From left are Nour Issa, 14, Reagan Brady, 13, Liana Little, 13, and Julia Tucker, 14, at Dalton Middle School. 

DALTON, Ga. — Dalton Middle School student Nour Issa knew once she started wearing her hijab, a traditional headscarf for Muslim women, in public, there was no turning back.

“It was my decision, but once you start, the main thing is to keep wearing it,” she said. “Wearing the hijab shows you have modesty and have chosen the Islamic faith.” 

Issa began wearing the hijab last summer. When she returned to Dalton Middle, fellow students wondered why she wore the hijab and the significance of it to her religion. That led to some students in Gina Gray’s journalism class deciding to do a video about Issa.

“Nour was our subject for this project,” Reagan Brady said.

Brady, Liana Little and Julia Tucker, eighth-graders like Issa, filmed the video. It can be viewed at https://vimeo.com/200227110.

The video was later chosen to be part of a documentary called “New Americans” for the PBS News Hour Student Reporting Labs. “New Americans” is described as “stories of immigration, identity and community through the eyes of teenagers.”

Issa is the only teen featured from Georgia. Her family is from Jordan and moved to America when she was six months old.

“It’s (the documentary) basically a story about why people came to America,” Tucker said. “In Nour’s case her father came because there were better opportunities and education.”

The students began filming in November, wrapping up before the Christmas break.

“We were working on this video before it was timely,” Brady said. “We started because it’s been quite a buzz since she started wearing the hijab.”

Brady said Issa and her family members were very cooperative.

“She was very understanding of our curiosity,” Brady said. 

After the video aired on the school’s morning show, Gray said students had a better understanding of why Issa wears the hijab.

“I had teachers emailing saying it was the best video,” she said. 

Gray said the project was the “coolest” for her because she didn’t have to do anything with it.

“The only thing I did was take students to Nour’s house and help with the shoot,” she said.

Little said they learned so much by filming at Issa’s home and talking to her family members.

“We got to know her family and culture better,” Little said.

Some highlights were watching Issa pray and put on the hijab and eating a traditional meal.

“The food was really good. Her mom fixed grape leaves and lamb, I’ve never had lamb before,” Little said.

Gray said Issa’s mom, Jalila Al-Manassra, spent the entire day preparing the meal.

“Her parents were so thankful for the opportunity we gave Nour to speak and show people (that) because they are Muslim doesn’t mean they don’t love our country,” Gray said. “They are thankful to be here and try to break that stereotype, which was really what Nour was trying to do.”

Issa said it was a pleasure having her friends at her house. 

“It was a really fun experience filming with my family,” she said. “They were obviously nervous having cameras in their faces but enjoyed having them over and eating supper.”

She said it is an honor to be featured on a national level.

“I was excited and a little bit nervous because I was just starting to get on camera,” she said.

Issa said the video was made before the presidential election in November.  

“Now that it’s come out about (President) Donald Trump’s (travel) ban, I feel that this video brought more awareness,” she said. 

Issa loves the attention the project is getting.

“With this video I can show other people I am a proud Muslim and I’m not afraid,” she said. “I felt more empowered, but I don’t feel I’m better than anyone else. I feel more confident in myself.” 

There is no air date for “New Americans,” but it is posted on the PBS website and a promo has been shown. 

“We all want this video to get out to show Nour is just like one of us,” Tucker said. “I feel it’s amazing that people at this school are so accepting, and that shouldn’t be uncommon, but with all of the turmoil going on outside of small towns it really is.”

Brady said the project helped the students grow from a group to close friends.

“I didn’t know her (Issa) as well as I’d like to before this video happened, but I feel like I’ve learned so much,” she said. “Now I understand her, she’s such an amazing person and I’m glad I met her.”

Issa said she feels “blessed” that the video was made. 

“I’m thankful for everyone that brought this video together to the world so they know not just who I am, but who other Muslim girls are,” she said. “I’m just a normal Muslim girl in Dalton and I feel like anybody can make a little video and change the world.”