These women inspire and lead with joy through sport and education

Miami Herald

30-04-2025

For three weeks in March, Kendall teen Brooke Revuelta visited 12 U.S. military bases across six countries to introduce and teach pickleball to troops and their families.
Just 19, she was one of four professional pickleball athletes — and the only one from Miami — to travel on a three-week Armed Forces Entertainment tour.
The group went to Turkey, Kosovo, the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy and Spain. Brooke said she was proud to represent her hometown. Her family has lived in the Devon Aire neighborhood for decades.
'Being chosen for this Goodwill Pro Pickleball Military Tour was one of the greatest honors of my career — not just as a professional pickleball player, but as someone who comes from a proud military family,' Brooke said. May is Military Appreciation Month.
Her great-grandfather, Major Robert Vories Abram, was a B-24 Airplane Commander in the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II. Her grandfather, James Newton Abram, served in the U.S. Army's 7th Finance in Vietnam, and her stepfather, Jose Gonzalez, was a staff sergeant in the U.S. Army's 3rd Infantry Division out of Fort Stewart, Georgia, and the 154th Engineer Battalion while stationed in Germany.
'During Military Appreciation Month, it means even more to reflect on the strength, sacrifice, and spirit of our service members. This tour wasn't just about teaching pickleball — it was about saying thank you, building connections and giving back to those who give everything,' she said.
Home-schooled through middle school, she played on the varsity tennis team for Miami Palmetto Senior High throughout her high school years. She graduated with the class of 2024.
A dynamic, left-handed pickleball athlete with a blend of Cuban, Vietnamese and American heritage, she quickly made a name for herself on the professional pickleball circuit after picking up the sport for fun in February 2023.
Last November, Brooke had the opportunity to visit Our Pride Academy, a nonprofit school in Kendall for individuals with developmental disabilities. She led a pickleball clinic for their Special Olympics team.
She said seeing the joy and enthusiasm of the players was inspiring, and she plans to return this year for more training sessions.
She is the youngest pro athlete selected to tour with Armed Forces Entertainment on the Good Will Pro Pickleball Military Tour to help boost morale through pickleball.
Throughout the tour, Brooke and her fellow pros coached, taught and hosted clinics for U.S. troops and their families, as well as residents of some of the overseas base communities. They made sure everyone had a chance to participate. The tour also included pro exhibition matches to showcase elite-level play and tournaments in which service members at all skill levels played with the pros.
'I learned so much from the troops and their families, and I'll carry those experiences with me for the rest of my life,' Brooke said. 'Pickleball brought us together, but the camaraderie and mutual respect made it unforgettable.'
Through the goodwill military tour, Brooke not only shared her love for pickleball but continued her mission to give back to those who serve and to grow the sport globally. You can watch her play and follow her journey on Instagram @brookerevuelta.pb.
CUSHMAN SCHOOL IS 100
In 2012, when then-head of Cushman School Joan Lutton passed the torch to new head Arvi Balseiro, she left a note. 'Lead with joy' is what it said.
She has. And now, as Cushman School celebrates its centennial, a community of students, parents, alumni, administrators, faculty and friends are looking back at all the ups and downs, struggles and successes. More than 10,000 students have gone through its doors.
In all that time there have been only three women heads of school, visionaries all.
The school was founded in 1924 on the front porch of first head Laura Cushman's Morningside home.
In March, at its 100 Year Centennial Ball, the co-ed private school raised more than $1 million for continuing into the next century.
Under current head Balseiro's leadership, the campus and programming have grown significantly with the addition of the state-of-the-art Play to Learn performing arts and athletics facility, and the launch of the high school as well as an online virtual division to allow even more students to benefit from Cushman's personalized education.
This year broke records, with 814 students enrolled in pre-K through 12th grade and waitlists for each division.
The high school division, added in 2016, remains intentionally small in size with the Class of 2025 graduating 54 seniors. They earned $5.5 million collectively in merit scholarships for higher education opportunities.
The school has a mission to 'embrace a diverse community reflective of a wide variety of cultures, religious practices, languages spoken, learning profiles, ethnicities, sexual orientations, gender identities, and perspectives.'
On its website is one of my favorite quotes by Martin Luther King, Jr. — 'We may have all come on different ships, but we're in the same boat now.'
Congratulations on 100 years, Cushman School, and for being a hearty reminder of what female ingenuity can mean for education.
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