Miami Dade College student newspaper is named best in the state
Miami Dade College’s student newspaper, The Reporter, has been named the top college student newspaper in Florida for the 10th year in a row by the Florida College System Publications Association.
The Reporter staff received 11 first-place individual awards, as well as first place in general excellence, at the Association’s annual virtual conference and awards ceremony for the 2019-2020 academic school year.
“This a tremendous honor that I’m grateful to share with the rest of last year’s staff,” said Heidi Perez-Moreno, who served as editor-in-chief last year. “I’m proud of the work we were able to accomplish.”
The Reporter is distributed at all eight MDC campuses and has newsrooms at the North, Wolfson and Kendall campuses. Over the past 10 years, the paper has won 149 awards from the FCSPA, including 88 first-place honors.
St. Thomas law school awards its first MLK Award
St. Thomas College of Law’s Black Law Student Association announced alumnus and philanthropist Ricky Patel as the recipient of the law school’s inaugural Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Award.
Judge Tarlika Navarro presented Patel, an alumnus of the law school, the award, in recognition of his efforts in helping the African American community. In 2019, Patel established ITS4THEKIDS, a foundation that supports underserved children who are facing challenges to their health and well-being.
In the wake of the Black Lives Matter protests in the summer of 2020, ITS4THEKIDS developed Bridge The Gap.
Bridge The Gap collects and donates items to police departments in Miami for officers to hand-deliver to communities where they work and who are underserved.
LaToya Ratlieff, a protester who was shot in the face with a rubber bullet while protesting police violence, drove four hours to watch Patel receive the award. At the ceremony, she spoke about her passion for Bridge The Gap.
2 New World seniors named Posse Scholars
Karis Knoll and Luis Lafaurie, two seniors from the New World School of the Arts Theater Division, have been selected as Posse Scholars. The Posse Foundation offers four-year, full-tuition scholarships for students at partner colleges and universities.
The Foundation selects 10 students from Miami, one of its partner cities, each year. Nominees for the Posse Scholarship undergo a rigorous three-month assessment process designed to identify students who might be missed by traditional college admissions criteria.
Knoll will be attending Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts. She is a member of the Student Voices board for the Florida Department of Education, president of Be HIP, and was the first-place winner at the Florida State Poets Association.
“Karis has an indefatigable passion for fostering equity and accessibility for all performers and audiences,” said acting teacher Silas Hoover. “I see Karis making a significant contribution to the arts as a performer, director, and developer.”
Lafaurie will attend Hamilton College in New York. He is a member of the International Thespians Society. He has accumulated over 1,000 hours of community service through his volunteer work at the Miami Children’s Theater. He has also volunteered at the Nicklaus Children’s Hospital, performing as SpongeBob SquarePants for children residing at the hospital.
“Luis was cast in his junior year as a principal role in the musical, ‘Side Show,”’ said acting teacher Matthew Buffalo. “Every day of rehearsal, Luis came in with positive energy. He was very collaborative and respectful of the creative process and his ability to stay focused while allowing every voice to be heard is a great asset that will serve him well in his future pursuits.”
St. Theresa named champions in Scholastic Olympics
St. Theresa Catholic School in Coral Gables was named Division II Champions at the 42nd annual Christopher Columbus High School Scholastic Olympics.
In addition, the St. Theresa students earned 13 gold medals, while another six earned silver and 11 earned bronze in science, math, history, general skills, among other categories.
“Our accomplishment was obtained through trust and collaboration. We worked together so well that, by the end of the test, we knew we had given it our best,” said eighth-grade gold medalist, Sofia Rodriguez. “I am proud of my teammates and myself and know this experience is one that I will always remember!”
Sister Rosalie Nagy, St. Theresa’s principal, noted their accomplishment: “The St. Theresa family is so proud of the focus and dedication that each of these students has shown, not just at St. Theresa but throughout the Archdiocese of Miami schools. We cherish this friendly competition and hope to keep St. Theresa’s streak going.”