Palmer Trinity School has three new innovation spaces

The students and staff of Palmer Trinity School have three new innovation spaces that promote the development of creativity, problem-solving and interdisciplinary skills in students.

The new spaces are housed in the middle school, upper school, and Falcon’s Nest, and feature SteelCase furniture, tables with dry-erase surfaces, and equipment for hands-on projects. Faculty members are also welcome to book the new rooms to collaborate and work on class projects.

“In these spaces, students are engaged. They are having fun and are more inclined to control their learning,” said Brian Diaz, innovation coordinator. “It is our hope that this approach to creativity and independent learning permeate throughout campus, allowing each student to cultivate useful skills that will stay with them into adulthood.”

Norman Edelcup/Sunny Isles Beach K-8 School

Rosa Alejandro, a teacher at Sunny Isles Beach K-8 School, was selected as the 2018 Ethical Governance Day Teacher by the Miami-Dade Commission on Ethics and Public Trust for her work in the classroom.

Alejandro has led her students to become state finalists in the We the People Mock Congressional Hearings and Project Citizen competitions. She has also been named 2009 Rookie Teacher of the Year, served as a career advisor at Unidad of Miami Beach, and served as a service coordinator to special needs students at the University of Miami.

“Each year I get students who start out being shy or who don’t often use critical thinking skills, but by the end of the year they become confident, deep thinkers who excel in civics and law,” said Alejandro. “They become constitutional experts and involved citizens who truly understand that their voice counts.”

Alejandro will be honored Oct. 24 during the 2018 Ethics Governance Day commemoration.

Christopher Columbus High School

Several Christopher Columbus High School students were named semifinalists in the 2018 National Merit Scholarship Program, an academic competition that awards scholarships to high-performing high school students.

The scholarship program selects winners based on scores from the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. The winning scholars include Matthew Rockwell, Emilio Valenzuela, Matthew Schutzen, Daniel Gonzalez, Dante Velasco, Christopher Costa and Rafael Rodriguez.

Miami-Dade County Public Schools

Lubby Navarro, board member of Miami-Dade County Public Schools, attended a soft opening of the Miami Military Museum and Memorial, 12450 SW 152 St. in South Miami-Dade.

The museum’s purpose is to preserve South Florida’s military history through historical showcases, public educational events, like civic ceremonies and remembrances, and to serve tourists and the larger military community in Miami-Dade.

For information and updates on the grand opening, visit miamimilitarymuseum.com.

This story was originally published September 20, 2018 at 1:11 PM.