Under Joint Partnership between AAUP and the Ministry of Education, AAUP Organizes Workshops for School Students

Dr. Saba’ Jarrar- a member of the committee of the 20^th anniversary celebrations said: “the two workshops that were organized under collaboration between Arab American University and the Ministry of Education came after the contests that were organized for school students to compete in “best storyboard” and the “best writing skills” about the university and the university life. Some of the students who were creative in the contests were chosen to participate in the workshops.”

She added: “the university has organized many sports and cultural activities during the last and current year, started by the virtual marathon, to Masafer Yatta marathon to the contest of the “best storyboard” and the “best creative writing”, and many other activities will be organized to enable all the Palestinian community to participate.”

In the storyboard and comics workshop that was trained by the International Cartoonist- Mr. Mohammad Sabaaneh, the workshop was about the techniques of starting, developing and drawing the story, how to draw characteristics and how to take stories from real life and reflect and embody it in drawings. 20 students from the different schools of the West Bank participated in this workshop.

Mr. Sabaaneh said that the main purpose of this workshop is to introduce students to a new type of art that is not available and known in Palestine, and encourage them to start practicing it. Mr. Sabaaneh expressed his happiness to see such great gifted artists that have this talent from their childhood, and he stressed on the importance of following them up in order to help them reach the highest levels. He praised the initative of AAUP in organizing this training workshop, and added that Arab American University should continue in encouraging students as it is part of its responsibility to the community.

Mr. Ziad Khaddash – the Palestinian story writer was the trainer for the Creative Writing workshop. This workshop included training on the skills of creative writing, discussing the relation between writing and fine art and introducing Palestinian writers to students. The workshop that included 7 participants from the schools of the West Bank was concluded by writing creative contents that students expressed their dreams and lives in. 

Trainer Khadash said that the purpose of this workshop was to enhance and improve the creative writing skills in students with its aesthetics of literary, and said: “I was surprised by the high level that the participant students reached, we should continue in providing the appropriate environment for them to develop them”. Mr. Khaddash also expressed his pride to train those high level students and said that we will see their stories and writings spreading in the Palestinian and regional libraries. He also appreciated the role that AAUP does in organizing such activities for school students.

Majd Othman, a student from Shaikh Mohammad Shami High School in Hebron and a participant in the comics’ workshop expressed her happiness in participating in the contest and said: “I have participated in many contests before, but this was my first time to participate in a contest that was organized by a Palestinian university that ask us to describe the college life through drawing”. She added that this workshop is a distinguish one and that she learned a new type of fine art, and added that she drew one of the most famous features of the campus of Arab American University in Jenin and above it a sky of many colors that represent a new life. 

Mala’ Ra’ei a student from Abu Ali Iyad High School in Qalqilya said that she drew AAUP campus from a geometric pattern as she divided the paper to 20 blocks 9reflecting the 20 years of the university) and each block describes one of the university’s achievements.

Qadar Ayoub Zaid from Al Khansaa’ School in Qalqilya drew a laboratory from the university with employees and staff inside it. She said that Arab American University had a great role in fighting COVID-19, and drawing a laboratory will reflect the reality that the world is living now under this pandemic; especially that AAUP was one of the first warriors in fighting this virus.

Shahd Jaber from Terra-Santa High School in Jericho participated in the Creative Writing workshop and said that she wrote a story about “A University Cat” as the hero of this story is a cat that entered the university inside a bag of one of the students, and then this cat took a tour inside the campus and described the campus in a beautiful way. She chose a cat because she likes cats and they inspire her, and she wrote the story from the cat’s perspective.

At the end of workshops, the school students were honored and were gifted some valuable presents from Arab American University and the Ministry of Education.

Participants in the Storyboard Workshop (Comics’ Workshop):

1. Lujain Mohammad Abdulqader Abu Rayyan – Al Mo’tasem Girls School – Hebron
2. Fatima Adnan Mohammad Abdallah – Al Adawi High School – Tulkarem
3. Majd Shadi Sulieman Othman – Shaikh Mohammad Shami High School.
4. Ayham Mohammad Hassan Khlaif – Al Mahd High School – Bethlehem.
5. Faisal Ya’qoub Yousef Mubarak – Bethlehem High School – Bethlehem.
6. Nour Hukam Mohammad Rabaaya – Shloun Girls School “Muscat” – Qabatya.
7. Ibtisman Ramzi Jabra – Ein Yabroud High School – Ramallah.
8. Leen Sa’ed Abdallah Omar – Abu Ai Iyad High School- Qalqilya.
9. Mai Ali As’ad  Hussien – Al Shayma’ High School – Qalqilya.
10. Qadar Ayoub Ahmad Zaid – Al Khansaa School – Qalqilya.
11. Nada Oasama Al Amleh – Beet Ola High School – Northern of Hebron.
12. Mala’ Walid Mahmoud Ra’ee - Abu Ai Iyad High School- Qalqilya.
13. Nada Taher Mahdi Jaber – Terra-Santa High School – Jericho.
14. Remah Omar Bani Odeh – Tammoun High School.
15. Na’ila Jawad Hashim Saleh- Abu Ai Iyad High School- Qalqilya.
16. Shada Rami Maraa’brh – Ras Attyeh High School – Qalqilya.
17. Dana Ghassam Ibrahim Othman - Abu Ai Iyad High School- Qalqilya.
18. Aya Bassam Ahmad Kharmeh - Al Adawi High School – Tulkarem.
19. Noor Ra’id Mahmoud Fawakhreh – Jaba’ High School – Qabatya.
20. Nada Ashraf Khalid Buhti – Shwaikeh  Hihg School – Tulkarem.

 Participants in the Creative Writing Workshop:

1. Shahd Khalil Nazmi Jaber – Terra – Santa – Jericho.
2. Zeina Munier Odwan – Fer’own High School – Tulkarem.
3. Sumaya Ashraf Faleh Bani Shaseh- Beta High School – Nablus.
4. Aya Tariq Hassan Mashaqi – Jawaher laal Nehro – Nablus.
5. Dima Samer Abu Khader – Al Jadeda High School – Qabatya.
6. Tuqa Majdi Yousef Jawabreh – Bethlehem High School – Bethlehem.
7. Osama Baker Na’eem Qabha – Barta’a High School – Jenin

 

 

Lujain Mohammad Abdulqader Abu Rayan

 

Fatima Adnan Mohammad Abdallah

 

Majd Shadi Sulieman Othman

 

Ayham Mohammad Hussien Khlief

 

Faisal Ya’qoub Yousef Mubarak

 

Nour Hakam Mohammad Rabaaya

 

Qadar Ayoub Ahmad Zaid

 

Nada Osama Al Amla

 

Mala’ Walid Mohmoud Ra’ee