Two Dearborn High School Students Named 'Athletes of the Year'

Two Dearborn High School seniors were named "Athletes of the Year" by the Dearborn Recreation & Parks Department at the 61st annual sports awards ceremony on Sunday.

Senior Lara Fawaz was honored at the Ford Community & Performing Arts Center for her leadership on and off the court. Fawaz has a 4.4 GPA and has played on the varsity basketball and tennis teams for the past four years.

She is a member of the National Mathematics Honor Society and the Link Crew program at DHS. Fawaz serves as a tutor and as a counselor at Camp Intervention, a science camp for elementary school students.

In accepting her award, Fawaz said she enjoys playing sports and has made many lasting friendships with her teammates.

"It's such a family atmosphere," she said. "We work together as a team to reach our goal. I'm proud to have been a part of the basketball and tennis teams for the past four years."

Fellow DHS senior Ollie Ajami was also named "Athlete of the Year." Ajami has played on the varsity football team for the past four years, being named the Dearborn Press & Guide's "Player of the Year." He is the editor of the DHS student newspaper and a member of the school's Link Crew program.

In addition to his extracurricular activities, Ajami has volunteered with the DHS Key Club to package canned goods for needy families in Dearborn.

"I've always felt that I was a team player," he said. "On the field, I put my team above everything else."

The Van Patrick Memorial Award is presented to a high school student in Dearborn that exhibits exceptional talent in the classroom and in athletics. The award is named after Dearborn resident Van Patrick, a radio and television host that broadcast college and professional sports from the 1940s to the 1970s.

Students are nominated by teachers and coaches, and recepients are selected by the Dearborn Parks and Recreation Board of Commissioners.

This years nominee's also included: Ghada Bazzi and Jawad Hachem of Fordson High School, Morgan Blair and Griffin Miller of Divine Child High School, and Marisa Rose Sauve and Cody Cowart of Edsel Ford High School.

"I congratulate all of our honorees," Mayor John. O'Reilly, Jr. said. "I'm a firm believer that participating in sports builds character, teaches important life lessons, and promotes a healthy lifestyle."