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Westminster Christian School senior Thomas Regueiro has gained a lot of experience from internships at the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio’s office and a criminal defense law firm.
When he was at the State Attorney’s office, he’d go to court hearings every day. He’s gone to trials. He even toured the pre-trial detention center and the Miami-Dade Medical Examiner’s Office.
“From this experience, I learned to understand the justice system more concretely, to see the day-to-day workings of the court system and the various roles of the State Attorney’s office to ensure justice is served,” he says.
He was able to watch several trials.
“I saw first-hand how attorneys prepare for a trial,” he says. “I sat in the court proceedings of a DUI trial and two different murder trials. The state prevailed with convictions for both cases.”
When he was at Sen. Rubio’s office, he assisted constituents.
“I answered phone calls, initiated case inquiries, assisted constituents who initiated inquiries with the mobile office, and translated for Spanish speaking constituents,” he says.
Those internships were done the summer before his junior year. This past summer he attended a four-week internship at a criminal defense firm, Beckham Solis.
“At this firm, I answered phone calls and assisted clients, primarily reminding them of court appearances,” he says. “There was an attorney at the firm who didn’t speak Spanish and I was able to translate when he had a Spanish speaking client.”
The internships confirmed his desire to go to law school and be an attorney.
This past summer, he was selected to attend Florida American Legion Boys State. Boys State is a mock government event with 461 delegates who roleplay in city, county, and state governments.
“I was elected Mayor of my city,” he says. “I won the primary for attorney general but lost in the general. I argued two cases on the actual floor of the FL Supreme Court. One of them was a death penalty case. The second case was a first amendment case regarding freedom of speech. We won the freedom of speech case but lost the death penalty case.”
He says it was an exciting opportunity with long, action-packed days.
At school, he is vice president of the National Honor Society and is actively involved in the Math Honor Society, the English Honor Society, the World Languages Honor Society, the Social Studies Honor Society, the Science Honor Society, AP Capstone and Emerald Scholar Program. He’s also a delegate in the Model United Nations Club.
Regueiro started the Sandlot Club that organizes groups to volunteer at the Miracle League. The Sandlot Club sponsors the Wiffle Ball Tournament, which they plan to host again this year.
Last year, between the Wiffle Ball Tournament and other fundraisers, they raised $2,000.
He started the club at the beginning of his junior year and 20-25 students signed up. There are eight to ten students who participate consistently.
Until recently, Regueiro played baseball but decided to pursue academics more assertively. Volunteering at the Miracle League helps him stay connected with the sport.
“Baseball has always been a part of my life and I have learned many life-long lessons but most importantly I have very fond memories,” he says. “I wanted to use this platform to give back to my community. I think it’s incredibly important to advocate for children with disabilities.”
Regueiro’s college list includes the University of Florida, Florida State University and the University of Miami.
He’s considering a degree in finance or economics, depending on which school he attends.
Linda Rodriguez Bernfeld
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