Dr. Marta Perez honors six District 8 high school students with scholarships

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Miami-Dade County School Board member Dr. Marta Perez honored District 8 high school scholars with over $10,000 in scholarships at an awards ceremony at the Renaissance Ballroom on Thursday, May 19.

Each District 8 academic scholar received a $1,700 check and a school board proclamation.

This event was made possible by Dr. Perez, 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 2021, 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’s National Honor Society and was on the drama team. Meanwhile, she 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 was recognized 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 percent of her class and part of multiple extracurricular activities 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 10 AP courses, eight IB courses, four Dual Enrollment courses, and nine honors courses. Since 2018, she 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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