The American Legion recognizes area students

 Each year, the American Legion presents awards to approximately 30,000 students for demonstrating character traits that the group calls American ideals: courage, honor, leadership, patriotism, scholarship and service.

     Young people in elementary, middle and high schools and at colleges are chosen by faculty for the Legion’s School Medal Award Program, said Gary Cardenas, commander of American Legion Post 144 in Miami Lakes.

  This year, American Legion Post 144 in Miami Lakes presented 14 medals and certificates to students in area schools. 

     Recipients include Miami Lakes K-8 Center graduates Gabriel Hernandez and Julia Perez, as well as fifth grade students there and in Palm Springs North Elementary and West Hialeah Gardens Elementary schools.  Students at Miami Lakes Middle School and Jose Marti Mast 6-12 Academy were also recognized, Cardenas said.

     The Legion also presents medals and certificates to U.S. Army Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps cadets at American Senior High School and Hialeah-Miami Lakes Senior High School, and to ROTC cadets at colleges and universities, he said.