Miami-Dade County Public Schools honor best and brightest at Scholar-Athlete ceremony

Miami Herald

14-05-2025

Miami-Dade County Public Schools and the Greater Miami Athletic Conference honored its best and brightest once again this week at its annual Scholar-Athlete Awards banquet at Miami Dade College's North campus.
Over 75 scholar-athletes were presented with scholarship awards totaling $47,500 at the event and recognized for their achievements in athletics and in the classroom. An additional $14,500 in sponsorships was presented to the GMAC and its member schools.
The event also recognized retiring athletics director Ira Fluitt as well as Hialeah athletic director Denoff Johnson and Miami Killian athletic director John Smith for their service to athletics.
Former University of Miami football standout and broadcaster Don Bailey Jr. served as the event's master of ceremonies.
Jessica Perez from the Tampa-based Positive Coaching Alliance was the event's Keynote Speaker.
AWARDS
▪ The Miami Dolphins Foundation presented its Diamond scholarships for $2,500 to Miami Edison running back Sterling Joseph and Miami Palmetto badminton player Katarina Slazas. Its Platinum awards for $2,000 went to Hialeah's Nicholas Navarro and South Miami's Kate Ai. Its Gold awards, worth $1,500, went to Braddock's Andrew Sarmiento and Miami Beach's Madison Newman. Its Silver awards for $1,000 went to Goleman's Eddie Molliner and Braddock's Braelen Cintron. Its Bronze Awards for $500 each went to American's Derrius Black and Sunset's Paula Villacreses.
▪ The Orange Bowl Committee presented its Platinum awards ($2,000) to Miami Beach's Emmet Berman and Coral Park's Carmen Dragustinovis. Its Gold awards ($1,500) went to Hialeah Gardens' Nicholas Ceballos and Ferguson's Sophia Diaz. Its Silver awards ($1,000) went to Homestead's Fabio Perezleguizamo and Mourning's Kamilla Gareeva. And its Bronze awards ($500) went to Sunset's Harry Homick III and Booker T. Washington's Deztinie Lewis.
▪ The Kiwanis Club of Miami awarded $1,000 each to Coral Gables' Andres Rodriguez, Krop's Daniel Gumbiner, Varela's Kelsi Sell and Goleman's Victoria Lora.
▪ Herff Jones awarded $1,000 each to MAST Academy's Pablo Rodriguez and Norland's Faith Jean.
▪ BSN Sports Recipients awarded $1,000 each to South Miami's Cedric Rodriguez and Reagan's Camila Mendez.
▪ Don Bailey Flooring awarded Southridge's Michael NDiolo with $1,000
▪ Quick Feet 22 Enterprises, LLC awarded $1,000 to Miami Springs' Gia Culler Guerra.
▪ Play On Sports/Go Fan presented scholarships of $250 each to 50 scholar-athletes from GMAC schools, $350 to each member school and $1,200 to the GMAC office. The Scholar-Athletes were: Lajahnique Olive (American), Jake Holman (Mourning), Dimitra Boutsis (Coral Gables), Calvin Milton (Booker T.), Rocio Diaz (Coral Reef), Luis Marti (Coral Reef), Abigail Lintner (Cutler Bay), Brandon Smith (Cutler Bay), Jennifer Orisma (Krop), Jose Santos (Varela), Sophia Arteaga (Hialeah Gardens), Joshuan Miranda (HML), Krisha Rinville (Hialeah), Mathias Mas (JC Bermudez), Alexandra Guilliames (HML), Isaiah Lacayo (Ferguson), Ariel Alexander (Homestead), Ian Rodriguez (Carol City), Alexandria Rodriguez (JC Bermudez), Otis Guyton (Central), Florencia Alvarez (MAST), Justin Jimenez (Coral Park), Ki'Mya Malcolm (Carol City), Matthew Gamble (Jackson), Eymani Brown (Central), Joseph Calvo (Killian), Camille Canidate (Edison), Terrence Honeywood (Norland), Avril Inestroza (Jackson), Tywan Cox (Northwestern), Amanda Cepero Martinez (Killian), Michael Larionov (Palmetto), Tyra Cox (Northwestern), Ja'Kari Wilson (Miami High), Danelly Rodriguez (Miami High), Aaron Bowe (Miami Springs), Joysbeliz Reyes (Southridge), Johnrisha Jeantinor (North Miami), Anyery Perez (North Miami), Malik Charles (NMB), Yoshaney Cayaso (NMB), Sammy Barjun (Reagan), Anisleidy Chavez (South Dade), Daniel Labra (South Dade), Ami Casteleiro (Southwest), Myron Mendez (Southwest), Caitlyn Vivian (TERRA), Anthony Lander (TERRA), Kimberly Solorzano (Westland Hialeah), Kevin Sanchez (Westland Hialeah).