Students of Sparta: Sawsan Srour

Sparta High, I introduce to you the most lovely freshman you will ever meet with the most stunning mentality. When she was in middle school, she faced the most adverse conditions, from getting her hijab ripped off to a disgusting social media hashtag. But she’s overcome this with the most graceful strength by befriending everyone and pursuing her dream. Not a day goes by that she would even consider holding a grudge towards any of her peers that have treated her as if she was inferior. Read on to learn about Sawsan Srour, the girl who is not just like the next.

I left Palestine when I was two years old. The day I was born, there was a battle between the Christians and Israelis. My grandmother had to fight with one of the soldiers to get a nurse to me and my mom, because as a result, I couldn’t breathe. I hold my country close to my heart. My home is where the poverty is high and the people are in occupation. I know first-hand that everyone grows with a struggle.

Now, my family and I have adapted to the U.S., but growing up I knew that I was different because I wasn’t treated the same. That’s okay though, because you define who you are; no one else can do that for you, and popularity literally does not matter. No one is supreme to anyone else because everyone is contributing something to society, and that’s meaningful. In my time here I want to make an impact. I want people to finally see more than my appearance. I’m different from everyone else, and not because of the obvious, but because of what I value. I like to say that mistake is a bad word to use - it’s better to call them lessons because you always learn something and become a better version of the person you were. It’s important to realize that you are not the only person in the world. There are other people with other needs.  As much as everyone says we should end poverty and world hunger, it’s important for us to start in our own communities. We need our knowledge to start making changes.

I was thirteen the last time I went to visit Palestine. It’s so serene - everyone is down-to-earth and life is so relaxing. It’s more than what people think. I’ve grown to accept and ignore what people say about me. At this point, say whatever you want, but do not say anything about my country. At the end of the day, the fighting is done for the well-being of all humans. It’s horrible, for sure. Israelis are not bad people. They’re not all Zionists. It’s like when people say all Muslims are terrorists, that’s obviously not true. It’s the government that takes out these actions. It’s important to distinguish what’s politically influenced and what’s done by people. People are not bad, but they can adopt bad ideas. We are one people. One country. One holy land.