Educational Journey Through Service

Written by Omar Milbes

Abdullah Murad, a familiar and dedicated presence at MAPS Academy’s Tuesday site, is a bright and driven 7th-grade student. Growing up in Hawthorne, Torrance, he has faced challenges stemming from the financial and social limitations of his community. Abdullah shared with me how, before discovering MAPS, his passion for learning was largely confined to school hours. Outside of that, he lacked guidance on how to explore his interests further.

Living in a large household with his siblings and cousins, Abdullah explained that academic engagement outside of school was not a priority. However, he emphasized that MAPS changed everything for him. Through MAPS, he received the mentorship and resources to explore his interests, particularly in his culture.

A recent MAPS research project, which encouraged students to explore Islamic inventions or historical figures, became a turning point for him. Inspired by this opportunity, Abdullah chose to study Al-Khwarizmi, a renowned Muslim scholar considered the father of algebra. Given his own love for math in school, this opportunity was especially meaningful for him. Through this project, he found a connection between his academic interests and his Islamic identity, strengthening his appreciation for both.

Beyond academics, Abdullah also credited MAPS with broadening his perspective on higher education. Having grown up with limited exposure to college and career pathways, he was shocked when he visited university campuses through MAPS field trips. He had always imagined colleges as single buildings, much like Al Huda, his current school. Seeing the vastness of college campuses opened his eyes to possibilities he had never considered before.

Now, Abdullah aspires to become a lawyer, a goal he believes MAPS will help him achieve. With a deep desire to give back to his community, he hopes to return to Hawthorne one day and create the change he once wished for himself.