[Iabs-talk] O/T Article about my mom
AZNOR99 at aol.com
AZNOR99 at aol.com
Sun Mar 22 15:46:24 UTC 2009
I know this is off-topic, so I apologize if I'm offending anyone by posting
this here. The Southtown Star did an article about my mom, which appeared
today. Today is Mother's Day in the Arab World, so I wanted to share this.
_http://www.southtownstar.com/news/1488124,032209educators.article_
(http://www.southtownstar.com/news/1488124,032209educators.article)
'Yes you are going to school today'
Burbank grandma with an eighth-grade education drives, inspires family to
succeed
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March 22, 2009
BY _DUAA ELDEIB_ (mailto:deldeib at southtownstar.com) Staff Writer
Amneh Othman has earned eight bachelor's degrees, six master's degrees and
one law degree.
And she never even made it to ninth grade.
» _Click to enlarge image_
(javascript:dc_popup_win('http://www.southtownstar.com/news/1457549,TIN_othman030209_p1.fullimage', 'fullimage',
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650,height=650'))
Amnah Othman (front-center) with her children: Stagg dean Abir Othman
(front-left); Richards social studies teacher Rahaf Othman (front-right); St.
Xavier director of university computation Rola Othman (back-left; Andrew High
School automotive technology director Abe Othman (back-middle); and Reavis
chemistry teacher Lina Zayed (back-right). Amnah Othman is pursuing her GED at
Moraine Valley Community College.
(Jason Han/SouthtownStar)
The Othmans
Lina Zayed
chemistry teacher at Reavis High School in Burbank
School: St. Xavier University
Degree: Bachelor of Science in chemistry
Graduation year: 1995
School: Governors State University
Degree: Bachelor of Science in chemistry education
Graduation year: 2000
School: Governors State University
Degree: Master of science in analytical chemistry
Graduation year: 2002
Rahaf Othman
Social studies teacher at Richards High School in Oak Lawn
School: St. Xavier University
Degree: Bachelor of arts in history with minors in English and secondary
education
Graduation year: 1999
School: St. Xavier University
Degree: Master of arts in education
Graduation year: 2004
Also earned her English as a second language endorsement in 2006
Rola Othman
Director of University Computing at St. Xavier University
School: St. Xavier University
Degree: Bachelor of Arts in criminal justice, minor in psychology with a
specialization in counseling
Graduation year: 1994
School: St. Xavier University
Degree: Master of science in applied computer science
Graduation year: 2003
School: St. Xavier University
Degree: Master of Business Administration
Graduation year: 2003
Abe Othman
Automotive technology teacher at Andrew High School
School: Chicago State University
Degree: Bachelor of science in career and technical education
Graduation year: 2006
He also earned an automotive technology certificate and is currently working
on a master of arts at Governors State University
Abir Othman
Head dean at Stagg High School in Palos Hills
School: Governors State University
Degree: Bachelor of arts in English and minor in secondary education
Graduation year: 1996
School: Governors State University
Degree: Master of arts in education administration
Graduation year: 2002
Ronza Othman
Policy adviser with the Department of Homeland Security Office for Civil
Rights and Civil Liberties in Washington, D.C.
School: St. Xavier University
Degree: Bachelor of arts in philosophy
Graduation year: 2003
School: St. Xavier University
Degree: Bachelor of science in biological and natural sciences with a minor
in psychology
Graduation year: 2003
School: DePaul University
Degree: Master of science in public services management
Graduation year: 2006
School: DePaul University College of Law
Degree: Juris doctor
Graduation year: 2006
Zayed Othman
Entrepreneur
School: Robert Morris College
Degree: Associate degree
Graduation year: 1991
Without her reverence for education, fierce drive and
yes-you-are-going-to-school-today attitude, her seven children could not have accomplished their
academic feats.
They believe she deserves the credit.
Five of Othman's children are educators in the Southland. Some of them
pursued the field precisely because of their mother's love for it. Others
reluctantly decided on it after they failed to find contentment in careers that
didn't revolve around schooling, students and service. All of them recognize her
undeniable role.
Now it's Amneh's turn to be the student. The 58-year-old grandmother has
enrolled in community college to earn a diploma that bears her own name.
Her children couldn't be more proud.
"She was our inspiration," said Abir Othman, the head dean at Stagg High
School in Palos Hills. "She would set the tone."
When they were young, the seven kids would come home to their two-bedroom
Burbank apartment about 3 p.m. By 3:30, a hearty, home-cooked meal would be on
the table. After the last bite of grape leaves was devoured, everyone was
expected to do their homework.
"You couldn't say I didn't have anything. You found something," Abir Othman
said. "You read a book."
Amneh, who still lives in Burbank, willed her kids to succeed. When she first
immigrated to this country from Palestine, her English was limited. She'd
pay neighborhood kids and students in her oldest daughter Lina's class a dollar
to tutor her children in science and reading. When Abir was in first grade,
Amneh requested two copies of homework - one for her daughter and one for
her.
"I wanted to learn, too," Amneh said.
She didn't allow her kids to clear the table or do the dishes during the
week. Chores were only on the weekends, when schoolwork wasn't the priority.
Not that they didn't have to go to school on the weekends, because they did.
Amneh, known in the Arab community as Om Zayed, would load the kids up and
drive them to the local mosque for Sunday school. When six days of reading and
writing got to be too much for her oldest son, Zayed Othman, he disconnected
the starter on her car.
"You know what I did?" Amneh boasted. "I called a taxi cab."
American opportunity
The Othmans' story is as much about education as it is about living the
American dream. The family immigrated to New York in 1981. When their store was
robbed three months later, they picked up whatever they had left, and five
kids, a nine-months-pregnant Amneh, Dad Mahmoud Othman, and five other family
members piled into a two-door Cadillac and drove for two days before reaching
Chicago.
After settling in, Amneh enrolled in English classes in preparation for her
citizenship test.
"I passed on the first time," she said, beaming.
In the meantime, Mahmoud toiled away at the grocery store he managed in
Chicago's Englewood community as a means for the behind-the-scenes dad to provide
financially for his large family.
"That store would strangle the life out of you," said son Abe Othman, 25, of
Oak Lawn. "It's not what I wanted to do."
Amneh made sure her kids saw what it was like to labor every day from 7 a.m.
to midnight.
"She'd tell us 'You have this opportunity (for an education). You can't let
it pass you by. In America, you're getting this chance,'" Abir said. "She used
to say, 'You can be anything you want to be. You have no excuse.'"
"All the time, I told my kids I want them to be educated," said Amneh, whose
mother pulled her out of school at the age of 13 to help take care of her
younger siblings. Later in life, Amneh would regret not having the same
educational opportunities that allowed her brothers and sisters to become doctors,
engineers, bankers, and yes, even teachers.
In Amneh's house, Abe knew even his standing as the baby of the family
couldn't get him out of completing an education.
"It wasn't if you were going to college. It was what college you were going
to," said Abe, who changed gears from pursuing a career in law enforcement to
his current job as an applied technology teacher at Andrew High School in
Tinley Park.
Graduation junkie
When other kids her age were playing house or dress-up, Abir was playing
school. When the time came to trade in pretend assignments for real ones, Abir
took the no-frills approach to education, finishing her bachelor's in three
years. She was pregnant with her third child when she was earning her master's.
She recalls telling her mom she was having second thoughts about juggling the
kids, work and school.
"I'm tired," Abir said. "I think I'm going to stay home."
"And do what?" Amneh replied.
Abir went into labor - as in having unbearable, scream-at-the-top-your-lungs
contractions - right before she turned in her last assignment for the
semester.
Her husband told her they needed to head to the hospital.
She looked at him, then plainly said, "I have to finish my paper first."
A bit clueless, never having been in that position before, he paused, then
continued rubbing her back.
He shouldn't have been surprised, seeing that this was coming from Abir. She
was, after all, the same woman who a few years earlier wouldn't move when a
graduation announcer failed to mention her high honors.
After a few moments of awkward silence, she nudged to the announcer.
"My mom is in the audience. You forgot to mention my honors," Abir recalled.
"I wasn't going anywhere because this is what she lives for."
Amneh has become a bit of a graduation junkie, getting a rush watching the
seekers of knowledge fulfill their quests.
"I like to sit in the first row and put on my glasses," she said.
She thumbs through the programs, making a mental note of which students
graduated with what honors or are members of which honors organizations.
Feeling the pressure from grandma, Lina Zayed's 13-year-old daughter
proclaimed if she didn't earn some kind of honors chord, medal or ribbon by the time
she graduates, she'll rent one.
'Grandma has school too'
Amneh may be able to earn her own honors distinction next year, which is when
she's scheduled to finish her GED high school equivalency diploma.
After decades of supporting her kids' education, she finally decided to go
back for her own.
"Martin Luther King had a dream, and Mom had a dream of finishing school,"
Abir said.
For the past two years at Moraine Valley Community College, Amneh's taken
pre-GED classes, and she recently started actual classes toward her degree.
"She put her education on hold to help everyone else," said 30-year-old Rahaf
Othman, who lives in Orland Hills and teaches social studies at Richards
High School in Oak Lawn.
Now that all of her kids have degrees, her next project is the grandchildren.
She drops them off at school in the morning before heading to her classes.
"The kids say, 'Grandma has school, too. We can't be late. She'll yell at
us,'" said 38-year-old Zayed, a chemistry teacher at Reavis High School in
Burbank.
'I love my job'
In 2002, Zayed finally concluded her educational journey with two bachelor's
degrees and a master's degree.
"I was relieved," said Zayed, who lives in Burbank. "I thought, I have my
education. My job is set. My family is set."
Three months later, she was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. After her
treatment, she couldn't speak above a whisper.
But her mother didn't raise her to give up. The school set up a speaker
system in her classroom that would allow her to speak through the microphone
attached to the headset she wore around her face.
"I love my job," Zayed said. "I love my students. I love going to work every
day."
A year later, in May of 2003, she started feeling sick during a field trip
with her students. Her mind raced to the worst possible scenario - the cancer
was back.
After some blood work, she was floored when she heard the results. She was
pregnant.
"They told me I couldn't have any more kids," Zayed said. "To me, he was my
second chance. He's my miracle baby."
A passion for education
Freshmen at St. Xavier University see Rola Othman's dark eyes and bright
smile, and ask her if she knows Mrs. Othman.
"I have to ask them which one," said 35-year-old Rola, who is the director of
university computing at St. Xavier in Chicago's Mount Greenwood community.
There she works with about 30 student interns, teaching them computer and life
skills.
"I tell them you don't have to have all the answers, you just have to know
where to look," Rola said.
Amneh often looks to newspapers.
"I love to read the newspaper," she said. "Even some words I don't know, but
the word after explains it. And if I still don't know, I ask. I'm not afraid
to ask."
Forging ahead at all costs is a lesson she taught her children.
"If you want to get your education, you persevere," Rahaf said.
Even with scholarships and financial aid, the siblings are still paying off
student loans.
When one student who was giving Abe a hard time in class started turning his
life around, he thanked Abe in his own way.
"He said, 'Mr. Othman, you're a superhero, and I'm your sidekick,'" Abe said.
Zayed Othman and Ronza Othman are the only two children who didn't pursue
careers in education.
"Know that I'm really proud to be your sister, even though I strayed off the
path of nobility and went and became a lawyer," Ronza, 27, wrote her brother
and sisters in a recent e-mail.
Ronza, who is blind, is currently a policy advisor with the Department of
Homeland Security Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties in Washington,
D.C.
"My mom was a huge advocate and supporter of me, whatever I wanted to do, as
long as it was ambitious ..." she said. "My mother is the reason I pushed
myself so hard and refused to be limited by my blindness."
As for brother Zayed Othman, a Burbank entrepreneur, his education ended with
an associate degree.
"I think I broke my mom's heart by not getting a full degree," the
38-year-old said. "It was the biggest mistake I ever made."
After 18 years, he's going back to school this summer to earn a bachelor's in
business administration. Not surprisingly, he thanks Amneh.
"It's my mom," he said. "She pushed all of us all of the time. She believes
in education so much."
Somewhere along the way, she imparted that love to her children.
"It's your passion. It's your craft. It's your calling," Abir said.
And it's Amneh's dream.
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