SUBSCRIBER BENEFIT: This graduation season, SILive.com is offering a perk exclusively for subscribers: Log in, click on the photo gallery to see if we photographed your favorite graduate and choose GET PHOTO to download free print-quality images. Plus, get 50% off the purchase of graduation-related keepsakes. If you’re not already a subscriber, sign up here. Note to mobile app users: To download high-resolution photos, please access this story from a standard mobile or desktop/laptop web browser.Miraj Islamic School in Tompkinsville graduated 9 students at their commencement ceremony on Friday, June 7, 2024. (Staten Island Advance/Sonya Gugliara) Sonya GugliaraMiraj Islamic School in Tompkinsville graduated 9 students at their commencement ceremony on Friday, June 7, 2024. Before the ceremony, graduates help each other fix their caps. (Staten Island Advance/Sonya Gugliara) Sonya GugliaraMiraj Islamic School in Tompkinsville graduated 9 students at their commencement ceremony on Friday, June 7, 2024. (Staten Island Advance/Sonya Gugliara) Sonya GugliaraMiraj Islamic School in Tompkinsville graduated 9 students at their commencement ceremony on Friday, June 7, 2024. Principal Lamiaa Refaey gives a speech at the ceremony. (Staten Island Advance/Sonya Gugliara) Sonya GugliaraMiraj Islamic School in Tompkinsville graduated 9 students at their commencement ceremony on Friday, June 7, 2024. (Staten Island Advance/Sonya Gugliara) Sonya GugliaraA child runs up to Dr. Tahir Kukiqi and his son, salutatorian Adem Kukiqi. Miraj Islamic School in Tompkinsville graduated 9 students at their commencement ceremony on Friday, June 7, 2024. (Staten Island Advance/Sonya Gugliara) Sonya GugliaraMiraj Islamic School in Tompkinsville graduated 9 students at their commencement ceremony on Friday, June 7, 2024. (Staten Island Advance/Sonya Gugliara) Sonya GugliaraMiraj Islamic School in Tompkinsville graduated 9 students at their commencement ceremony on Friday, June 7, 2024. (Staten Island Advance/Sonya Gugliara) Sonya GugliaraMiraj Islamic School in Tompkinsville graduated 9 students at their commencement ceremony on Friday, June 7, 2024. Valedictorian Samiha Hosny addresses the crowd during her speech. (Staten Island Advance/Sonya Gugliara) Sonya GugliaraFrom left to right, Adem Kukiqi, Yusuf Rammah, Moufeed Siad and Ibrahim Marukic in front of Miraj Islamic School. Miraj Islamic School in Tompkinsville graduated 9 students at their commencement ceremony on Friday, June 7, 2024. (Staten Island Advance/Sonya Gugliara) Sonya GugliaraMiraj Islamic School in Tompkinsville graduated 9 students at their commencement ceremony on Friday, June 7, 2024. (Staten Island Advance/Sonya Gugliara) Sonya GugliaraMiraj Islamic School in Tompkinsville graduated 9 students at their commencement ceremony on Friday, June 7, 2024. (Staten Island Advance/Sonya Gugliara) Sonya GugliaraMiraj Islamic School in Tompkinsville graduated 9 students at their commencement ceremony on Friday, June 7, 2024. (Staten Island Advance/Sonya Gugliara) Sonya GugliaraMiraj Islamic School in Tompkinsville graduated 9 students at their commencement ceremony on Friday, June 7, 2024. (Staten Island Advance/Sonya Gugliara) Sonya GugliaraMiraj Islamic School in Tompkinsville graduated 9 students at their commencement ceremony on Friday, June 7, 2024. (Staten Island Advance/Sonya Gugliara) Sonya GugliaraLeft to right, Karima Shonubi, Rawdah Bahloul, Nora Sawan, Samiha Hosny and Shaza Talbeh pose in front of Miraj Islamic School. Miraj Islamic School in Tompkinsville graduated 9 students at their commencement ceremony on Friday, June 7, 2024. (Staten Island Advance/Sonya Gugliara) Sonya GugliaraMiraj Islamic School in Tompkinsville graduated 9 students at their commencement ceremony on Friday, June 7, 2024. (Staten Island Advance/Sonya Gugliara) Sonya GugliaraMiraj Islamic School in Tompkinsville graduated 9 students at their commencement ceremony on Friday, June 7, 2024. (Staten Island Advance/Sonya Gugliara) Sonya GugliaraMiraj Islamic School in Tompkinsville graduated 9 students at their commencement ceremony on Friday, June 7, 2024. (Staten Island Advance/Sonya Gugliara) Sonya GugliaraMiraj Islamic School in Tompkinsville graduated 9 students at their commencement ceremony on Friday, June 7, 2024. (Staten Island Advance/Sonya Gugliara) Sonya GugliaraMiraj Islamic School in Tompkinsville graduated 9 students at their commencement ceremony on Friday, June 7, 2024. (Staten Island Advance/Sonya Gugliara) Sonya Gugliara- Miraj Islamic School in Tompkinsville graduated 9 students at their commencement ceremony on Friday, June 7, 2024. (Staten Island Advance/Sonya Gugliara) Sonya Gugliara- Miraj Islamic School in Tompkinsville graduated 9 students at their commencement ceremony on Friday, June 7, 2024. (Staten Island Advance/Sonya Gugliara) Sonya GugliaraMiraj Islamic School in Tompkinsville graduated 9 students at their commencement ceremony on Friday, June 7, 2024. (Staten Island Advance/Sonya Gugliara) Sonya GugliaraMiraj Islamic School in Tompkinsville graduated 9 students at their commencement ceremony on Friday, June 7, 2024. (Staten Island Advance/Sonya Gugliara) Sonya GugliaraMiraj Islamic School in Tompkinsville graduated 9 students at their commencement ceremony on Friday, June 7, 2024. (Staten Island Advance/Sonya Gugliara) Sonya Gugliara- Miraj Islamic School in Tompkinsville graduated 9 students at their commencement ceremony on Friday, June 7, 2024. (Staten Island Advance/Sonya Gugliara) Sonya GugliaraMiraj Islamic School in Tompkinsville graduated 9 students at their commencement ceremony on Friday, June 7, 2024. (Staten Island Advance/Sonya Gugliara) Sonya GugliaraMiraj Islamic School in Tompkinsville graduated 9 students at their commencement ceremony on Friday, June 7, 2024. (Staten Island Advance/Sonya Gugliara) Sonya GugliaraMiraj Islamic School in Tompkinsville graduated 9 students at their commencement ceremony on Friday, June 7, 2024. (Staten Island Advance/Sonya Gugliara) Sonya GugliaraMiraj Islamic School in Tompkinsville graduated 9 students at their commencement ceremony on Friday, June 7, 2024. (Staten Island Advance/Sonya Gugliara) Sonya GugliaraMiraj Islamic School in Tompkinsville graduated 9 students at their commencement ceremony on Friday, June 7, 2024. (Staten Island Advance/Sonya Gugliara) Sonya GugliaraMiraj Islamic School in Tompkinsville graduated 9 students at their commencement ceremony on Friday, June 7, 2024. (Staten Island Advance/Sonya Gugliara) Sonya GugliaraMiraj Islamic School in Tompkinsville graduated 9 students at their commencement ceremony on Friday, June 7, 2024. (Staten Island Advance/Sonya Gugliara) Sonya GugliaraMiraj Islamic School in Tompkinsville graduated 9 students at their commencement ceremony on Friday, June 7, 2024. (Staten Island Advance/Sonya Gugliara) Sonya GugliaraMiraj Islamic School in Tompkinsville graduated 9 students at their commencement ceremony on Friday, June 7, 2024. (Staten Island Advance/Sonya Gugliara) Sonya GugliaraMiraj Islamic School in Tompkinsville graduated 9 students at their commencement ceremony on Friday, June 7, 2024. (Staten Island Advance/Sonya Gugliara) Sonya GugliaraMiraj Islamic School in Tompkinsville graduated 9 students at their commencement ceremony on Friday, June 7, 2024. (Staten Island Advance/Sonya Gugliara) Sonya GugliaraMiraj Islamic School in Tompkinsville graduated 9 students at their commencement ceremony on Friday, June 7, 2024. (Staten Island Advance/Sonya Gugliara) Sonya GugliaraMiraj Islamic School in Tompkinsville graduated 9 students at their commencement ceremony on Friday, June 7, 2024. (Staten Island Advance/Sonya Gugliara) Sonya GugliaraMiraj Islamic School in Tompkinsville graduated 9 students at their commencement ceremony on Friday, June 7, 2024. (Staten Island Advance/Sonya Gugliara) Sonya GugliaraMiraj Islamic School in Tompkinsville graduated 9 students at their commencement ceremony on Friday, June 7, 2024. (Staten Island Advance/Sonya Gugliara) Sonya GugliaraMiraj Islamic School in Tompkinsville graduated 9 students at their commencement ceremony on Friday, June 7, 2024. (Staten Island Advance/Sonya Gugliara) Sonya GugliaraMiraj Islamic School in Tompkinsville graduated 9 students at their commencement ceremony on Friday, June 7, 2024. (Staten Island Advance/Sonya Gugliara) Sonya GugliaraMiraj Islamic School in Tompkinsville graduated 9 students at their commencement ceremony on Friday, June 7, 2024. (Staten Island Advance/Sonya Gugliara) Sonya GugliaraMiraj Islamic School in Tompkinsville graduated 9 students at their commencement ceremony on Friday, June 7, 2024. (Staten Island Advance/Sonya Gugliara) Sonya GugliaraMiraj Islamic School in Tompkinsville graduated 9 students at their commencement ceremony on Friday, June 7, 2024. (Staten Island Advance/Sonya Gugliara) Sonya GugliaraMiraj Islamic School in Tompkinsville graduated 9 students at their commencement ceremony on Friday, June 7, 2024. (Staten Island Advance/Sonya Gugliara) Sonya GugliaraMiraj Islamic School in Tompkinsville graduated 9 students at their commencement ceremony on Friday, June 7, 2024. (Staten Island Advance/Sonya Gugliara) Sonya GugliaraMiraj Islamic School in Tompkinsville graduated 9 students at their commencement ceremony on Friday, June 7, 2024. (Staten Island Advance/Sonya Gugliara) Sonya GugliaraMiraj Islamic School in Tompkinsville graduated 9 students at their commencement ceremony on Friday, June 7, 2024. (Staten Island Advance/Sonya Gugliara) Sonya GugliaraSTATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — Family members, loved ones and excited educators gathered at the Miraj Islamic School’s 2024 commencement ceremony to celebrate the successes of nine deserving graduates on Friday, June 7.“Today, we are celebrating and honoring your achievements and dedication through our own journey of ups and downs, exciting and devastating events that are happening around us,” Principal Lamiaa Refaey said to the graduates. “You guys went through it all with such great courage, resistance beyond your teenage years, to reach a very impressive milestone: graduating high school.”The heartwarming ceremony demonstrated the tight-knit community established at the Miraj Islamic School. Many students have attended the school since pre-K, but even those who haven’t feel right at home.Valedictorian Samiha Hosny (left) and salutatorian Adem Kukiqi (right) graduated from Miraj Islamic School on Friday, June 7, 2024. (courtesy of Miraj Islamic School Miraj Islamic School)“Miraj has been my second home for years,” valedictorian Samiha Hosny said. “Although I haven’t attended Miraj quite as long as some of my other classmates, transitioning from public school to Miraj had a huge impact on me.”Hosny also expressed her and her peers’ gratitude towards all of the teachers and faculty who made this day possible.“Can we take a second to give some props to our teachers? We couldn’t have made it without them,” Hosny continued, “They’ve not only taught us academics, but also life lessons that we will carry with us forever.”The ceremony featured a photo slideshow, video montage and student interviews for graduates and guests to reflect on their experiences and accomplishments.Miraj Islamic School in Tompkinsville graduated 9 students at their commencement ceremony on Friday, June 7, 2024. (Staten Island Advance/Sonya Gugliara) Sonya GugliaraSalutatorian Adem Kukiqi left the crowd teary-eyed with his honest, eloquent and emotional speech. After humorously addressing his classmates, Kukiqi went on to thank everyone who has contributed to his success.“To my mother … I wish you were here right now so I could tell you how proud I am to be your son and how much I miss you every day,” he continued, “I see your friends and our family in the crowd right now, they came here to support me today and I thank them for that. It makes me feel good knowing that the love you showed people stays with them to this very day.”The candidates for graduation are:Samiha Hosny, Adem Kukiqi, Moufeed Siad, Yusuf Rammah, Karima Shonubi, Rawdah Bahloul, Shaza Talbeh, Nora Sawan, Ibrahim MarukicMore graduations on SILive
