DETROIT — The number of Frontier International Academy (FIA) students applying to universities is increasing every year and the class of 2018 has brought the school to its peak in college and university acceptances.

Frontier International Academy has won the grand prize in the Race to the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) Line 2017-2018 challenge; seniors and staff members were able to enjoy a party at the Emagine Theatre in Royal Oak in April.

Frontier International Academy students come from Detroit, Hamtramck and Dearborn. The school’s mission statement is to promote lifelong learning by nurturing academic excellence, positive character and appreciation of culture.

Mohamed Issa, the founder of the Global Educational Excellence, expressed pride in the improvement in both student achievement and community involvement; while Ahmed Hakim, a counselor at FIA, said he was jubilated to know that his pupils are financially supported and on the road to educational excellence.

“When I first immigrated to the United States, none of us knew how to speak English. To support my family, I was determined to learn English as soon as I could.” -Md. Ali Jemam

“I am proud of the remarkable progress the students have brought in,” Hakim said. “However, I would like to see all students from different backgrounds reach their goals and cross the bridge of social inequality within the genders.”

Hakim said he hopes to see all students prosper without having to encounter any student face the hardships of being labeled as “second class.”

Out of the 89 FIA graduates this year, 30 seek to obtain their undergraduate degree at a university while the remainder choose to start off at a community college or attend a vocational school.

Md. Ali Jemam, the class salutatorian, will attend the University of Michigan to pursue a degree in computer science. Jemam said he likes to do the best in anything he’s passionate about and likes to know where his capability stands. He also said he knew his motivation to pursue his career would hopefully help him achieve his goal in terms of “impacting the modern world of technology” and making his parents proud.

“When I first immigrated to the United States, none of us knew how to speak English,” Jemam said. “To support my family, I was determined to learn English as soon as I could.

“Life is full of obstacles,” he added. “After all the sadness and problems fade away, there are happy moments.”

Jemam and his fellow graduates thanked their parents for helping provide the proper necessities to succeed. Looking at their parents’ hard work, FIA students were determined to follow the path of perseverance and help the community flourish and make their parents proud.

Three of the graduates will attend the University of Michigan-Dearborn while being supported with public and private grants/scholarships. Tiffany Gilson plans to study elementary education; Eman Jassem will pursue a degree in biochemistry and Abidur Rahman is considering a degree in computer science.

Valedictorian Zaima Chowdhury, along with 23 other students, will attend Wayne State University this fall. Another student will attend Oakland University.