Francis Perez graduated from Coral Gables High School at the end of May in the top 5 percent of her class.
She walked into the ceremony knowing she won a Blue and Gold scholarship to Florida International University. That scholarship will help pay for her diploma from the School of Hospitality Management.
She also was accepted to FSU and UCF.
“Since I wanted to study hospitality, FIU was the best option,” she said.
Perez had a good senior year. She was captain of the Gables Badminton team. For the second year in a row, she and her partner earned Second Team All Miami- Dade for Badminton. Although the team did not qualify for the district playoffs or the GMAC, she and her partner did qualify and finished second in both.
Next year, she hopes to play club badminton at FIU. Perez also played varsity volleyball her senior year. Until then, she had played on the junior varsity team.
For two years she was sports editor of the school paper.
“I really enjoy that section and I enjoy sports,” she said.
As sports editor, she made some changes, including adding more game reviews.
“I made sure we had a least one story from a game,” she said. “I also make sure we also have some opinion stories. I make sure we have every type of story — news, feature, opinion. I like having that diversity in the paper.”
Perez also was committee chair for the National Spanish Honor Society. Her goal was to enroll more Hispanic members into the club and to learn more about the different Hispanic cultures. She succeeded.
“We had a lot more members and more people involved and for next year a full board as well,” she said. “I’m really excited for the future.”
Perez’s family is from Cuba and emigrated to the U.S. in 1994.
Perez was born two years later.
“It’s the best decision they ever made,” she said.
— Linda Rodriguez Bernfeld
