As the foliage starts to caramelize into deep shades of brown and orange, diverse members of the Brighter Horizons Academy community gathered for the annual Fall Festival on the joyous day of October 24th, 2025. The first quarter of the school year had just concluded, and many high school students had finished taking their rigorous PSAT and SAT tests. Both students and their families had been looking forward to the event as an opportunity to relax and enjoy the delicious menu offered by the various vendors. From the tender and juicy brisket at Halal Cuts to the flavorful shawarmas at Shawarma Press, there were an impressive total of around 10 food vendors. Students enjoyed their food while spending quality time with their friends and relatives, evoking profound feelings of cohesion and belonging.
A 6th-grade student named Shafi Khan expressed this aspect and described his favorite part about the event, “I get to enjoy it with my friends, and the food is great. I hope there can be a winter version too.” Another young student in kindergarten named Zayd Kadiwala exclaimed, “I loved the candy. To whoever says no candy, I will run away from them.” Seeing Shafi and the others having fun outside the school and bonding with others speaks volumes about the success of such events, which require tedious planning and preparation by the hard-working Parent-Teacher Organization (PTO). Dr. Leila Kayed, who is serving her first exciting year as the high school principal, voiced her enthusiasm at the gathering, “The turnout is nice to see, families and even student alumni are here. The community vibes show how we are as strong as our networks, and it’s beautiful to see how safe it is and how many Islamic vendors there are. Today is a festival showing the strength of the school community and celebrating the end of the quarter.” Other highlights of the festival included the rewarding minigames along with the retail and boutique vendors. Of the retail vendors were two that belonged to BHA’s very own lovely students: “sonta.stitches” by Zeina Elhamadany, which featured splendid handmade crochet plushies, and “Matcha by Sabira” by Sabira Zia Zaidani, which had delicious matcha lattes. This demonstrates how engaged students at BHA are in supporting their community.
Of course, the event was made possible by the dedication of the PTO. They worked diligently, planning the event knowing the weather was unpredictable, but the crucial part was leaving their trust in Allah. PTO Vice Chair Uzma Azhar emphasized this, “We didn’t proceed scared and put our full trust in Allah, and at the end it turned out perfectly. It also could not have happen without the dedicated volunteers and support from parents and our amazing vendors and our esteemed sponsors that generously believed and trusted in us. We are so excited to give back to our BHA community.” Among these benevolent sponsors were Azhar & Azhar Law Firm, Elite Care Internal Medicine Clinic, and Green Vine Market, among others. Other marvelous activities planned by the PTO were the hay ride and petting zoo. The evening hay rides provided a scenic route to observe the hazy fall atmosphere illuminating the picturesque landscape of the campus. It was painted with diverse attendees having a blissful time and interacting with new people. A senior named Tala Mahmoud commented on this aspect, “The best part of the event is seeing people enjoying themselves outside of the school and bonding with them more, and even meeting new people at the stand.” As seniors such as Tala are nearing the end of their BHA days, the event offered a splendid experience to spend time with their friends before college arrives.
Events like these truly embody the rich familial values that have been instilled in the BHA community, dating back to its establishment. From the former events such as the Back to School Bash along with the Eid Festivals, these gatherings provide a sense of kinship during times most needed. More wonderful events should be held at BHA to commemorate the hard work all of the individuals put into facilitating the tight-knit BHA spirit.
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