Edina High School senior, Ali Abas never went to school before he arrived in Minnesota eight years ago. Growing up in Kenya, Ali wanted to go to school, but because there was no free public schooling, he spent many days playing soccer with his friends and swimming at the beach. When he was nine, his dad obtained U.S. visas for Ali, his mom, and his brother. They immediately packed up their belongings, and he hasn’t returned to Kenya since.
When Ali arrived in the U.S. he spoke no English. His mother and brother relocated to Canada with hopes of starting a new life. Ali chose to stay in Minnesota to live near his grandma, the most influential person in his life. Always “pushing and motivating” Ali to “do his best and to stay out of trouble,” his grandma encouraged him to live in an apartment by himself to see how responsible he was. Although he now lives with his uncle, when he was 16, Ali lived on his own. “She would surprise me,” Abas said of his grandma. “She woud come over whenever she wanted to check on me.”
Today, Abas said, he wants to pursue a career as a businessman and plans to get involved in the restaurant industry. He also aspires to “travel back to Africa and help distribute water to areas in need.”
Social studies teacher Brad Dahlman raved about Ali’s “hard work and perseverance.”
“Even when Ali would struggle he would still be positive and not get down about anything,” Dahlman said. Though he is not the “typical” Edina High School student, Abas feels “at home in Edina.”
