Miami Dolphins fans might feel a little strange watching former defensive end Olivier Vernon in a New York Giants uniform for the upcoming season.But for Vernon, his heart will always be in Miami where his roots lie.He graduated from American High School and played at the University of Miami, and the Dolphins selected him in the third round of the 2012 NFL draft.Playing for his hometown team was a dream well-founded but an offer that made him...

Mater Academy’s Middle School baseball team won its third consecutive Miami-Dade Middle School League Championship in a postseason tournament in May at the Grapeland Water Park. The victory represented the Lions’ third consecutive championship for the junior varsity team, making the group of seventh and eighth graders among the best of their peers in Miami-Dade County. Some members of the team will play varsity baseball starting...

Ryan Campos, a 10th grade-student at Barbara Goleman Senior High, served as Miami Lakes honorary Mayor for a Day on June 24 at Town Hall. He was selected by Mayor Michael Pizzi for his various engagements in community service including as a member of the Miami Lakes Youth Center Council. Campos checked out the Mayor’s chair on the dais and then visited the Mayor’s office.“The first thing I did was visit the Police Department...

Baseball players who graduated from local schools were taken in last month’s MLB amateur draft, the first step of fulfilling a lifelong dream of playing in the pros. University of Miami and former Mater Academy outfielder Willie Abreu was selected by the Colorado Rockies in the sixth round of the draft.  As a  junior, Abreu registered a .283 batting average, 127 hits, 75 RBI  and seven home runs.He was named to the...

Spanish Lake Elementary fifth grade teacher, Lesley Caraballo, implemented a new program at the school in an effort to link graduates to graduating seniors at Miami-Dade County schools who also attended SLE. The school first opened its doors in 2007 and with the launch of this program seniors have returned to their alma mater to speak about their experiences and plans after graduation. The program took place the last week of...