Flavia Nunez owes the accomplishments of her young life to her role models: her grandmother Maria Mendez and her mother, Ileana Ludeiro.
Among Nunez’s achievements is volunteering 260 hours, or the equivalent of 32 8-hour days, for the Town of Miami Lakes Youth Activity Task Force.
U.S. Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart, R-Miami, awarded the 17-year-old a Congressional Bronze Medal for youth, for her voluntary public service that happened in his district.
“I congratulate her for setting challenging goals and meeting the needs of her community,”
Diaz-Balart said during the virtual medal presentation in January.
Nunez said of being chosen for the prize, “I was ecstatic, and my grandmother and mother were really happy for me,” Nunez said. “I really felt happy about that.”
Nunez has volunteered with the town for two years.
To earn the Bronze medal, she submitted a diary of the community service hours she performed and information about activities in the town, including her work at pre-pandemic events such as the Halloween Haunted House and Easter Egg Hunt.
“Flavia is an outstanding Youth Activity Task Force member and community volunteer,” said Kristina Labossiere, the town’s Leisure Services Manager. “She is always offering to lend a helping hand.
“Her great ideas and ability to take initiative make her an asset to the YATF committee.
“Congratulations Flavia!” Labossiere said. “Keep shooting for the stars and making us proud!”
Brian Rodriguez chairs the Miami Lakes Youth Activities Force and said Nunez was very deserving of the award.
“She’s an amazing student and works hard for the town,” Rodriguez said. “Hard work pays off and she’ll continue what she’s doing by working hard.”
Nunez’s mentors have inspired her to chase success and to dream of becoming a lawyer.
Her grandmother Maria Mendez was determined to make a better life for herself.
Mendez immigrated to the United States from Cuba and works as a clerk in an accounting office.
“Flavia has always been a dreamer,” Mendez said. “She reads a lot of books where characters help motivate her to do good and help people in the community.”
Nunez said of her grandmother’s influence, “She’s pushing me to be the best that I can be. She said, ‘I know you can do this because the only person who can stop you is yourself.’”
Nunez said her mom, Ileana Ludeiro, a CPA and an audit manager for the Lennar Corporation, “motivates me.”
Nunez is a junior at the School of Advanced Studies where she said she is maintaining a 4.0 GPA.
With the Student Government Association, she said she organized a drive to buy diapers, formula and baby wipes for needy parents with $3,000 in donations.
Nunez also has a personal project called Bracelets for Books.
She sells bracelets to adults and then buys books to help promote literacy.
Nunez said younger students are so active with social media that they haven’t picked up a book to read.
“They are always reaching for their tablets and phones to go on social media,” Nunez said. “I want to encourage them to read.”