Dished once-unimaginable challenges, nothing could stop this pandemic-era valedictorian | Staten Islanders of 2022

Editor’s Note: In the news business, every year has its standout stories, newsmakers, villains, and heroes.

But in the Staten Island news business, Advance/SILive.com also has the unique privilege of telling the stories of our neighbors—ordinary people doing extraordinary and inspiring things.

In honor of the many Staten Islanders who have shown the best of what the district is this year, we are highlighting and honoring some of the standouts Staten Island’s brightest lights in 2022.

Congratulations to them and to every resident of the county who found their own way to give back, make a difference, be a role model, inspire others, care and/or care about their community in 2022 .

Staten Island’s brightest lights in 2022: Musayeroh (Musa) Bah

Her story summarized:

Curtis High School’s 2022 freshman Musayeroh (Musa) Bah is a spectacular student who was only a sophomore when the pandemic closed schools in March 2020.

Previously unimaginable challenges have become reality. Bah’s parents are essential workers so she took on childcare responsibilities for her younger siblings, aged 3 to 14, at their family home in West Brighton following the outbreak of COVID-19.

Since the eldest has autism, she became his school coach and helped him keep up with his schoolwork. She did this while taking charge of her own teaching and International Baccalaureate studies.

Meanwhile, Bah was the editor-in-chief of the Curtis student newspaper and managed to keep her team going — staying in close contact with each student journalist via email — and distributing the newspaper to every student every month via email and on the school website.

Bah has a stutter, and when she first appeared on her high school paper as a freshman, she chose to reveal it by conducting a series of interviews with students and teachers rather than remain silent.

The student newspaper became her passion as she rose to run it; She later joined a coalition of school newspaper journalists statewide to lobby for legislation that would give high school journalists statutory first amendment rights.

As if that weren’t enough, Bah also volunteered to moderate an online study community of 450 members where students post their work and ask for help when they can’t get in-person tuition.

She noted that volunteering kept her focused and may have helped some of the participating students stay connected and on track to graduation during the pandemic.

As a force in the Staten Island community, Bah also volunteered for Project Hospitality, campaigning and organizing neighborhood cleanups during the pandemic.

Upon admission to Smith College in Northampton, Mass., Bah received a number of scholarships and awards, including a STAR scholarship from the Staten Island Chapter of the Philanthropic Educational Organization and a scholarship from the Staten Island Federation of PTAs.

Her inspirational message to the graduating class at the Curtis induction in June: “Embrace chaos, embrace change, and keep moving.”

Read the full story about Musa Bah >>

>> MORE STORIES ABOUT STATEN ISLAND’S BRIGHTEST LIGHTS IN 2022 <

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– Justin Mills: Music producer who lost everything is now an inspirational success story

– Alice Catalano: The mother of two who once lived in Willowbrook celebrates the independent life she has built

– Hope Campanella: 5-year-old was born with half a heart, but will not have “half a life”.