Monsignor Edward Pace High School seniors Michael Barcelo, Mia Bravo, Daniel Labrousse, Maya Lora and Brian Rodriguez are the school’s 2016 nominees for the prestigious Silver Knight community service awards given by The Miami Herald and El Nuevo Herald.
Barcelo, Pace’s nominee in the Science category, has worked tirelessly to raise funds and awareness in the fight against cancer. The topic is close to Barcelo’s heart as he is a survivor of childhood leukemia. He and his friends formed “Team Mooo” to raise money and help others fight cancer since their elementary school days at Our Lady of the Lakes Catholic School and continued their efforts at Pace. The group raised thousands of dollars last year for the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life in Miami Lakes.
Bravo is the nominees in the World Languages category. She has made her community service an international effort. Starting in her freshmen year, Bravo created the organization Calzando Caminos, which collects gently used shoes and sends them to impoverished children in Colombia.
Labrousse is the nominee in the Business category. Labrousse was primarily recognized for creating and running the Something to Give organization, which has aided the needy in Miami through monthly feedings of the homeless, giving away hygienic kits and blankets, collecting donations for children’s shoes and clothing, and many other activities. The group recently became an official ministry of the St. Rose of Lima Church.
Lora who is the nominee for the English Literature category, has been heavily involved at Pace through her writing, as her articles have been published in The Miami Laker and the Florida Catholic newspapers, as well as the Archdiocese of Miami website. She is currently the Editor-in-Chief of Pace's Spartan City Press newspaper and works as a copy editor for Pace's Torch yearbook. To give back to her community, Lora established a tutoring program at Mother of Our Redeemer Catholic School where she mentors elementary and middle school students to develop their skills and a love of reading and writing.
The last nominee in the Social Science category is Rodriguez, son of Miami Lakes Councilmember and Pace alumnus Nelson Rodriguez. He has dedicated himself to being involved in city government as part of the Miami Lakes Youth Activities Task Force. As part of the Miami Dade Youth Commission, he has also worked closely with District 13 County Commissioner Esteban Bovo Jr. to organize and promote different events in Miami Lakes and neighboring cities. He says his main goal is getting more youths engaged in politics, even presenting ideas to the Miami-Dade League of Cities on how they can form their own youth commissions in their cities.