Deynaba Farah has set the bar high for her siblings. Farah and her family moved from Somalia to the United States in 2004. She learned the English language and became the first member of her family to earn a high school diploma when she graduated from Nottingham. Then it was on to Onondaga Community College where she represented the students on the Board of Trustees and earned a degree in Human Services. Two years later she graduated from Syracuse University and now works for the Syracuse City School District as a Promise Zone Specialist at Dr. Weeks Elementary, assisting the student support team with behavior and interventions in support of the district's code of conduct. "It's very rewarding. I enjoy what I do," said Farah.
Her sister, Dahabo, followed Deynaba to OCC and then to S.U. She admits to being very motivated by her sister's success. It's the same for her brother, Mohamud, who is a Business Administration major at OCC and on track to earn his degree next May. "She set the standard for our family," said Mohamud. "We want to achieve more because of her."
Next in line is a sister, Hawa Omar. She's a senior at PSLA at Fowler and is interested in a career in medicine. She hasn't decided on her college yet but plans to definitely continue her education. "Our sister set the example for all of us. We are following down the path she started."
