The Miami Lakes town council and former Vice Mayor Nelson Rodriguez, an alumnus of Monsignor Edward Pace High School in Miami Gardens who is on the school’s board, recognized retiring Principal Ana Garcia on July 9 for her decades of service in education. Garcia became principal in 2004. The school “had a huge debt when she picked up Pace, more than $16 million,” Rodriguez said. “And today Pace is debt-free. So that comes with leadership.”
Garcia is also a Pace alumnus and was assistant principal for five years before leading the campus, where she added programs for students with disabilities and for those aspiring to attend Ivy League colleges. Garcia thanked the town, where many Pace students have lived and where Pace alumni serve in town government and elected office.
“Pace has been around since 1962,” she said. “It has educated, prepared and achieved amazing things with the young men and women that attend our school.”
The new principal is Lillian Dubon, who lives in Miami Lakes.
From left: Vice Mayor Tony Fernandez; Councilman Bryan Morera; former Vice Mayor Nelson Rodriguez; Ana Garcia and Councilmen Josh Dieguez and Luis Collazo. Photo: Jonathan Gil/Town of Miami Lakes.