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Miami Palmetto High School senior Alexis James won the Community Service Award as a junior because she has a strong volunteer record.
James volunteers at Friendship Circle, participating in Sunday Circle, which takes place every other week and she is on the President’s Board for the third year.
She also works the various Friendship Circle camps including summer camp, spring camp and winter camp. And camps on days off from school.
“My buddy is in the older person group,” she says. “But if your buddy is not there, you are paired with someone else. I was with the same buddy for four years. And this year got switched. I’ve created a bond with pretty much everyone, it’s one big group with the volunteers and the buddies. So, you hang out with one big group, which is nice.”
Her community service includes membership in the Temple Beth Am Social Justice Teen Fellowship. She completed the junior year of the program, where they learned about the injustices around the world. The teens focused on how they could make the world a better place.
This summer, the teens went to Guatemala to build part of a school out of recycled material.
“My experience in Guatemala was very eye opening as we stayed in a very poor town that is very different from the lifestyle that I live,” she says. “But despite the disparities there, the people living there all seemed to be very happy and grateful. It really made me more appreciative for what I have.”
James also tutors for the student run organization Tutoring for Tomorrow.
At school, James is on the girls’ varsity lacrosse team. She joined the team freshman year but practiced in middle school so she could be on the team. The 2024 team won the District Championship and went further into the Regional Championships than ever before.
“I will be on the team next year,” she says. “I’m planning to run pre-season and help the girls who are younger and prepare for try-outs. We will do drills and teach the fundamentals for lacrosse.”
James is Chief of the School Safety Senate of Student Council.
“It’s focused on the safety of the student population,” she says. “Our main focus is making the student body feel included and we prioritize their mental health.”
She’s secretary of the Health Information Project. HIP members go into freshmen classes to teach modules on health, including mental health.
“I love it,” she says. “HIP was something that was important to me. It actually affected me a lot. I knew instantly I wanted to do it.”
She is a member of the National Honor Society, and she is a member of the Social Science Honor Society.
This school year she’s the managing editor of the school newspaper. Last year she was a multi-media editor.
She’s been working on a project to increase awareness of iron deficiency in females, focusing on female athletes.
“Last year, I suffered severally from iron deficiency,” she says. “Which really affected my athletic performance. It took me a long time to come to the realization.”
Her iron levels were so low, she needed an iron infusion. She says that infusion changed her life.
“By telling my story, there are so many people who have come to the realization they have an iron deficiency,” James says.
She is considering the University of Florida, Florida State, Tulane, Syracuse, Wisconsin and the University of Arizona for college. She’s been nominated for a Posse Scholarship. She plans to major in Marketing and Public Relations.
Linda Rodriguez Bernfeld
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