Many schools have a wide range of religions and cultures in their population, and Melissa High School is no different. It is important to learn about different cultures, especially in this day and age, as it will allow people to interact better in society.

Senior August Greer is a devout Christian, with him and his family attending church on a regular basis. ¨I go once a week at least; it gives me time to explore my spirituality and understand my relationship with the Lord” Greer said. Whilst many people in the Melissa community visit church every Sunday, there are some who are less religious, and these people can benefit from learning more about how different religions work. “I would encourage people to start going as it would give them the opportunity to better themselves and even improve the lives of others around them in a fun, friendly environment; I really enjoy it!¨ Greer added.

Christianity is not the only religion practiced by Melissa High School students; there are countless different religions that people love and follow every day. One such member of the Cardinal Nation is Alex Haseeb, a Muslim exchange student from Pakistan. He says, “My culture back home is quite similar to here, everyone has affection for everyone else in the community, even outsiders and new people to the community are treated like family straight away.” Muslim holidays are very different to Christian ones. They often involve concepts such as fasting or sacrifices that seem foreign to many people. Haseeb went on to say “our neighborhoods are very connected, we have one holiday called Eid ul Azha where we sacrifice animals for religious purposes and eat huge feasts but we distribute most of the meat to those who couldn’t afford to sacrifice something. It brings all the people closer together.”

Learning more about these religions too can only benefit citizens of the U.S., meaning that different cultures can integrate better in society, living in peace and great understanding with each other, especially those like Haseeb concluded; “fireworks, bonfires, and huge meals define Muslim holidays!!.”