Here are the 2026 winners of the Silver Knight Awards for Miami-Dade County
Here are the winners from Miami-Dade County of the Silver Knight Awards for 2026.
ART
Tania Li
School for Advanced Studies, Wolfson Campus
Through her nonprofit Animal Wishes, Tania and her team of volunteers have been working with long-term hospital patients to help them paint portraits of their pets while hospitalized.
Working with over 15 organizations in the U.S. and Peru, including Nicklaus Children’s Hospital and Ronald McDonald House Charities of South Florida, Tania has raised over $2,000, the majority of which has gone to helping shelter animals in Miami-Dade and Broward.
She and her team have helped patients craft more than 60 macrame pet collars, along with the pet portraits and paw print-and-lick paintings, where patients place canvases and paint in a Ziploc bag with a dog treat atop, and then the dogs lick the bag.
Tania first caught the giving bug in elementary school, when she sold friendship bracelets to raise money for charities. A decade later, she has built a thriving community of young artists.
“With Animal Wishes, I learned not only problem-solving and organizational skills required to coordinate a large group, but the joy associated with belonging. I learned the meaning behind the words ‘Friendship is Magic.’
Honorable Mentions: Madison Berlowe, Palmetto Senior High; Ethan Barosela, Christopher Columbus; Jahmarsh Marshall, Norland Senior High
ATHLETICS
Gabriela Gonzalez-Orbegoso
School for Advanced Studies, West Campus
Gabriela joined Project RAISE (Robotics, Accessibility, and Inclusion for Social Engagement) to mentor and inspire students in underresourced schools or students with learning difficulties in STEM and robotics.
With other volunteers, she taught students ages 10 to 13 the principles of robotics and programming, while also helping them develop collaborative leadership skills.
“Project RAISE is my commitment to ensure that every student in my community has an equal opportunity to experience the fun and educational benefit of engineering, regardless of their family’s income or any challenges they face in the classroom,” said Gabriela.
Gabriela noted how one girl, who was initially hesitant to participate, became a team leader in building a robot while another student, who struggled in school, found success in the hands-on work with his teammates.
Gabriela also earned second place in the Cross Country district championship last year, ranking her among the top five runners in her region.
Honorable Mentions: Max Gross, Miami Beach Senior High; Brady Lubetsky, Miami Country Day; Avery McCray, Robert Morgan Senior High
BUSINESS
Jessica Xiong
Coral Reef Senior High
Jessica witnessed the effects of climate change when she attended an outdoors marching band camp as part of her school’s color guard team, and saw how it got hotter and hotter each year.
To teach elementary school students about the environment, she founded EcoStatic Education, a program that promotes collaboration, critical thinking and problem-solving skills while tackling real-world sustainability challenges.
“My goal is for EcoStatic Education to give the next generation the tools and confidence to protect the environment,” she said. “I believe it is especially important to teach children when they are still naturally curious, as this helps them build a strong foundation in environmental awareness and responsibility that can lead to a more sustainable future.”
Through both online and in-person sessions, the program has reached hundreds of students, partnering with local groups such as Hope for Miami and joining global initiatives like NASA’s GLOBE. In addition, the program has been integrated into two summer educational camps and multiple after-school programs.
Honorable Mentions: Jesse Profeta, Dr. Michael M. Krop Senior High; Gavin Breeding, G. Homes Braddock Senior High; Noah Orlowsky, Miami Beach Senior High
DIGITAL & INTERACTIVE MEDIA
Kate Tessler
The Cushman School
Born from a business law class assignment, Kate is building BeSafe, an app designed to improve school safety by giving students a platform to anonymously report concerns about other students or potential threats.
In 4 out of 5 school shootings, at least one other person had knowledge of the attacker’s plan but failed to report it, according to data compiled by the Sandy Hook Organization.
Using AI to interpret potential threats, the app also alerts administrators when there is a serious risk.
“This project reflects my commitment to using innovation, empathy and leadership to protect lives and strengthen school communities. By building BeSafe, I aim to create a future where prevention replaces tragedy, and every student feels safe walking to school,” Kate said.
The app also provides resources for students, including mental health coaching, counselor referrals and tips on how to handle stressful situations.
Honorable Mentions: Ray Garcia, Medical Academy for Science and Technology (M.A.S.T.) at Homestead; Samuel Scheinblum, School for Advanced Studies, Wolfson Campus; Hudson Drescher, Miami Country Day
DRAMA
Alec Avila
Miami Art Studio 6-12 at Zelda Glazer
Through the “Soul of a Swimmer” project, Alec honored Nicholas Dworet, a swimming champion and prospective Olympic swimmer who was killed in the 2018 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland.
Alec portrayed Nicholas, a senior at Marjory Stoneman, in director Phillip Church’s play “Soul of a Swimmer,” which had a limited run in February 2024 and rallied communities to work toward ending gun violence.
“There was a tangible love for this show, present within the entire audience and cast. It was clear that something meaningful was being showcased; a child’s life lost was not purposeless,” Alec said.
The project raised $2,000 for Swim 4 Nick, a nonprofit established by Nicholas’ parents dedicated to preventing child deaths in swimming-related incidents. Beyond Miami, news of the project reached elected officials and artists in Washington, who have expressed interest in possibly hosting the play.
Honorable Mentions: Veronica Rodriguez, Doral Academy Preparatory; Orli Ressler, Miami Country Day; Piper Quirk, Coral Reef Senior High
ENGLISH
Abigail Bushman
Miami Arts Charter
Abigail’s high school did not have a library, so she started her own version of one. At the center of her project, Abby’s Chapter Challenge, is a mobile lending library housed in her car, cataloged by story genre and reading level.
To entice students to read more, she created a game-style reading challenge. The monthly “top reader” earns a free lunch and the right to choose the next Book of the Month, keeping students engaged and giving them ownership in the project.
“I created this initiative to function as a practical, community-based substitute—bringing books directly to students and making reading feel fun through structure, incentives and community buy-in,” Abigail said.
She knew the program was a success when a student who said he wasn’t a reader stopped by. After asking him questions about what he liked to do and what movies and TV shows he liked, she gave him a mystery to read. The next week, he came back and asked her for another book just like that.
Honorable Mentions: Naina Sharma, School for Advanced Studies, West Campus; Isabella Valderrama, Miami Beach Senior High; Amanda Rodriguez, International Studies Preparatory Academy
GENERAL SCHOLARSHIP
Abigail Kairalla
Pinecrest Preparatory Academy
Driven to create the kind of space she wished she had when growing up, Abigail launched Girls in STEM at three public charter schools in Miami. The program has reached more than 300 girls in grades 4–12, introducing science concepts through everyday things such as the chemistry of nail polish and lip gloss or the physics of marshmallow catapults.
In addition to gaining valuable skills in burgeoning fields, the girls became more inspired and confident. And the program is training other high school students to become instructors, allowing the program to continue and grow.
“I chose to devote my time to this initiative because it directly addressed a gap I had personally experienced and allowed me to create meaningful change within a school community, turning my experience into an opportunity for other girls to feel confident, supported and excited about STEM,” said Abigail, her school’s valedictorian.
Abigail knew she had succeeded when a fourth-grader asked if the two of them could talk to the principal about holding the program more often, saying it was “the most funnest thing ever.”
Honorable Mentions: Constantino Peña, Ransom Everglades; Jaiel Langston, Northwestern Senior High; Jolie Toubes, Edison Senior High
JOURNALISM
Isabella Brana
Hialeah Gardens Senior High
Isabella’s nonprofit Blissful Hands, founded to help promote well-being among students, grew to become a resource providing basic needs in underfunded communities.
Through the organization, she secured baby clothes and books for the Memorial Hospital NICU unit; hosted a Thanksgiving drive to feed over 50 families; and donated school supplies to the children at Lotus House and clothes for Camillus House residents.
“Mental health and kindness motivated me to create Blissful Hands. I quickly realized that I could offer mental health support through services and events, which allowed me to envision the program I created,” Isabella said.
By leading activities, organizing donation drives and interacting with families, student volunteers also benefited, developing a sense of empathy and a deeper understanding of how mental wellness and a strong community go hand-in-hand.
“What began as a project to help my peers grew into a multigenerational effort that strengthened an entire neighborhood, proving that when mental health is supported early and consistently, it creates a ripple effect of kindness,” she said.
Honorable Mentions: Morgan Lewis, Christopher Columbus; Gianna Michel, Miami Lakes Educational Center; Seth Cohen, Dr. Michael M. Krop Senior High
MATHEMATICS
Dinarri Fertile
Norland Senior High
Dinarri wants students to get excited about math. To achieve that, and with support from the National Mathematics Honor Society, he created Beyond the Numbers FL, a variety of fun, engaging and relatable games tackling real-world math problems.
His first event, Math Bingo, was a hit and other schools started expressing interest.
“I believe the divide between students and math begins early on, often well before students even realize that they carry negative perceptions. I see it as essential to intervene early on at the elementary and middle school levels, where curiosity is still strong and learning feels exciting,” Dinarri said.
As the primary organizer, Dinarri was responsible for logistics and planning, ensuring each event ran seamlessly and was aligned with the project’s goals. He also organized a donation drive to raise funds for school supplies for children in need. He donated the items to the Overtown Optimist Club, a non-profit organization that boosts student and family access to affordable, high-quality youth development programming.
Honorable Mentions: Tara Conway, MAST Academy, Sophia Medina, Westminster Christian; David Fernandez, Miami Senior High
MUSIC & DANCE
Matthew Vila
Belen Jesuit Preparatory
Matthew’s passion for music, combined with volunteering with Best Buddies, inspired him to create Harmony Hugs, a nonprofit that provides music enrichment programs for special needs youth at 10 locations across South Florida.
With a team of more than 40 student musicians, the group delivers free music lessons to more than 70 participants (ages 3 months to 18 years) every week. In addition, the organization distributed over $15,000 worth of instruments with support from the Guitar Center Music Foundation.
As a volunteer with Best Buddies, he has served in every student capacity.
“Harmony Hugs grew as a direct manifestation of my two greatest passions: music and disability advocacy. My organization is a clear and effulgent display of the beauty that is inclusion. And it has taught me the power of language – that is, a language that isn’t defined, but can be heard if you open your heart just enough,” Matthew said.
Honorable Mentions: Enmanuel Perez Alvarez, International Studies Charter High; Michelle Gomez, Miami Arts Studio 6-12 at Zelda Glazer; Sofia Fernandez, School for Advanced Studies, West Campus
SCIENCE
Nelson Manstein
Ransom Everglades
Nelson began volunteering at His House Children’s Home, the state’s largest foster care program, nine years ago and realized many of the students did not have laptops. That led him toward creating a STEAM Center that will provide laptops, a science lab, a robotics station and a visual arts studio to His House students.
He also founded A.R.T. for HumanKind, using Art, Research and Technology to elevate humanity. The nonprofit brings together students who want to expand STEM and arts education to youth in foster care and to children whose families have experienced homelessness.
A.R.T. HumanKind has grown to more than 70 members representing 13 high schools and seven colleges, including the University of Miami, Yale, Boston College, Wake Forest and Cornell. Together, they have contributed over 5,000 hours of community service.
“We raised over $39,000 for school supplies, laptops and educational experiences, supporting over 400 children in our community who are in foster care or experiencing homelessness,” Nelson said.
Honorable Mentions: Michelle Grados, School for Advanced Studies, North Campus; Lola Aouizerate, Miami Beach Senior High; Cameron Schoch, Miami Country Day
SOCIAL SCIENCE
Paul Sasso
Palmetto Senior High
As the founder and president of Puentes, a student-led organization meaning “bridges” in Spanish, Paul created an organization that’s building bridges across cultural, socio-economic and geographic barriers. He recruited more than 75 volunteers while coordinating logistics for toy drives, food giveaways and visits with the elderly.
Puentes’ signature event is “Domino Night,” which brings together more than 100 people, from elementary school students to great-grandparents. Meeting monthly, the students and families play dominos, share stories and compare cultural traditions.
The inspiration for Puentes came from something that began with one of his middle school teachers.
“I thought back to a time when I was paired with Pierre, a student in her class from an underserved community, that allowed me the opportunity to see the world from a different perspective. Through getting to know each other, this student significantly improved his grades while I was able to learn about experiences and parts of life which I was not truly exposed to in my community,” Paul said.
Honorable Mentions: Julian Farrington, Norland Senior High; Kevin Fernandez, Christopher Columbus; Nayred Aguilera, School for Advanced Studies, West Campus
SPEECH
Zoey Trillas
Hialeah Gardens Senior High
First impressions are important, but not everyone can afford to look the part. Through her project, The Confidence Closet, Zoey is removing barriers so all can achieve their goals.
At first, her plan was to give students in her school access to clothing, which neighborhood thrift shops and school staffers donated. She later expanded to include professional and formal attire.
“I created this initiative to ensure that every student in my school community has access to confidence that could open doors for their future by addressing a very prevalent issue in my community: the feeling of being marginalized because of financial limitations,” she said.
After interning in the Drug Court division, she partnered with criminal court Judge Maria Elena Verde-Yanez to expand the project with a “Back to Work” series at Reeves House.
Reeves House works with rehabilitated inmates, providing sessions on resume building and public speaking, followed by a makeover and professional headshot to give the Reeves House residents confidence in a job interview.
Honorable Mentions: Joaquin Otero, Belen Jesuit Preparatory; Elizabeth Valdes, Jose Marti MAST 6-12 Academy; Sofia Bordas, Riviera Preparatory
VOCATIONAL TECHNICAL
Enzo Paesano
Gulliver Preparatory
Enzo’s project, Volunteer for Seniors, which won the 2024 Congressional App Challenge, matches young people with senior citizens to address a widespread challenge: isolation among the elderly.
Enzo developed a website and web application, where seniors can seek assistance with technology issues, simple household repairs, specific tasks and leisure activities.
Most importantly, they can count on companionship from the young adult volunteers, who help them participate in activities they love. In return, the volunteers connect with older individuals and learn a thing or two from them.
“I was driven to establish Volunteer for Seniors as a multi-generational collaborative website that promotes values of kindness through caring and giving through sharing,” said Enzo, who was inspired by his experience caring for his 93-year-old grandfather.
Honorable Mentions: John Allen, Christopher Columbus; Brayan Fernandez, Coral Gables Senior High; Andrea Gross, Carrollton School of the Sacred Heart
WORLD LANGUAGES
Juan Alvarez
Christopher Columbus High
After months of volunteering at the Sisters of Charity Soup Kitchen, run by the Missionaries of Charity of Mother Teresa, Juan realized the individuals coming to the kitchen needed more than a hot meal.
With Sister Lilian’s support, he created Brothers for Benevolence, an initiative to help empower and encourage individuals experiencing homelessness to get back on their feet.
They began with a week-long camp where people participated in arts and crafts, group discussions and faith-based activities. Over time, the project has evolved to include birthday parties, holiday gatherings, games and karaoke.
“Through crafts, conversation and prayer, we have been able to contribute a small but meaningful part to their rehabilitation journey,” Juan said.
He created the project in honor of his late grandmother, Orfita, who was a significant presence in his life growing up. “My grandmother taught me that ‘serving is not a sacrifice; it is a privilege.’ Even when Alzheimer’s took away her memories, she never forgot how to love. She would hold a stranger’s hand, kiss it and melt them with her kindness.’’
Honorable Mentions: Shira Avidan, Don Soffer Aventura High; Alfredo Bissu, Dr. Michael M. Krop Senior High; Rocio Lopez Infante, Southridge Senior High
