Orange Glen High School

Escondido, California

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We demonstrate Patriot P.R.I.D.E. (Personal Responsibility In Developing Excellence) by equipping all students with the academic and social skills necessary to lead successful, compassionate, and fulfilling lives.

Expected School-wide Learning Results

Effective Communicators: Every student will write, speak, read, listen, and collaborate within diverse communities. Complex Thinkers: Every student will solve problems using analytical and critical-thinking skills. Quality Producers: Every student will plan, organize, and create a product that meets specified criteria. Healthy Individuals: Every student will demonstrate practices of healthy living.

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A practice in the hot sun on the turf is hard enough, but not getting the nutrients and energy needed can be even more challenging.

Going an entire day without drinking or eating anything can make someone feel dehydrated, dizzy and weak. For most people it is a struggle to perform well in practice, let alone without any food or water.  Two students on Orange Glen High School campus did just that, Varsity football player, Abdel Elbakkali and JV football player, Mohammed Jebril.

They went through hell week and all the practices between that without eating or drinking anything from sunup to sundown.

“My dad would wake me up everyday at 4:30 a.m. to drink water, so I wouldn’t pass out during practice,” Elbakkali said

During practice they would wear their football gear and go at other players just like in a football game. Whenever the team would do something wrong, they would have to do push ups or run just the same.

Ramadan is a religious practice in the Muslim culture. The idea of this practice is to fast during the hours of daylight. Ramadan is a time of worship and contemplation, a time to strengthen family and community ties.

“I started fasting when I was in the fifth grade, just because I chose to. Most kids don’t start until they are in sixth or seventh grade. It was my choice,” Elbakkali said.

While many other football players are able to eat the proteins and vitamins required each day to maintain a healthy lifestyle, Elbakkali and Jebril chose not to do this.

When Elbakkali and Jebril started to feel down, their teammates would give them words of encouragement. Players on the team would ask if they needed a breather or would fill in for them when they started to breathe real heavily.

“I keep myself motivated by having faith in myself and just keeping focused,” Jebril said.

Both Elbakkali and Jebril were able to stay focused during this time and keep themselves motivated. They would think about other things that would make them want to keep pushing themselves forward.

“I guess I just have to think of some players in the NFL whose practice is much worse than ours and still manage to pull it off or just think of the time in general,” Elbakkali said.

Photo by Cara Heise