Air Force lieutenant in the Mideast still finds time to read aloud to Miami kids
For this dad, stationed in the United Arab Emirates, busy Fridays always end with reading a book out loud to children.
His young audience, thousands of miles away in Miami, listens to him in a completely different time zone.
As a generous member of the Kiwanis Club of Homestead-South Dade, Air Force 1st Lt. Arnold A. Perez has been active for four years in the club’s popular Story Time. The reading program has been ongoing for 15 years.
He reads through Zoom to kids in the Miami-Dade County Public School’s Head Start program at the Chapman Partnership.
“I love the kids and this is a way of staying in contact with them,” said Perez, husband of Kiwanis Lt. Governor and Homestead Councilwoman Erica Ávila. “No matter where I am, it’s important to show kids that you care, that you’re there for them.”
Perez is also father to son Royce, 12, Lila, 8, and Violet, 4.
“This is truly an example of a dedicated individual,” said Head Start teacher Michael R. Serantes.
When home, Perez reads for Story Time and is active in club service projects like delivering presents during the holidays. Even now, with the eight-hour time difference, he continues Story Time. His readings are at 9 a.m., Miami time.
“Obviously, nobody would blame him if he stopped reading while he was in the Middle East. But he chose to continue and the kids love it. They look forward to Story Time every Friday.”
For more information, or to participate in one of the club’s community service projects, visit https://www.homesteadkiwanis.org/ or contact president Emily Guzman at 786-399-4161.
Graduate follows in dad’s footsteps
Jonathan Sharon really inspired his daughter, Jade Sharon, to achieve this incredible feat. Both daughter and her father before her graduated from high school with 12 years of perfect attendance.
Proud mom and grandmother, Sherri Sharon, wrote to say her only grandchild has also been a straight-A+ student from kindergarten at William Lehman Elementary School all the way through Arvida Middle School and Coral Reef High. Jade graduated June 1.
Jonathan Sharon graduated from Miami Killian in 1993 without missing a day.
“Jade was in the business magnet program where she was an officer in several school clubs. She is an avid dancer at Jill Mallory Dance Center and an assistant teaching younger children important aspects both physically and socially,” her grandmother said.
“You may say, ‘Well there are many students who have these attributes,’ which is very true, but she has achieved these accomplishments without missing a day of school in 12 years.”
Jade also won numerous awards and was on the principal’s honor roll every grading period, her grandmother said.
“She exemplifies the product of 12 years of schooling from the Miami-Dade Public School system. I think this should be recognized in some fashion.”
Kids’ book shines a light on overcoming fear
What happens when a boy and his pet lion struggle to live life unafraid?
Well, in the new children’s book, “Brian, My Pet Lion,” they help each other find peace and calm.
In the book, author Jason Shapiro hopes to honor children who deal with anxiety every day, and start conversations.
To share its message with the world, Shapiro teamed up with Heisman Trophy Winner Ricky Williams who struggled to cope with severe anxiety when he was a Miami Dolphins running back.
“The book is a story about overcoming fear and anxiety, as seen through the eyes of a child. I am also a mental health advocate and I have teamed up with Ricky Williams to help promote this important story,” Shapiro said.
Shapiro said he also wants to honor his childhood best friend who committed suicide in 2005.
“My hope is that if I can reach children at a young age to ‘normalize’ speaking about their mental health, I can help change society’s negative stigma and save lives,” he said.
“If speaking about our mental health was more ‘normalized’ he may have had an outlet and gotten help.”
Shapiro, who is father to a son and daughter, was raised in South Florida and has moved back after living in New Jersey. He has been reading his book remotely to students at his elementary school during the pandemic.
All proceeds from the sale of “Brian, My Pet Lion” go to https://samehereglobal.org/ that was founded to make mental health part of our everyday conversation. Learn more and purchase the book at https://www.treemouthbooks.com/books
Write to ChristinaMMayo@gmail.com with news for this column.
This story was originally published June 10, 2021 at 6:00 AM.