Dr. Marta Perez Honors Six District 8 High School Scholars with $10,000 + in Scholarships

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Dr. Marta Perez Honored District 8 High School Scholars with over $10,000 in Scholarships  at an awards ceremony at the Renaissance Ballroom

Each District 8 Academic Scholar winner received a $1,700 check and a School Board proclamation.  

This event was made possible by Dr. Marta Perez, Miami-Dade School Board Member, recipient of the 2021 Green-Garner Award, the nation’s highest honor in urban education leadership. Sponsored by the Council of the Great City Schools and Scholastic, the award was presented to Perez at the Council’s virtual Fall  Conference in October, along with a $10,000 college scholarship. Perez is the 32nd winner of the Green Garner Award and the first Cuban American recipient. 

These are the winners: 

Gabriela Diaz is paving her path in Musical Theatre with a goal in mind: representing Miami and her Cuban  heritage on Broadway. She joined Miami Arts Studio 6-12 @ Zelda Glazer ‘National Honor Society and was on  the drama team. Meanwhile, completed 600 community service hours within the performing arts and took on  leadership roles as National Thespian Society Historian. Gabriela will be attending the Tisch School of Arts at  NYU. 

Vanessa Guerra from Felix Varela Senior High School successfully took 12 AP courses and received the AP Capstone Diploma from the College Board and recognized her as an AP Scholar with Distinction allowing her to  join National Honor Society and Mu Alpha Theta, and volunteer afterschool to help students who are  struggling in Math. Vanessa will be attending FIU.

Ariel Ugardes is a very active member in the Miami Sunset Knights community. Ariel has been an integral part  in assisting Mr. Porras, activities director at Miami Sunset Senior High School, ensuring activities at the school  were a success. Ariel has been awarded the Bright Futures Scholarship and is pending a decision for the  Presidential Scholars for Miami-Dade College. 

He aspires to be an entrepreneur and becoming owner of his own business. Ariel will be attending Miami Dade Community College. 

Katherine Gonzalez is in the top 1% of her class and part of multiple extracurriculars at G. Holmes Braddock  Senior High School: Health Information Project, Key Club, and several National Honor Societies. She plans on  studying electrical engineering to use her degree in aerospace engineering or designing renewable power  infrastructures. Katherine will be attending the University of Florida. 

Juliana Ngo, in the International Baccalaureate diploma program at John A. Ferguson Senior High took ten AP  courses, eight IB courses, four Dual Enrollment courses, and nine Honors courses. Since 2018, tutored her  peers in Math and Chemistry and completed over 100 hours of community service, became Secretary of the  National Honor Society, and President for Mu Alpha Theta and English Honor Society. Her goal is to become a  Supreme Court Justice of the United States. Juliana will be attending Princeton. 

Elina San Blas worked hard in high school, becoming President of Miami Coral Park Senior High School’s Key  Club, Vice President of Mu Alpha Theta, and planned events to give back to her community. She strives to  continue pursuing cosmetic dentistry after her undergraduate degree. Elina hopes to own a dental clinic and  be a successful entrepreneur, engaging in philanthropy. Elina will be attending Princeton.


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