Vanessa Valle, Miami-Dade County Schools’ 2021 Francisco R. Walker Teacher of the Year, accepted the keys on March 7 to a new Toyota Corolla sedan. Valle is an English teacher and literacy coach at Hialeah Gardens Senior High. She received her new car, from Kendall Toyota, during the United Teachers of Dade picnic at Tropical Park. School Principal Maritza Jimenez, shown at right, joined Valle. Valle also won $5,000, the school district...

Victoria DeBarros, 21, of Miami Lakes was named to the dean’s list for the fall 2019 semester at Florida International University, the school said. DeBarros, in photo at left, is majoring in biology and minoring in business. A student must have a grade point average of 3.5 or higher to achieve ranking on the list, the university said. DeBarros, FIU Class of 2021, is a graduate of Barbara Goleman Senior High School. Photo...

The Town of Miami Lakes and its Education Advisory Board are accepting applications for The Graham Companies Scholarship, to be presented by the firm. Two scholarships of $1,000 each will be awarded to graduating high school seniors who are residents of Miami Lakes. Applications must be submitted to town hall by March 31. The Education Advisory Board will select two recipients, and the winners may be announced at the April 21...

Hialeah Gardens Middle School has recognized two educators for outstanding work. Jacqueline Garcia, a trust counselor shown in top photo at left, was chosen as teacher of the year. Ernesto Galguera, a math and computer teacher who also coaches boys volleyball, basketball and track teams, who appears in the second photo, was named rookie teacher of the year. The school is at 11690 NW 92nd Ave. in Hialeah. Since 2013, the...

Flanked by Miami-Dade high school students who are making plans for their futures, Miami National College Fair Co-Chair Perla Tabares Hantman, left center, was joined by Mari Tere Rojas, school board member from District 6, on Feb. 23 at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Miami Airport & Convention Center. More than 10,000 students and parents attended the event to learn about admissions, financial aid, testing requirements and housing from...