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After putting in four years of hard work, thousands of high school seniors graduated from the Miami-Dade County Public School system a few weeks ago. Three of them, all from South Miami Senior High School, have distinguished themselves as outstanding scholars and citizens.
Their names are Amelia McKay, who is bound for the University of Florida; Kate Ai, an incoming freshman at Florida International University; and Cedric Rodriguez, who will enter the University of Florida in the fall.
“These three remarkable students have not only excelled academically, but have led with character and a deep sense of purpose,” said Hebert Penton, Principal of South Miami Senior High School. “I am extremely proud of them and I know they will carry with them the hopes and pride of our entire school community.”
Amelia McKay, a Silver Knight Award winner in the art category for 2025, is the founder of “plastic smART,” an educational program that addresses the global plastic crisis at home in Miami-Dade County through educational talks and beach cleanups with K-12 students.
She accumulated more than 1,000 hours of community service while maintaining a 3.969 grade point average. She is also the recipient of a $20,000 Stamps Family Scholarship. Amelia will attend the University of Florida following in the Gator legacy of her mother and father.
Kate Ai graduated as captain of the girls’ volleyball and soccer teams while maintaining a 4.774 grade point average. She also played on South Miami Senior High’s badminton team. Kate graduated 16th in her class and, among other awards, she is the recipient of a $2,000 scholarship from the Miami Dolphins Foundation. She will attend Florida International University in the fall.
Cedric Rodriguez was an extremely involved scholar-athlete who played on South Miami Senior High School’s swimming, tennis and badminton teams while maintaining a 5.048 grade point average. Cedric graduated fourth in his class (99th percentile) and was recognized as one of the top scholar-athletes for all of Miami-Dade County. He is the recipient of a $1000 scholarship from BSN Sports. Cedric will attend the University of Florida in the fall.
