When Coral Gables High senior Anthony Maristany was in middle school at Kinloch Park, he realized that kids who needed extra help didn’t have tutors available. He was in gifted so he did not need the help but he knew other students that did.
So when he went to high school, he instituted a tutoring program. Each Monday and Tuesday, he goes with friends to Kinloch to help students in the subjects with which they struggle.
“It’s the first tutoring program Kinloch ever had,” he said. “I felt it should be my International Baccalaureate student service project.”
By far, most of the kids need help in math, although the tutors help in any subject. Maristany has also tutored an ESOL student who could not speak English.
He said the experience has humbled him.
“It’s shown me that luckily I’ve been blessed with a good brain,” Maristany said. “I’ve always done well; it’s helped me realize some kids are less fortunate than I am. Sometimes they have difficult lives with their parents. I talked to one kid; he didn’t know who his father was.” Maristany’s extracurricular activities include tutoring for the National Honor Society. He also is a member of the IB Honor Society and Gables Earth, the club that is transforming Gables into a “green” school. He is interested in joining the Chinese Club.
“I enjoy learning about different cultures. I’ve been taking German for four years now. I think Chinese culture is a beautiful culture,” he said. “There was no time during school [to take Chinese] but by joining this club I may learn about the Chinese culture and maybe learn the language.”
As a senior, he has had to devote a fair amount of time to college applications. He’s looking at UM, FIU and Miami Dade Honors.
His goal is to go to medical school which is why the University of Miami’s seven-year program is very enticing, but if accepted going there will depend on the financial aid program. Maristany wants to go into neurology or become a psychiatrist.
In fact, he volunteered at a psychiatrist’s office in order to get an idea of what the job entails.
— Linda Rodriguez Bernfeld
