Following the Four Talon-based student awards at the annual ROMS Awards Ceremony on May 10, the 2018 Students of the Year were announced. One male and one female from each grade level are recognized as the very best of their class. Maddox Maines won male 7th grade Student of the Year, Ariana Mena won female 7th grade Student of the Year, Kimberly Moses won female 8th grade Student of the Year, and Saadi El-Saadi won male 8th grade Student of the Year.

As Mrs.Watts began to announce the Students of the Year, Saadi felt something big was about to happen. “I had a feeling. . . my nerves started shaking,” Saadi El-Saadi explained.  Earlier in the evening he had received the Academic Readiness award for Tenor Bass Choir, and a medal for A Honor Roll but was unsure if he would win Student of the Year.

As he walked on the stage to receive this prestigious recognition, the audience cheered him on. Jayden Douglas, a friend of his could be heard shouting “Saadi, the man who smells good”. As other individuals gave him well-respected applause and shouts. “I accomplished something big this year, out of 250 8th grade boys I won. He elaborated that he walked slowly to bring in the “amazing feeling” and plans to get cake with the family to celebrate.

Another highly regarded accomplishment, was getting accepted into The Hawk Scholars Academy, which allows students to earn an Associates Degree at the end of their 4 years of high school. His advice to others is staying true to yourself and never giving up “never give up and to always believe in yourself and others”. He stated that his basis for these accomplishments solely belong to helping others and reaching out to people other than those close to you to help, “always think about helping others because that’s how you become a good person in life.

Saadi never believes that any award is unequal to one another and gives thanks to all the teachers who nominated him and helped him accomplish all the awards he has until today. “All the awards that I get are equal for me, but this is the one  that stands out of them all”, Saadi explained “I appreciate every teacher that has nominated me to achieve this amazing award”. His advice to his future self is to do your best and not being afraid of what others have to say and always appreciating “yourself, without their (Mentors, parents, teachers, and friends) help I couldn’t have gotten here”. As the year draws to an end he wants the upcoming 8th graders to do their best and to “never stop whatever you do”.