When the Prayer Room was initially suggested to Student Services, it took on several different forms, including conference rooms that left students unsatisfied, Dr. Mark Maranto, Assistant Principal of Student Activities said. However, after the Muslim Student Association (MSA) brought up the issue, the Student Activities Office (SAO) made it a priority to create a legitimate area for religious privacy, and the prayer room has found a home.

The prayer room is now available in a room to back left of the entrance back of the entance of the SAO  for a variety of religious purposes, Maranto said. This permanent space came after the SAO had gone through several temporary options, but this final permanent location provides a secure and secluded space for all students, Maranto explained.

“[The SAO discussed] a possibility of a private space where students [could] come in, use the space, lock the door if need be, and pray,” Maranto said.

The prayer room is a reflection of the school’s goal of creating an inclusive environment for students of all backgrounds, Maranto said.

“[The prayer room] is a sign of respect to the diversity of our student body, in terms of religions [and] races,” Maranto said. “[South] respects [students] rights to practice religion, and [through this respect,] creates a safe space for [all].”

The new and improved room contains much more space than the last one, making prayer much more accessible to different religious groups and organizations, junior Haniah Mohammed, MSA Prayer Coordinator said. People from all grades and different cultures are able to come together and use the space for specific religious services during a variety of times throughout the week as well as unguided prayer time for any student all-day.

“The prayer room is used mostly on Fridays because that’s when many Islamic students come in [to] do a joint prayer during either [A or C] lunch,” Mohammed said.

Along with the prayer room, the variety of religious and cultural clubs provided at South help to maintain an inclusive environment, Casey Wright, Associate Principal of Operations and Student Experiences said. The prayer room helps the school accommodate all student needs, Wright said.

“Regardless of how much [the room is being used], it is a value for the school to be able to say when you need a dedicated space [for prayer], we have that,” Wright said.