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Jets’ Aboushi helped create 185 smiles in Sudan

By WTOP Staff

DENNIS WASZAK Jr.
AP Sports Writer

CORTLAND, N.Y. (AP) — Oday Aboushi gently placed the young boy on the hospital room bed, and quickly stepped aside.

The child’s mother broke down at the sight of her suddenly unrecognizable son. His once-misshapen mouth appeared nearly normal. She turned to Aboushi, an offensive lineman for the New York Jets, and hugged him.

Aboushi wasn’t ready for it. And then, he cried, too.

“I was like, ‘Man. Just, wow,'” Aboushi recalled after a recent training camp practice. “That’s when it hit me what we were doing there.”

There are 185 new smiles in Sudan these days, and Aboushi helped create them all.

He was part of a five-day surgical mission by the Islamic Medical Association of North America in early March to repair cleft lips in the African country. IMANA Medical Relief’s volunteer SaveSmile team of doctors and nurses operated on infants as young as a few months old to young adults in their early- to mid-20s in Sudan’s capital city of Khartoum.

Aboushi, who joined the group along with his older sister Tahanie and youngest brother Haytham, scrubbed in and assisted with giving patients IVs and watched as their mouths were transformed in the 35-minute procedures. Muscles are adjusted and tissues connected so that a lip can form and heal properly.

“It was such a great experience to help people, but also to see such an instant result,” said Aboushi, a sociology major in college. “You’re bringing them into the operating room and then a few minutes later, you’re bringing them out and they look like a totally different person.

“Their parents are in tears, they’re so grateful.”

The group arrived at the hospital every morning at 7 a.m. and worked until 7 p.m. — five days straight and 185 patients. Aboushi’s siblings made the trip the two previous years and raved about the experience. After he finished his rookie season last December, Aboushi decided to join them on the 18-hour trek from Staten Island to Africa.

And, it changed his life.

“Going over there made me realize just how blessed I am to have a normal body — well, I have a bigger body — and have a normal face,” the 6-foot-5, 308-pound Aboushi said. “You appreciate being able to drink normally and go out and make friends and feel comfortable. That’s something you always take for granted because it’s not really measured.”

Aboushi was particularly touched by the story of one patient who had the procedure two years ago, but before that had withdrawn from school and rarely left his house because he felt out of place. After the surgery, Aboushi said, he’s at the top of his class in grades and going on interviews.

“It’s crazy, and so awesome,” he said. “I look forward to hearing more about certain kids we worked on and see where they are in life, just to have that chance to be normal and be able to do daily functions that everybody does.”

Aboushi plans to make similar trips in the future, but now his focus is solely on football — and competing for a starting spot on the Jets’ offensive line. He was drafted last year out of the University of Virginia as a tackle, and spent all season on the active roster but never got into a game.

Late in the season, the Jets tried practicing Aboushi at guard to see if that might be an even better fit. Now, he’s competing with Brian Winters to be New York’s starting left guard.

“To be honest, sometimes a guy gets out there and it’s like, ‘Hey, that looks right. It looks comfortable,'” Jets offensive line coach Mike Devlin said. “He has great athleticism. I see a different guy, to be honest with you, and so far, that has been carrying over.”

Aboushi has stood out through the first four practices of training camp, including shutting down Sheldon Richardson, last season’s Defensive Rookie of the Year, on two straight plays in Sunday’s session.

“Oday Aboushi keeps jumping out at me a bit,” coach Rex Ryan said. “When everybody left (after last season), I wasn’t sure that I could have said that Oday was going to be as impressive as he was. He decided in the offseason that he’s going to become more physical, he’s going to become more passionate and I see it on the practice field.”

Aboushi and Winters, the starter last year, have rotated between left guard and right guard while starter Willie Colon works his way back from offseason knee surgery. While most eyes are on the quarterbacks, the competition for the left guard spot is truly one to watch.

“Last year, there were a lot of first-time things and a lot of new things, so I was trying to grasp all that at the same time,” Aboushi said. “This year, I was able to slow a lot of things down.”

And that’s something he can certainly smile about. Along with his new friends in Sudan.

“I came back taking nothing for granted,” Aboushi said. “I’m always being appreciative of what I have now. The whole experience really just humbled me greatly.”

___

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Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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