Middleton High School (MHS) students gathered with other local high school students on Sunday, April 20 to celebrate Eid al-Fitr. The celebration, organized by Muslim Student Associations (MSAs) from MHS, Vel Phillips Memorial High School, Madison West High School and Verona Area High School, aimed to bring students of all faiths together to celebrate and learn about Islamic culture.
Eid al-Fitr marks the end of Ramadan, the Islamic holy month where observers fast from dawn until dusk each day. Ramadan lasts roughly 30 days, falling on different dates on the Gregorian calendar each year due to the Islamic calendar following the lunar cycle. This year, Ramadan began on Feb. 28 and ended on March 29.
On March 30, observers of Ramadan celebrated Eid. For practitioners, the day began with a full community prayer service. In a practice known as Zakat al-Fitr, money is collected before the prayer and used to fund the festivities to ensure all can enjoy the Eid festivities regardless of wealth. After the prayer service, observers spend the day celebrating with family and friends.
While the Middleton MSA has hosted Eid events in past years, this year marked the first time the event was held in collaboration with local schools.
“The idea came from wanting to share the beauty of Eid with others,” Middleton MSA president Arya Sengelmann (12) said in an email interview.
More than 50 people attended the event. Various tables offered opportunities to get henna tattoos, make Islamic prayer beads known as tasbeehs and try a variety of cultural foods.
“Seeing people from different backgrounds come together to celebrate, enjoy the food, and learn about Eid made all the planning completely worth it,” Sengelmann said.
Many Middleton students celebrate Ramadan and Eid privately or with family. Sengelmann tries to focus on prayer and studying the Quran, the Islamic holy text.
“Ramadan is all about strengthening the soul and building discipline,” Sengelmann said.
There are a variety of ways to celebrate Eid. In Singapore, Eid is often referred to by its alternative name, Hari Raya Aidilfitri. After the traditional morning prayer, practitioners in Singapore typically visit the graves of loved ones. After this, the feasts begin, where people wear traditional clothing known as baju kurung.
MSA considers the celebration held here in the Madison area a success. They greatly valued the opportunity to build meaningful connections across schools.
“Our goal is always to create spaces where everyone feels seen, respected, and celebrated. Eid reminds us that community doesn’t have to be confined to one place—it’s something we build wherever we go,” Sengelmann said.
The club hopes to hold similar events in the future and continue to create a community of understanding and sharing across cultures.
