On Friday, August 2nd, 2023, the Somali American Youth Parent Association (SAYPA) hosted its Eighth Annual Somali Graduation Ceremony, honoring and celebrating Somali Youth on achieving their goal of graduating high school. For many of the students, they are the first in their families ever to graduate high school and be accepted to college or pursue an education in a specific trade. This event was organized to celebrate the achievements of the youth in our community and to show that their community will support them in their endeavors.
This event encompassed a night of celebration, to which members of our community, from youth to elder leaders, were invited and participated.
It was a fantastic night of celebration!
The event was composed of the following events:
- Somali Dhaqan. (Somali culture)
- Somali Dhaanto (Somali Dance): Women and men engage in different forms of Dhaanto.
- A Somali fashion show in which the students wore traditional clothing from their Somali heritage.
- There was an ending ceremony in which the graduates were honored with gifts to give to their parents and cash prizes from SAYPA.
