Mays Conservatory middle schooler wins award for short film about bullying and suicide

Paolo Cesti, an eighth-grade student at Arthur & Polly Mays Conservatory of the Arts won the 2016 Best Middle School award at the All-American High School Film Festival in New York City for his short film, “Isolation.”

Paolo’s film was shown at the AMC Empire Theatres in Times Square, and is about an artistic boy who commits suicide after fighting depression while being bullied at school.

Paolo is part of the Broadcasting Magnet Program and plans to become a filmmaker.

DORAL ACADEMY PREPARATORY SCHOOL

Five students of Doral Academy Preparatory School were named finalists after taking the David Essner Mathematics Exam last month.

The exam has been offered since academic year 1981-82, and has been an annual competition to recognize secondary students in Miami-Dade who are talented in math.

Senior Felipe Contipelli, sophomore Douglas Shu, seventh-grader Jaedon Whyte and freshmen Anirudh Rahul and Ethan Partidas were recognized and awarded at the University of Miami.

BISCAYNE NATURE CENTER

Isabel del Valle McGuinness, 11, was named Ambassador of the Year for the Earth Keepers Club at the Marjory Stoneman Douglass Biscayne Nature Center.

Isabel has been a member of the club for two years, and has helped increase membership and awareness about the center’s conservation goals.

Isabel was rewarded with a trophy.

RANSOM EVERGLADES SCHOOL

Ransom Everglades School eighth-grade student Nikhil Kumar was named world champion during the World Cadets Chess Championship in Georgia.

Nikhil finished as winner of eight games and collected three draws.

This story was originally published November 15, 2016 at 12:04 PM with the headline "Mays Conservatory middle schooler wins award for short film about bullying and suicide."