|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
Miami Palmetto High School senior Sophie Feldman has her own non-profit community organization called Uplift Operation.
“We did a lot of partnered drives with Boys and Girls Clubs,” she says. “And some of the libraries here. We collected books. We did a lot within the school.”
She started the organization in her sophomore year.
“A lot of people don’t have all these great things and great opportunities, and I wanted to give people access to that,” she says.
Feldman worked with the Miami Dade Public Library System. Uplift Operation collected and donated approximately 800 books to the library system’s free library where they will take donated books and give them away.
“That took us like a month,” she says. “We did all the collecting at school. And another place to collect, my mom’s office so that people who did not go to school would have a place to donate as well. It’s something I want to repeat this year.”
Feldman says the Uplift Operation collaborates with well-known organizations, including Toys for Tots, Volunteering Miami and the Boys and Girls Club.
“We did a baby drive with them,” she says. “We got car seats, pacifiers, and formula, especially when formula got pricy – when there was a formula shortage turning into spiking prices. They help a lot of underage moms and moms whose families are less fortunate.”
They also recently conducted a back-to-school drive. They started collecting at the end of the school year and turned the donations over to the Boys and Girls Club just before school began.
“To be sure everybody on the first day had their basic school supplies,” she says.
At this time, she’s in the process of organizing the collections that will take place throughout her senior year.
At Palmetto, Feldman is president of the Health Information Project (HIP).
“I’m in charge of organizing all the meetings and doing all the things that HIP requires us to do. As president I track everyone’s activity in the club and make sure everyone is there.
If you miss a training, you’re not going to know what you’re speaking on.”
The students teach eight modules that cover health information, including a big emphasis on mental health. Feldman helped conduct interviews with all the students who applied to be a member of the club. This year about 100 applied and approximately 25 were chosen.
Feldman is a member of the business club, DECA. Her diploma will reflect her DECA certification.
“I do aspire to do something in business,” she says. “I also want to specialize in sales. I would love to start my own business and make something big out of it. I want to major in business management and specialize in sales.”
She has participated in DECA competitions in the past. This year she plans to try a new category, working on a research paper or project.
Since school started, she’s participated in the successful two-day blood drive held by LEO Club, which recently held a successful two-day blood drive.
“It’s something I want to be involved in,” she says. “I’ll be helping work the blood drive.”
She’s been in the National Honor Society since sophomore year.
Outside of school, Feldman likes to play sports. She particularly likes to relax by playing tennis but it’s not enough of a passion to go out for the school team.
Her college plans are flexible. She was nominated for the Posse scholarship which is tied to specific colleges and universities including Syracuse, Davidson, and Hamilton.
Other schools on her list include Elon, and the University of Miami.
Linda Rodriguez Bernfeld
ABOUT US:
For more Miami community news, look no further than Miami Community Newspapers. This Miami online group of newspapers covers a variety of topics about the local community and beyond. Miami’s Community Newspapers offers daily news, online resources, podcasts and other multimedia content to keep readers informed. With topics ranging from local news to community events, Miami’s Community Newspapers is the ideal source for staying up to date with the latest news and happenings in the area.
This family-owned media company publishes more than a dozen neighborhood publications, magazines, special sections on their websites, newsletters, as well as distributing them in print throughout Miami Dade County from Aventura, Sunny Isles Beach, Miami Beach, Coral Gables, Brickell, Coconut Grove, Pinecrest, South Miami, Kendall, Palmetto Bay, Cutler Bay and Homestead. Each online publication and print editions provide comprehensive coverage of local news, events, business updates, lifestyle features, and local initiatives within its respective community.
Additionally, the newspaper has exclusive Miami community podcasts, providing listeners with an in-depth look into Miami’s culture. Whether you’re looking for local Miami news, or podcasts, Miami’s Community Newspapers has you covered. For more information, be sure to check out: https://communitynewspapers.com.
If you have any questions, feel free to email Michael@communitynewspapers.com or Grant@communitynewspapers.com.
