Superintendent of Miami-Dade County Public Schools, Alberto M. Carvalho, attended the 2014-2015 Student RoundTable event held at Barbara Goleman Senior High School on February 6.
A small group of representative students from each Miami-Dade high school in the north region were invited to attend the event and engage in a question and answer session with the superintendent.
High schools represented at the event included Miami Norland Senior High, American Senior High, Hialeah Miami Lakes Senior High, North Miami Beach Senior High, Miami Lakes Educational Center and Technical College, Westland Hialeah Senior High, Jose Marti MAST 6-12 Academy, Hialeah Gardens Senior High, Miami Carol City Senior High, Barbara Goleman Senior High, Dr. Michael Krop Senior High, North Miami Senior High, Miami Beach Senior High, Alonzo and Tracy Mourning Senior High, MAST at FIU, and Hialeah Senior High.
After Goleman principal Joaquin Hernandez and Goleman Senior Class President Alec Llerena welcomed the students and the Superintendent, Carvalho began the session with some personal history in an effort for the students to see him beyond "the suit and tie." A large portion of Carvalho's history lies in his family roots and his love for education, topics that drive him to this day to continue improving education and the school system.
“Your age group is called many things,” said Carvalho referring to the popular phrase “millenials.” “But I believe you are the enlightened generation. You are communicative and you are curious which is a formula that makes adults uncomfortable sometimes.”
What followed was an intelligent discussion on the changes being made to the school system, the General Obligation bond, reaching past barriers for success, the importance of the arts within schools, and social media etiquette.
Carvalho left the students with a word of advice: “When you climb the ladder of success, be careful. Look down so you don’t step on anyone on your way up. Look to the sides to always lift someone else up with you. And look up towards the place you are reaching for.”