Marking the Milestones

Alana (Bahoura) Kanouna and husband Donavan had their marriage blessed by Pope Leo XIII on their honeymoon in Italy after her 10th year of teaching.

Teachers You Love and Remember

By Crystal Kassab Jabiro

A teacher’s greatest contribution lies in their ability to inspire, educate and shape the lives of students. They go beyond simply imparting knowledge by encouraging critical thinking, modeling positive behavior, and nurturing character development. They create relationships, foster supportive learning environments, and help students discover their full potential.

For Jowana Hakim, no teachers influenced her more than her own parents. Her father, Ghalib, was a history professor at the University of Baghdad, and her mother, Nidhal, was a respected educator in Detroit Public Schools for more than 30 years.

“I was inspired by seeing my mom as a teacher at Take Your Child to Work Day when I was young,” Hakim said. “I always enjoyed playing school, correcting her papers, just emulating her.”

Ms. Hakim worked as a bilingual paraprofessional in Warren before earning her bachelor’s degree in English with a secondary education certificate in English and health education from Wayne State University in December 2000. She student-taught at Jeannette Junior High in Utica Community Schools (UCS) and, the following year, was hired to replace her cooperating teacher. She retired from that same building this year after 25 years of service.

Now 48, Hakim held several roles during her career with UCS. In addition to teaching, she served as an English Language Arts/English Language Learner consultant for the district’s elementary schools and as an academic and behavior coach. Along the way, she earned a master’s degree in school counseling and became a mother to two daughters, Lauren and Leah Yaldo.

At one point, she took on the role of assistant principal at Jeannette but asked to return to the classroom after one year.

“You feel ownership of your space when you are a teacher,” she said.

Hakim said she felt “at home” in the diverse student body, which includes a large Chaldean American population. When she started, about 10% of students were Chaldean; now it’s closer to 60%.

“It was a close-knit, supportive environment,” she said. “Supporting families to adapt and thrive felt incredibly purposeful—especially when there was a language barrier I could help with.”

Ms. Hakim’s greatest joy in teaching was knowing that the lessons she taught, both academic and personal, would echo far beyond the school, even if it was not immediate. She also enjoyed the connections with students who may have felt misunderstood or overlooked, knowing she was the adult who believed in them when it counted the most. Many of her former students have reached out to her beyond graduation to recall some of the important and life-long lessons they gained in her class.

That is the pinnacle for Grissom Middle School teacher Marvin Mattia, too.

“The best part of being a teacher is seeing my kids’ growth and successes, and they come back and acknowledge me for having a small part in it,” he said. “It’s a good feeling.”

Mattia, 47, grew up in Sterling Heights and attended Grissom in the 1990s, when few Chaldean students were present and many were disengaged from academics and activities. His English teacher, Mr. Hornovich, changed that for him, encouraging him to get good grades and join sports. Mattia eventually made the honor roll and joined the football, basketball and track teams.

After graduating from Sterling Heights High School in 1995, he earned a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology with a K–12 teaching certificate in physical education and health from Wayne State in 2001. He was hired that same year at his alma mater in Warren Consolidated Schools. Later, he earned a master’s degree in teaching from Marygrove College in Detroit.

Though he was temporarily assigned to other schools, Mattia eventually returned to Grissom, where he now coaches football, basketball and track—the same sports he once played at the school that inspired him to teach. Today, the student population at Grissom is largely Chaldean, a striking shift from when he was a student there.

This fall, Mattia will begin his 25th and final year of teaching—concluding his career where it began. His late father, Hanna, was always proud of him. His mother, Jamila, still is.

“Teaching has to be your passion,” Mattia said. “If you’re looking for just a job, teaching is not for you.”

Alana (formerly Bahoura) Kanouna agrees.

She had been teaching for several years while working on her Master of Arts in Pastoral Studies at Sacred Heart Seminary when she prayed, “Lord, what do you want me to do with this theology degree?” The answer came in fall 2020, when she was offered a Theology teaching job at Detroit Catholic Central High School (DCC), an all-boys parochial school in Novi with an estimated 10% Chaldean student population.

“This job was literally made for me!” she said.

Kanouna, 34, was no stranger to Catholic schools. She had attended Our Lady of Sorrows in Farmington Hills since kindergarten and then graduated from the now-defunct Ladywood High School in Livonia in 2008. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education with a K-8 Teaching Certificate in English and Integrative Science from Oakland University in 2014. She taught fifth grade for six years at Our Lady of Sorrows before moving to DCC.

Not only was she Ms. Bahoura, but she was also Alana on Wednesday nights at Chaldeans Loving Christ (CLC), the high-school youth group at St. Thomas Chaldean Catholic Church in West Bloomfield. She was heavily involved in the church and the faith when she resolved to attain a MAPS degree, which took her several years to complete because her father, Johnny, was sick with cancer. He passed away in March of 2022, so she finished the next year. He was always so proud of her, and her mother, Linda, now carries that pride for both of them.

Kanouna married Donavan on May 31, just after school ended, marking 10 years as a teacher. They traveled to Italy, where Pope Leo XIII blessed them. When the pope learned they were from Detroit, he asked if they were Tigers fans before giving his blessing. Their visit was featured on WDIV and widely shared on social media. Kanouna looks forward to sharing that experience with her students this fall.

Like Hakim and Mattia, Kanouna says the most rewarding part of teaching is the relationships.

“The kids tell us their struggles in life, and we just make these connections with them that are so special,” she began. “And that is what my pastoral degree is about- bringing people to Jesus in a classroom.”

Reaching these milestones not only validates these teachers’ hard work and dedication but also reinforces their commitment to the profession and their continued development as educators. By recognizing and celebrating more teachers’ accomplishments, the Chaldean community can continue to foster a culture that values education, teacher excellence, and successful learning environments.

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Decades of Dedication, A Lifetime of Impact

A+ All-Star:

Mrs. Salam Sana, West Bloomfield Schools, starting 40th year

Goodbye Tension, Hello Pension:

Ms. May Denha, Macomb Intermediate School District, starting 38th and final year

Ms. Jowana Hakim, Utica Community Schools, 25 years, just retired

Mr. Marvin Mattia, Warren Consolidated Schools, starting 25th and final year

30+ Years and Still Kickin’ It:

Mrs. Jaime Hamama, The Montessori School - Crystal Lake, 31 years

Mr. Harrison Kakos, West Bloomfield Schools, 31 years

Mr. Al Kattola, Oak Park Schools, 30 years

Mrs. Constance Shallal-Johnston, St. Catherine of Siena, 31 years

Mrs. Joann Shango, The Montessori School - Crystal Lake and Rochester, 33 years

20+ Hall Pass to Retirement:

Mrs. Sunny Abbo, Farmington Public Schools, 20 years

Mrs. Hadeel Abro-Yousif, Troy School District, 24 years

Mrs. Melody Arabo, BetterLesson: K-12 Professional Development, 23 years                             

Mrs. Mary Ann Ayar, West Bloomfield Schools, 26 years

Ms. Claudine Denha, Marian High School, 20 years

Ms. Laura Castonia, Rochester Community Schools, 26 years

Ms. Renee Farlow, Wayne RESA, 20 years

Ms. Bridgette Gumma, Our Lady of Refuge, 20 years

Mrs. Clarys Harwood, Waterford Schools, 20 years

Ms. Rosheen Hunter, Farmington Public Schools, 28 years

Mrs. Karen Ingoglia, Dearborn Public Schools, 28 years

Ms. Crystal Jabiro, West Bloomfield Schools, 23 years

Mrs. Christine Jamoua, Troy School District, 20.5 years

Mr. Wael Jarbou, Oak Park Schools, 20 years

Ms. Debbie Kallabat, Oak Park Schools, 26 years

Mrs. Suzan Karmo, St. Williams Catholic School, 25 years

Mr. Rodney Karromi, Warren Consolidated Schools, 22 years

Mrs. Nancy Kattoula, Walled Lake Schools, 26 years

Mrs. Nichole Kherkher, Farmington Public Schools, 21 years

Mrs. Samar Mansour, Warren Consolidated Schools, 21 years

Mrs. Souha Mansour, Warren Consolidated Schools, 21 years

Mrs. Rochelle (Shelly) Marougi, Farmington Public Schools, 21 years

Mrs. Jessica Metti, Holy Family Regional School, 20 years

Mrs. Sahar Nafso, Kumon Sterling Heights and Bloomfield Hills, 25 years

Mrs. Stephanie Nafso, West Bloomfield Schools, 26 years

Mrs. Sally Nalu, Wayne-Westland Schools, 25 years

Mrs. Anita Qonja-Collins, Oxford Schools, 25 years

Mr. Wisam Sagman, Warren Consolidated Schools, 27 years

Mrs. Maysoon Sarkis, The Montessori School WB, 25 years

Mrs. Dena Shammami Licovski, Farmington Public Schools, 23 years

Mrs. Joanne Yatooma, Birmingham Public Schools, 26 years

Mrs. Linda Yousif, Utica Community Schools, 21 years