Valerie Michelle Castañeda, an eighth grade student at Miami Lakes Middle School, has been selected for the Florida All State Band. A resident of Miami Lakes, Castañeda is in her third year as a clarinetist for the school’s superior-ranked Warrior Band program and serves as the band’s co-captain. In January, Castañeda, along with MLMS band director Ana Peña, will travel to Tampa to participate...

  When students who have taken a class with Erica Evans-DeSimone think back on their experience in her classroom, there are plenty of unpleasant words crossing their minds. In spite of her demanding tests and warm-ups, “Miami Lakes Education Center’s Most Intimidating Teacher” is one instructor that everyone is bound to come back to visit, even more so after winning her latest moniker: Teacher of the Year. Even after...

  Utilizing the communications technology in the school’s Innovation Center, Monsignor Edward Pace High School students chatted with a rocket engineer from Space X through Skype on October 22. Students from Laura Lima’s Math Analysis class listened and asked questions from Stephan Suarez, production manager of Merlin Rocket Engines at SpaceX. Suarez received his bachelors degree from the University of Miami and his masters...

  On October 10, Miami-Dade County Public Schools (MDCPS) kicked off the 2015 Army JROTC Raider Season with American Senior High School serving as the host school. The event included over 300 participants and spectators from across Miami and Broward County to observe teams going head to head in the grueling 5-event iron man type competition. Competing school Army and Air Force JROTC teams were from high schools Miami Coral Park, South...

  Sebastian Salas, an engineering senior at Miami Lakes Educational Center, broke barriers by becoming the youngest SolidWorks certified expert in the nation, an incredible feat for someone who is only 17 years old. SolidWorks is a company that offers complete 3D software tools to create, simulate, publish and manage data used by engineers, designers and other technology professionals. While his family and friends are excited and joyful...