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Miam-Dade County School Board member Luisa Santos proffered an agenda item recognizing Arthur and Polly Mays community leaders during the school board meeting of Feb. 13.
Arthur and Polly Mays Conservatory of the Arts (APMCOTA) is an award-winning magnet school located in the Goulds community, part of the South Dade area. It offers a fine arts college preparatory curriculum for sixth to 12th grade students.
The school is named after Arthur and Polly Mays, a married couple who were considered champions of education in Goulds and who at the time of segregation started a school for black children in the area.
Building on this legacy of educational commitment and dedication to service, some of the school’s alumni, faculty, and staff have gone on to play impactful roles in the community. Among them, the following community leaders:
Dennis Davis, a 1964 graduate of Mays High School, returned to his alma mater as a classroom teacher after earning a bachelor’s degree in mathematics education in 1968. In 1975, he earned a master’s degree in school administration. For over 38 years, Davis has served the community as a classroom teacher, assistant principal, and region director. In 2000, he was named Principal of the Year.
Joe and Enid Demps, a husband-wife duo, are pillars of the Goulds community. Ms. Demps attended Mays High School but graduated from South Dade Senior High in 1972. The Demps have been very active members in their community, serving on local community councils, boards, associations, and the South Dade Senior High and Pine Villa Elementary schools. Together they founded the Goulds Optimist Club in 1993. The club has been an integral part of the community. In 2021, Miami-Dade County named a park in honor of JL (Joe) and Enid W. Demps.
Carolyn Taylor Pates, a 1965 graduate of Mays High School, earned an associate degree in secretarial science from Miami Dade Community College in 1972. She holds many certifications and advanced credentials in human resources and public safety. Pates has been a very active member of the South Dade community, volunteering her time and service to various local organizations, boards, councils, and schools.
Sylvan Seiderman began his teaching career at Mays High School as a National Teachers Corps intern in 1966. After a two-year internship, he became a full-time faculty member at Mays as a Work Experience teacher. Seiderman has served on the school’s advisory board since it became a 6-12 Conservatory of the Arts. At the time of his retirement, he worked at a different school in the district, but Mays always has remained a special place for him.
This resolution honors the service and countless contributions of the Arthur and Polly Mays community leaders recognized herein. Their service to the community and commitment to education embody the legacy of the school’s namesakes.
To read the full item, visit https://luisasantos.com/priorities/.
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