Source: Orlando Sentinel
On June 2, 2005 the Orlando Sentinel reported, "Abdalla was always president, and her friends served as her Cabinet. They sat in an oval shape -- their 'oval office' -- and discussed pressing issues, such as whether to have ice cream on Fridays. And, like fellow Republican Ronald Reagan, Abdalla ate jelly beans. Her childhood game was just the beginning of Abdalla's interest in the Republican Party and public service. Now 23, Abdalla has worked on several Republican campaigns, helping mobilize the youth vote. She also volunteers for charitable causes, from HIV awareness to tsunami aid. During last summer's hurricanes, she served as an Arabic translator for the Federal Emergency Management Agency. For her academic achievements, community service and activism, Abdalla was named Valencia Community College's 2004-05 Distinguished Graduate."