The affair was billed as a ribbon-cutting, but it turned out to be so much more. In reality, what took place was a revelation of what can happen when one individual surrenders himself to the common good, and inspires an entire community.
This describes what happened Friday in the auditorium of King Husein School when local, national, and international dignitaries joined students and the general public to dedicate Madera’s newest educational institution.
Located on Cleveland Avenue, this latest addition sits on 50 acres of land donated to Madera Unified School District by entrepreneur, innovator, and engineer, King Husein.
Husein immigrated to America in 1969 from Bombay, India, to complete his postgraduate education. After brief sojourns at Princeton, and Rice, he settled on Brigham Young University, which helps explain the presence of BYU President Shane Reese and its Vice President Keith Vorkirk at Friday’s event.
With television cameras rolling, Christina Riché, the principal of the new school, gave an official welcome to the multitude in attendance. She was followed by Jim Maxwell, Husein’s mentor, friend, colleague, and CEO OF Agriland Farming Company.
Student Jordan Taylor led the Pledge of Allegiance and fellow student Ximena Delgado expressed the gratitude of the student body for the enthusiastic support of the community.
The students were followed by MUSD Superintendent Todd Lile, who introduced a host of special guests.
Following remarks by President Reese, the new school’s soft-spoken, mild-mannered benefactor, King Husein, stepped to the podium and opened his heart to the assembled audience of students, staff, community allies, dignitaries, and elected officials.
Husein explained how the sacrifice of his mother, who taught sewing classes at a girls school in India, left an extraordinary mark on his life.
After his father passed when he was 11, Husein’s mother assumed responsibility for all the siblings, and worked extra hard to provide them with a private school education.
When it was time for him to go to the United States to complete a master’s in engineering, she took out a $500 loan, which was an enormous sum at that place and time. She sacrificed her financial security for her son and his education. It was the love she had and the deep belief in the power of education that motivated her. Husein felt a deep sense of responsibility to honor his mother’s sacrifice as he came to the U.S. with almost nothing, and worked his way through school.
Husein explicitly credited Brigham Young University with educating and transforming his life. His loyalty to the university is deep and obvious. He proudly said that everything he had accomplished in his life came directly from his education at BYU. That was why it was so important for him to have BYU President Reese and Vice President Vorkink present with him at this dedication.
BYU gave Husein the chance to make good on his mother’s sacrifice, and those same values are alive as evidenced by the lives and accomplishments of his children whom he proudly named.
He asked the audience to forgive him as he described an example of how their beliefs in family and education shaped his son Omar, who was present with his family.
King Husein recalled that as a child, Omar was sure he wanted to be a surgeon, and today, after studying incredibly hard and competing to get into the finest schools in the country, Omar is a practicing surgeon in Washington state.
One could see Omar respond from the stage as his father held back his emotions. Both Omar and his father are clearly proud of one another, and have a shared sense of values connected all the way back to India.
Husein described how Madera’s iconic builder, Dave Berry, became his mentor, and how Berry hired him in what King felt was a miraculous and significant choice.
Later, Berry and Husein became business partners as King came into his own.
Other Husein mentors were Maxwell and Elder Ronald Rasband. King discussed how Maxwell befriended him, and the two developed a love for one another that sustains them and reaffirms their beliefs in giving back to their communities. He openly admired Maxwell’s very quiet and profound generosity because he and his team at Agriland seek no recognition, but faithfully take action to help the communities in which they live with donations of funds, food, time, and energy.
Another mentor cited by Husain was Rasband. He spoke about Elder Rasband’s longstanding friendship that has been full of wonderful times and shared spiritual moments.
Husein moved the audience with the open and committed sense of faith he has in God. He and Elder Rasband connect deeply on this spiritual level.
Faith in the message of the Gospel and its call to live a Christlike life of service that actualizes Christian values in the world to benefit others motivates Husein each and every day. Having such a strong friendship with Elder Rasband has strengthened Husein’s resolve to do more for more people in whatever way God calls him to serve, just as Elder Rasband has been called.
All of this outpouring from Husein’s heart and life was there for everyone in the room to hear and see.
It was obviously important to Husein to know that students were right there to hear his message — from his home in India to his schooling in Provo, to his home in Fresno with his career in Madera, to global construction with SPAN, to his home in Wyoming, to the school that bears his name.
His is a life filled with investments of love and opportunity, met with humility and hard work, enriched by family, education, and faith. It was all on display with raw honesty and a sense of urgency for today.
The students and assembled audience shared an emotional event together. People felt moved to hope for a better time and moved to work for a better place.
For the next century, King Husein School represents that hope and place.
What began in India — the love of children, sacrifices for their future, and investment in education — came to Madera, and will travel far through the experiences of future alumni.
In Madera, the name Husein will inspire a sense of pride, honor, nobility, and opportunity for generations to come.