The African Student Association (ASA) hosted its fifth annual African Ball on Friday, April 1. Over 150 students from 10 schools came to Watkins Mill High School to attend a night of food, dance, and an all-around appreciation of African culture.

“I’m very excited to have the African Ball this year, we’ve been planning a presentation behind the scenes and once COVID restrictions were lifted we were able to present this year’s ball,” ASA board member Princess Afua said.

“Knowing that we only had three weeks to plan, I’m very impressed with the effectiveness of our work,” Afua said. “There were many struggles with communicating with different schools, but we were able to join hands and were ready to showcase our work.”

“The Watkins Mill ASA board worked hard to plan and execute the event, but it wouldn’t have been a reality without the students who bought tickets to support the ASA,” ASA sponsor Enitan Okusanya said.

The event wasn’t just a party, there was entertainment, a fashion show, and dance performances from Kennedy High School’s Kasa Dance Club.

“The vibe at Watkins Mill was unmatched. We can’t wait to continue collaborating with Watkins Mill’s ASA and make new friends in dance,” members of the Kennedy Kasa Dance Club said.

The highlight of the evening was junior Rhoda Simms presenting Mr. and Ms. ASA, which was won by juniors Michael Safo and Melissa Osei.

“I’m so grateful to the African Students Association for the opportunity to award this prestigious title to two of our talented and beautiful students,” Simms said.

“It feels nice to be able to represent my culture and where I’m from while also entertaining them. It was a learning experience for me having to step out of my comfort zone and perform [for Ms. ASA] in front of a crowd,” Osei said.

“We appreciate the WMHS administration and the school staff who supported us on the short notice of planning the event. We’re grateful to come together and celebrate,” Okusanya said.