An attorney, a judge, three educators, a dentist, an activist and a community volunteer comprise the 2021 class who are to receive Miami Lakes Women of Distinction awards on March 6. Coordinated by the Miami Lakes Cultural Affairs Committee, the awards celebrate some of the town’s most extraordinary women and their work in the fields of the arts, business, civic affairs, education, government, health...

Going above and beyond what is asked of her led to Teresa E. Murphy being named Francisco R. Walker Teacher of the Year in the Miami-Dade County school district. The accomplishment left Murphy, 50, a teacher of fourth grade students at Spanish Lake Elementary School in Hialeah, “absolutely shocked!” When the COVID-19 pandemic began nearly a year ago, Murphy had an unlikely reaction that reflects her optimistic nature. She...

Bob Graham Education Center’s Civic Engagement Academy won first place in the We the People district level competition on Jan. 7. The middle schoolers researched, studied and debated to learn about the intricacies of the U.S. Constitution, part of a program from the non-profit educational organization, Center for Civic Education. The Bobcats perfected their arguments to prepare for a simulated congressional hearing, in which they...

Harvard University has accepted a senior from Jose Marti MAST 6-12 Academy. Alejandra Beltran, 18, of Hialeah, plans to attend the Ivy League school in Boston in the fall and hopes to major in Biochemistry. Beltran, is president of her senior class, the Ten80 STEM program and The Key Club at the school, at 5701 W 24th Ave. in Hialeah. She is also a member of the youth commission for District 12 in Miami-Dade County. Beltran...

Mike Monzon was texting with a friend who told him about feeling overwhelmed. Mike is a sixth grader at Miami Lakes Middle School. He told his teacher about the message, who reached the distressed child’s trust counselor. For comforting a friend and getting help, Mike was named one of the 10 winners in December in the “Do the Right Thing Miami” campaign. The program works with law enforcement and rewards children...