous years. “We've seen the growth of Muslim student associations in many schools, and some of them have come to us and asked for guidance on how we started our program,” said Ms. Crichton. “We've worked with mentoring different schools on helping them grow their MSA. And we are so proud to be a part of that success.”
 

 

See more photos here!

 

MSA Senior President Ayaan Siddiqui and MSA President Alaina Qureshi introduced this year’s theme, “We Belong,” to attendees.

 

 

(left to right) Board of Education Vice President Linda LaCara, MSA President Alaina Qureshi, MSA Advisor Kaitlyn O’Keefe, MSA Advisor Kristen Crichton, MSA Senior President Ayaan Siddiqui, Board of Education President Nicholas Ciappetta, and Walt Whitman High School Principal Dr. John Murphy joined together for the fifth-annual event. 

 

 

Henna designs were created by MSA students upon arrival at Walt Whitman High School. 

 

 

Students were given the opportunity to find a moment of peace and tranquility using meditation guided by Kristen McDermott from The Zen Den.

 

 

Joanne Polichetti and Helen Boxwill from the Huntington Anti-Bias Task Force spoke at this year’s event to promote understanding amongst community members by addressing instances of intolerance, prejudice and discrimination. 

 

 

Dr. Diane Wynne, Executive Director of the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for the NYS Department of Education, answered questions along with school district administrators during the Educators’ Panel. 

 

 

The day concluded in the Performing Arts Center with student presentations by each of our visiting school districts.