More than 500 Broward, Miami-Dade students tune in for inspiring Empowerment Summit

ReCapturing the Vision, a Miami-based organization dedicated to providing support for under-resourced families in South Florida, recently held its 17th annual Empowerment Summit where more than 500 Miami-Dade and Broward County public school students virtually tuned in to hear from a lineup of renowned speakers.

The students learned about Positive Purposeful Planning at the five-hour summit from speakers who shared personal stories about their struggles and successes. The speakers offered tips and strategies to motivate and inspire the students to make positive choices, reach their full potential, and secure a bright future.

Some of the tips shared during the event, such as the importance of being grateful and persistent, were aimed at personal development. Other speakers offered tips on leadership and managing finances.

Some schools in attendance included Piper High School in Broward, Mater Academy in Hialeah Gardens, Coral City Middle School, Coconut Palm K-8, and Leisure City K-8.

“The Empowerment Summit was a complete success,” said Dr. Rachelle Lecoin who teaches High School Mathematics at Mater Academy in Hialeah Gardens. “I plan to replay it for more of my classes to watch. The speakers were inspiring and the messages they shared really resonated with the students. I have no doubt that the Empowerment Summit will transform the lives of many students.”

The Empowerment Summit was created by ReCapturing the Vision’s founder and CEO, Dr. Jacqueline Del Rosario, who sought to provide youth with the knowledge, skills, and motivation to forge new paths. RTV’s Empowerment Summit has gained national recognition as a model for youth intervention and empowerment and has played an instrumental role in the establishment of grassroots efforts aimed at cultivating successful trajectories for all youth.

“I am grateful to our speakers and to all the students who participated. We worked hard to put together a life-changing experience,” Del Rosario said. “We hope that the information shared will become daily practices and stay with the students as they plan the next phase of their life journey. Our goal is to provide the tools they need to figure out what they will become, who they will become and to realize how powerful they are. They need to believe their best days are yet to come.”

YOUNG WOMAN ACHIEVER SCHOLARSHIP AWARD RECIPIENTS

Earlier this month, Miami-Dade county commissioners celebrated three young women from Young Women’s Preparatory Academy who were awarded the Miami-Dade Commission for Women’s Young Woman Achiever Scholarships. Each student was awarded $1,000 to help support them during their college career. The students Gabriella Salas, Catherine Georges and Zariah John will be attending Florida Polytechnic University, University of Central Florida, and Florida State University respectively.

TELEVISION ACADEMY FELLOWSHIP SELECTS 5 FLORIDA STUDENTS

Five students from Florida—Hector Garcia De Leon, Ruhi Mansey, Angelica McEwan, Allison Oddman and Jessie White—have been selected for the Television Academy Foundation’s prestigious 2021 Summer Fellows Program. They are among just 50 students chosen from across the country by Television Academy members to participate in the program.

The Summer Fellows Program includes virtual one-on-one visits with professionals in a student’s field of study, online panels with leaders in the television industry, and customized seminars covering personal brand building and navigating the job market ahead. Fellows also become lifelong members of the Foundation’s alumni family giving them access to events and networking opportunities as they build their careers in the industry.

The students are:

Hector Garcia De Leon of Jacksonville. He attended First Coast Christian School and is a 2021 graduate of the University of Central Florida. He majored in broadcast journalism and will be an Entertainment News Fellow this summer through the Television Academy Foundation’s program.

Ruhi Mansey of Fort Lauderdale. She attended the American Heritage School and is currently a student at the University of Southern California majoring in film and television production. She will be a Physical Production/Business Management Fellow through the Foundation’s summer program.

Angelica McEwan of Miami. She attended the New World School of the Arts and is a 2021 graduate of the Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, obtaining a BFA in theater and a bachelor’s degree in in economics. She will be a Casting Fellow this summer through the program.

Allison Oddman of Miramar. She attended Monsignor Edward Pace High School and is a 2021 graduate of Stanford University who majored in African and African American studies. She will be a Drama Writing Fellow this summer through the program.

Jessie White of Orlando. She attended Trinity Preparatory School in Winter Park. She is currently a student at the University of Florida majoring in digital film, television production and visual art studies. She will be a Cinematography Fellow this summer through the program.