Hailie Prieto has lived most of her life in Miami Lakes and is the new chair of the town’s Youth Activities Task Force.
“It was actually something that I didn’t plan at all,” Prieto, 19, said. “I was thinking about that day, and I knew we had elections coming up. I’ve always been an advocate for the youth being civically engaged. I have been an advocate [of that] since my freshman year of high school.”
Prieto said the task force is something she loved and wanted to give it her own spin.
Since July 2022, she has volunteered with the dozen adults and kids who organize events such as the Bike Rodeo and Safety Day; Movies at the Park [now called Winter Fest]; Nightmare on Montrose Halloween Event and the Spring Fling Easter Egg Hunt.
She is also a member of the town’s Education Advisory Board and is vice chair of the board of directors of Virtutem Populo, which encourages students to become engaged in government.
By volunteering to become chair of the Youth Activities Task Force, she hopes to bring fresh ideas.
During her time on it, Prieto said she really enjoyed the Nightmare on Montrose Halloween event.
“Halloween is my favorite holiday,” Prieto said. “I love bringing that joy to the children as well.”
Prieto works as the clerical assistant for Miami-Dade County Public Schools School Board member Roberto J. Alonso.
She will graduate in April with an associate degree in Arts from Miami Dade College, and will attend Florida International University in the fall.
She plans to major in political science on a pre-law track, with a minor in history.
Prieto lives in town with her parents Demi Yero and Pierre Prieto, and brothers Xadrian Prieto, 13, Xavien Prieto, 7, and her grandmother Elizabeth Castellanos.
Q: Where are you from and what is your background?
A: My background is Cuban and Mexican. My mom’s side is fully Cuban, on my dad’s side, his father was fully Cuban and my grandmother who lives with us is fully Mexican and was born in Mexico. I’m from Miami Lakes; my grandmother owned a house in Miami Lakes since the ‘80s. When I was about three years old, we moved [to town] from Miami Gardens.
Q: What do you like most about Miami Lakes?
A: I would say how much of a community we are no matter what it is. If it’s an event or like a running club, we’re so much of a community. Even with the schools, every classroom has a group chat and I just love how much of a community we really are. I think we get [branded with] the stereotype [that] we’re not friendly, but I think we are. We really care for each other, and I think everyone is really kind. You can go to Ale House and find anyone you know because it’s such a small town.
Everyone has run into the council members and the mayor, they’re at all the events. I love how they’re so easily accessible. I also like how involved we are with the community. ... A lot of cities have events but not committees, and it’s for the good [that] we have that opportunity.
Q: What do you dislike about the town?
A: I think everyone believes it’s the traffic by Optimist Park on Northwest 67th Avenue. The good thing is it’s only there for a few hours. You just need to know the back ways to get around it.
Q: What are the responsibilities of your current position and what do you hope to accomplish?
A: I would say the same responsibilities as any of the other chairs, but just a little bit more because I am seen as a role model for students in the town. There’s a lot of students interested in joining the Youth Activities Task Force. It’s a lot more than making agendas, showing up to events. It’s more about thinking about what I am doing to teach the students about civic engagement, the town, the town’s history, about events, about work skills, [and] how am I doing that and doing that the right way. It’s more so about affecting other people than myself, because there are so many residents that come out to these events. It’s a lot to think about, but at the end of the day after these events, it’s really rewarding. And seeing these students look back and be like, ‘Wow, I volunteered for this event,’ ‘I am on the committee that did this event,’ I see that they’re very proud of themselves and I get proud for them as well.
I think any new chair would think this way: [Stage] bigger events without using taxpayer [dollars] and using [the money] appropriately, which we always have done; securing sponsorships that can benefit our events and making them bigger and bigger and more fun and accessible for the community.
Q: What would you rather have done, what was your fantasy career?
A: I’ve been thinking about this a lot, because I would say I have a lot of mentors within my job and within the community. I’m still figuring it out. I for sure want to go to law school, get my [Juris Doctorate] and become an attorney for a few years and then see where life takes me. I do have a plan for my life until 2050. It’s this little sheet that has everything … My parents ask what I would do if I don’t become a lawyer and there is no other option, [but] I would be a teacher. I really enjoy teaching children.
Q: What books are you reading, and are there any podcasts that you’re listening to?
A: I’m not a podcast person, but in terms of books I bought three books for the new year. I recently read “The Let Them Theory” by Mel Robbins.
Q: What have you streamed/binge-watched on TV?
A: I have watched every show on the planet. I have recently watched “Love is Blind.”
Q: Where did you last travel to on vacation?
A: I recently went to Tallahassee with Virtutem Populo.