For the 2017-2018 school year, Xierra Itayem was named Teacher of the Year for Mater Lakes Academy Middle School. Itayem has a Bachelor's in Arts and a minor in Art History from Florida International University. Her background is in theater arts as well, specializing in musical theater and set design. With her education set, she has been teaching Studio Art, AP Art and AP Art History for four years now. She loves directing plays and musicals...

Monsignor Edward Pace High School seniors Qiana Pierre and David Barbier Jr. were selected as the first-ever Posse Scholar Foundation recipients from the school.The two students received fully paid academic scholarships for all four years in college.Pierre will be attending Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts, while Barbier is headed to Syracuse University in New York.The Posse Scholar Foundation partners with college and universities and...

Sandra Miles has been named Teacher of the Year at Dade Christian School (DCS) where she has faithfully served as the Pre-K 4 teacher for nearly 20 years. Her passion for educating young minds is undeniable and the impact she has made at DCS is immeasurable. Her goal is to make the most of every moment she has with her students. Miles strives to make their pre-school program stand outthrough her dedication to implementing a rigorous phonics...

Dade Christian School (DCS) graduate and now first grade teacher Jessica Cubas, has been awarded Rookie Teacher of the Year. Although this is her first year teaching at DCS, one would think she is a veteran educator by the manner in which she conducts her classroom. Her passion and excitement for learning are evidenced by the way she interacts with her students. “Mrs. Cubas is a rare first year teacher with a great balance for understanding...

Larry D. Cooper, American Senior High’s Rookie Teacher of the Year, is a person who has extensive background in sales, management and customer service skills. On the surface, one might not see the correlation between sales ability and teaching skills but Cooper’s classroom success show that they are one in the same. About seven years ago, Cooper was watching the movie “Larry Crowne”, a movie in which Tom Hanks played the role of a manager at...