Downsview Secondary School
Student of the Week
May 19, 2025
Maryam M. & Ayesha M.
Downsview, for the week of May 19th, we celebrate two young women as our Students of the Week. They are ninth grade student Maryam M. and twelfth grade student Ayesha M. And yes, Ayesha and Maryam are sisters.
This week, a much-anticipated event will happen. High School Musical Jr. will hit the stage. After months of planning and rehearsals, the show will premiere. Instrumental to this production are our recipients, Ayesha and Maryam. Let’s hear more about them, starting with these words, from Ms D’Andrea: “The sisters are brilliant. They are the audio technicians for our school musical and never miss a beat. They attend rehearsals with focus and carefully pay attention to detail. Sometimes I think they can read my mind because I will request a sound cue and they already have their finger on the button ready to play it without delay. The show has over 40 sound cues, 12 individual microphones and a couple of speakers to control. Maryam and Ayesha make this complicated task look easy and I am so grateful for their dedication to our show. Both Maryam and Ayesha shine in other areas of the arts as well. They are multi-talented, demonstrating excellence in visual arts, dance and drama. Thank you for sharing your talents with Downsview and I am so proud of you both!”
And, from Ms Kimm: “Maryam and Ayesha are the sound designers for our school’s musical — a position that plays a major part in the production. The show couldn’t run without them. They’re focused, reliable, and always know what they’re doing.
Ayesha is also part of the set design team, where she takes responsibility and helps bring the stage to life through her creative input and teamwork. These two bring the magic — the show is in great hands with them!”
Ms Silvana adds: “Ayesha, what a wonderful and well-deserved recognition! You are kind, sweet, and always supportive of school-wide initiatives. Your calmness and quiet leadership are truly remarkable. It has been a pleasure to watch you blossom into the inspiring leader you are today. Keep shining and showing the world how brilliant and amazing you are!”
And, from Ms Butuza: “It's wonderful to see two such deserving students nominated for Student of the Week! Though I haven't had the opportunity of teaching Maryam in a formal classroom setting, it's been a real joy working with her and her sister, Ayesha as we put together our show. Their dedication backstage is truly remarkable; they have a great understanding of every cue and really help make the whole show run smoothly. I also have the privilege of teaching Ayesha in my Drama class this year, and she is always optimistic and willing to work hard, demonstrating a wonderful sense of responsibility and enthusiasm. I am so proud of the progress she has made in the drama classroom and can't wait to see all the amazing things she will definitely do in the future. It's been such a rewarding experience getting to work with these wonderful students this year. Congratulations to both Maryam and Ayesha on their Student of the Week win – it's truly well-deserved!”
Ayesha, Maryam, working behind the scenes does not have the same glamour or easy recognition as filling a starring role. Yours are roles taken out of dedication. Maryam, Ayesha, we see your dedication and we appreciate you, as we honour you both as our Students of the Week.