Dearborn committee recommends renaming gym, adding plaque and mural to honor Hajj Abraham Beydoun

A committee formed to recommend ways to honor Hajj Abraham “Juice” Beydoun presented its final recommendations to the Dearborn Board of Education, proposing to rename the Edsel Ford High School gymnasium, add a commemorative plaque and timeline, update counseling-office signage and repaint the gym mural and court to reflect Beydoun’s legacy.

The tribute committee’s facilitator, Lamise Rohr, told the board the group held three meetings plus an optional fourth, toured the school, reviewed visuals and voted on recommendations. Rohr read the committee’s suggested plaque wording into the record and displayed proposed graphics that include a timeline of Beydoun’s milestones, a quote attributed to him, a mural image and changing the ends of the basketball court to read “Coach Beydoun Court” while keeping the Thunderbird logo at center.

Why it matters: Beydoun served decades at Edsel Ford as a guidance counselor and coach, and committee members said the changes would memorialize his impact on students and the community. Supporters at the meeting described Beydoun as “humble, generous and compassionate” and urged the board to approve the committee’s package so the school can move forward with design and budgeting.

Details of the committee recommendations include: - Rename the Edsel Ford gym to “Hajj Abraham Beydoun Gymnasium.” - Change lettering at the ends of the court to “Coach Beydoun Court” and retain a Thunderbird at center. - Replace or relocate the existing mural and scoreboard artwork, with a new mural depicting Beydoun and former players, a timeline of accomplishments, and a prominent quote attributed to him: “Play hard, play smart, play together, and have fun.” - Add an encasement and timeline display near the main gym entrance showing Beydoun’s accolades. - Update the counseling-office entrance signage to read a phrase the committee selected (“All students are family counseling office”) and install a plaque to the right of the door with suggested text honoring his 34 years of service (as read by Rohr).

Several committee members and community supporters spoke at the meeting. Longtime acquaintance Ali Dyer described Beydoun as “a silent hero” who pushed students to achieve and urged the board to approve the recommendations as a fitting memorial. An email read into the record from Wayne County Commissioner Sam Beydoun (a committee member) recommended board approval and thanked the committee and district leadership for convening the group.

Board questions focused on next steps and logistics. Superintendent Glenn Malayko said the package would be presented as a formal board action item at a subsequent meeting and noted the district has a naming/commemoration policy that requires a six-month waiting window between approval and a public dedication. District staff and trustees discussed procurement and scheduling: the district’s purchasing policy and state rules generally require a formal RFP for single-vendor contracts exceeding $30,000, and work such as refinishing or replacing a gym floor would likely need to be scheduled during a summer break to avoid disrupting athletics.

The board did not vote on the tribute at the meeting; trustees indicated they expected the administration to bring a formal action item back with cost estimates, contractor quotes, timeline options and any required bid processes. Mark Andrews and district operations staff said they would begin collecting quotes and coordinating next steps if the board directs the item onto a future agenda.

The committee members said the visuals and final edits will be finalized after board direction and administration’s budget and scheduling work. If the board places the recommendation on a future agenda and approves it, some pieces may be done as separate smaller contracts (potentially below the $30,000 vendor threshold) while larger elements such as court resurfacing or a major floor graphic may require a formal bid process and summer scheduling.

The district also heard public appreciation for the committee’s quick work and for the committee facilitator; trustees thanked the committee and asked administration to return with financial and timeline details so the board could take formal action.

Next steps: Administration will prepare a formal action item describing cost, vendor options and schedule for the board to consider at a future meeting, consistent with district naming/commemoration and procurement policies.