This article was featured in the December 2024 issue of the New York State Education Department's Office of Bilingual Education & World Languages newsletter.
Maria Mustafa was recently invited by Binghamton City School District Superintendent, Dr. Tonia Thompson, to serve as the Master of Ceremonies at their convocation. This exceptional young woman—a former English Language Learner and candidate for the New York State Seal of Biliteracy—holds several leadership positions. She an active member of the School Board as a Student Representative, and she is President of the Student Government, the Class of 2025, the Math Honor Society, the National Honor Society, Upward Bound, and Sisters 4 Sisters. Recently, she was chosen as the Broome County Representative for the NYS Governor's Youth Council and serves as an intern at the Regional Office of U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer.
Maria’s story mirrors that of many our English Language Learners in New York. Her mother’s family arrived in the USA in 1997 as Kurdish refugees from Northern Iraq (Kurdistan), having escaped the genocidal acts of the Hussein government. After being resettled in a Turkish refugee camp, they eventually received asylum from the U.S. government. In the late 1990s, Binghamton was home to a refugee resettlement organization, and more than 20 Kurdish refugee families settled in the region. Maria’s mother, along with many extended family members, attended Benjamin Franklin Elementary School’s English as a New Language Program.
Although Maria’s mother attended school in the United States, Maria’s family predominately spoke Kurdish at home. Maria entered Kindergarten as an ELL at the Emerging proficiency level, but quickly tested Commanding by the end of 2nd grade. Her remarkable academic and personal growth can be attributed to her family's strong belief in the value of education and the celebration of her identity as a Muslim Kurdish-American.
Brigitte Pittarelli, Maria’s ENL teacher during 2nd and 3rd grade reflects on their time together: “I was fortunate enough to be able to teach Maria for two years. Although she no longer required English Language Development, Maria continued to participate in the program and was a peer leader assisting newcomers all through fifth grade. She continued to apply herself throughout each and every lesson, even though it wasn’t a legal requirement for her to attend the program during her later elementary years. Her drive at a young age speaks volumes to the young adult she is today.”
Maria’s sisters affectionately call her the “Mayor of Binghamton,” a nickname that reflects her community involvement and leadership. This title also stems from her selection for the National Student Leadership Congress (NSLC), a prestigious program that selects only 150 first-generation students nationwide to participate in a mock trial in Washington, D.C. During the program, Maria had the opportunity to meet students from across the country and advocate for issues important to them.
Maria’s “mayoral” status is further solidified by her advocacy work for at-risk youth and the broader community. Some of her key contributions include volunteering with young children at her local mosque, organizing community neighborhood clean- ups, leading the Binghamton High School Community Thanksgiving Dinner, and raising donations to provide prom attire for students in need. Well-liked by both her fellow students and teachers, she was chosen by her peers to be Homecoming Queen, and she was nominated by a committee of teachers to receive the school district’s Patriot Award, which comes with a $10,000 scholarship. Looking to the future, Maria hopes to pursue a degree in Political Science or International Relations.
“After my journey in college, I hope to return to the city of Binghamton and become the mayor. My future goal is to become a U.S. Senator and continue my advocacy for my community and nation.”
Reflecting further on Maria, her former teacher Pittarelli added, “As I continue to observe her leadership in all areas of school and our community, I have no doubt that Maria will succeed in living the American dream that her parents and family dreamt about when they first stepped foot on our land.”