The Education Fund awarded Spanish Lakes Elementary’s (SLE) newest art teacher, Jessica Castillo, a Mural Grant. The grant was funded through the Lynn & Louis Wolfson II Family Foundation and the R. Kirk Landon Foundation. The purpose of the grant was to increase student awareness in selecting healthy, organic foods and pride in their school cafeteria through art. The students used abstract painting styles to fill in their...

  The Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy will honor nine teen mentors from Miami-Dade County with Teen Trendsetters Excellence Awards for their leadership and service. Students mentoring in the foundation’s program assist first through third graders with reading during weeklong tutoring sessions.  Seventh grader, Alicia Urrutia, from Bob Graham Education Center is among the Miami-Dade County School District...

  For the past 35 years, Duke University's Talent Identification Program, or Duke TIP, has identified bright seventh graders based on standardized test scores achieved while attending elementary or middle school.  The following Dade Christian School students participated this year: Katherine De Pani, Leila Medina, Miguel Tavares and Kayla Torres. Both Tavares and Torres qualified for state recognition by scoring approximately at or...

  In the fitness industry you typically hear goals such as “I want to lose 20 pounds,” “I want to drop 10 percent body fat,” or “I want to gain 10-lbs of muscle.” Unfortunately, I also hear goals like “I need to strengthen my back because of an injury to my spine,” or “my doctor told me I need to implement an exercise regimen because of a particular wellness issue” such as...

  Michael Plana, son of longtime Miami Lakes residents Patti and Andy Plana, was promoted to Driver Engineer with the Town of Davie Fire Department during a promotion ceremony on May 1. Born and raised in Miami Lakes, Plana is a 2005 graduate of Barbara Goleman Senior High School and was the 2005 Athletic Scholar Award recipient. Plana was the first Eagle Scout of Boy Scout Troop 566 in Miami Lakes. Plana began his career with Davie...