While some students find finishing an essay a challenge, one Grade 10 King George Secondary student recently managed to publish her own book. Maha Al-Fahim's book is based on the life of her mother and the challenges she faced while living in Dubai.

Born a Gangster's Daughter details her mother's challenging and at times tragic childhood in the 1970s in Dubai.

"As a child, Amina was brutally beaten by her father. As she came of age, she was cruelly discriminated against in favor of her brothers. But as a woman she nonetheless persisted in her love for her family, which was at the center of her life," writes Al-Fahim. 

The book was the result of a personal project in Al-Fahim's Grade 10 International Baccalaureate Middle Years Program. Her final masterpiece was edited and then self-published through Amazon. Roberto Moro, King George Secondary's principal says while the whole staff is incredibly proud of Al-Fahim, they aren't surprised that she chose a project so compelling for her program.  

"We are all proud of Maha's accomplishment because what she endeavored was no easy task," says Moro. "Teachers are always energized by seeing the powerful learning experiences that come from project-based learning, especially when that learning occurs around a passion." 

To read more about Al-Fahim's book project in the Vancouver Courier, click here. 

To learn more about King George's International IB program, click here.