WEST BLOOMFIELD — On Tuesday the Arab American and Chaldean Council (ACC) awarded deserving students for their academic achievements during the 12th annual Golf Outing and Scholarship Awards Dinner at the Shenandoah Country Club. 

The ACC distributed 30 scholarships in the amount of $1,000 each to recent high school graduates who plan on attending college this fall. 

The group has increased the number of scholarships it distributes at the annual event. In 2009, 11 students received scholarships, and last year 25 students were awarded. 

“Like the ACC and its programs that have been expanding all these years, and along with what we do, servicing the community, our scholarship program has grown with it,” said Bob Ghannam, ACC director of special projects and community and neighborhood development manager. 

The scholarships are sponsored by individuals and various organizations. Federal agencies, including the CIA and Immigration and Customs Enforcement, also sponsored scholarships. One of this year’s biggest scholarship donors was the Moroun Family Foundation, which sponsored 10 scholarships.

Several scholarship recipients had grade point averages (GPAs) higher than a 4.0. Many of the students were also involved in after school programs that benefit communities. 

Ghannam said many former scholarship recipients have visited the ACC after graduating from college and donated to the group to provide another incoming college student with a scholarship. 

“Kids come back to us after they graduate from college, and back to our offices and talk to us and thank us years later,” he said. “They remember us, and a few of them have donated back to us to give another kid a scholarship; so we are very happy with that.” 

Dr. Haifa Fakhouri, president and CEO of the ACC, encouraged those in attendance to get involved in the group’s Seven Mile Project. The Project is a community and neighborhood development initiative, and aimed at revitalizing the seven mile area of Detroit, both economically and residentially. 

Scholarship recipients offer advice to other students 

Ornella Gorges, who recently graduated from Cousino High School in Warren, plans on attending Macomb Community College this fall and transfer to Lawrence Tech to study architecture and design. 

She recently received an honorary mention for one of her watercolor paintings from the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards. Gorges thanked the ACC for supporting her future endeavors. 

“I wanted to say thank you for providing this opportunity to me, because it is very helpful in helping me pay for college,” she said. 

Gorges had a message to share with the youth: “Just try and strive for all the opportunities and tackle them, and don’t worry about failing because that is part of the process of achieving success.”  

Scholarship recipient Thomas Dabish graduated from West Bloomfield High School and will attend Michigan State University to study biochemical engineering with a possible dual major in packaging engineering. He later plans to attend medical school to become a physician. Dabish is a member of the Spanish and international clubs. 

He said it is important to always try hard and study, in addition to maintaining positive relationships with teachers. 

“One thing that has helped me a lot is organization…Budgeting your time well helps,” he said. 

Crystal Kallabat, who plans on studying human biology or anatomy at the University of Detroit Mercy to achieve her dream of becoming a pediatrician, also noted that organization is key to success. 

“I would definitely say I’m organized,” she said. “I always have a list of things to do right next to me, so definitely keeping track of the things you have to do.” 

Kallabat is vice president of UNICEF at the International Academy and has been a member of the student senate for four years. She also recommended getting to know counselors and planning ahead in addition to researching scholarship opportunities, and taking time to concentrate on writing essays that win awards. 

Dabish said he wanted to tell the ACC that he appreciates this a lot.

“It is a great honor,” he said.