Educating young people is more than book learning, sports, and the arts, it’s also about values and opportunities to give back and help others. As part of Miami Christian School’s (MCS) community outreach, the institution holds a number of blood drives each year so that students who are old enough and people in the surrounding community can donate blood – as there is generally a shortage and need.
MCS Instructor and Blood Drive Coordinator Charlene Coulter recently reported that there were 16 donors for the first drive of the year, including Aniela Victores, Billy Garcia, Bill Padron, Chelsea Baez, Daniel Victores, Dereck Albornoz, Emilio Gonzalez, Gabriela Solis, Isabella Rubio, Jose Izarra, Kenneth Maldonado, Livia Wells, Melissa Alfonso, Paola Munoz, Robert Martell, and William Pena.
Advanced Placement students take a national test and receive a score on a scale from 1 to 5, with 5 being the highest. Students receiving a 3 or higher qualify to receive college credit for their score. At MCS, AP Spanish Teacher Israel Ortet reports that with, all of the students in the school’s 2019 Advanced Placement Spanish Class scored a 4 or a 5. The Global Average of classes around the world scoring a 3 or higher on the test is 3.72. Miami Christian School’s Average is 4.67. Caramba!
On the sports scene, two MCS baseball players have distinguished themselves recently as top players in the nation. Alejandro Rosario was invited to be on the U.S. Team (18 and under) to represent the States in Japan. He pitched the fastest ball of the entire series at 96 mph. Jose Izarra participated in the New Balance Future Stars National Series.
In alumni news, MCS Graduate-Class of 1977 Tony Offerle, now serving as University of Florida’s School of Music Associate Professor of Voice performed last year in Puccini’s Turandot with the Mississippi Opera. Dr. Offerle also recently performed as “Basilio” in The Barber of Seville with the UF Opera Theatre, as “Count Ceprano” in Rigoletto with Gulfshore Opera, as “Judge Turpin” in Sweeney Todd, and as “Maraczek” in She Loves Me with the Intermountain Opera Company in Bozeman, Mont.
In addition to the variety of opera and musical theatre roles, Dr. Offerle has performed numerous orchestral works from Beethoven to Weill and presented dozens of vocal master classes internationally and around the U.S.
MCS Registration for the fall is still open and all are invited to schedule a personal tour by calling 305-221-7754 (ext. 773).
