Miami-Dade Students, Educators & Community Leaders Honored at Nova Southeastern University’s 11th Annual Cervantes Awards

Guarioné Díaz, President and Executive Director of the Cuban American National Council, receives special commendation for continued service to the Hispanic Community

Hialeah Mayor Julio Robaina, left, is congratulated by Perla Tableres Hantman, Vice Chair of the School Board of Miami-Dade County, and Superintendent Alberto Carvalho. Robaina was recognized for his outstanding contributions in education for Hispanic students.

FT. LAUDERDALE-DAVIE, Fla. – More than two dozen Miami-Dade County students and educators were recently honored at the 11th Annual Cervantes Awards for Hispanic Education, hosted by Nova Southeastern University’s (NSU) Fischler School of Education and Human Services and its Hispanic Advisory Board.

The annual awards honor those who have made a significant contribution in the education of Hispanic students in Miami-Dade County.

Parents, educators, NSU faculty and administrators gathered on Oct. 29 to honor this year’s recipients, who include student writers, outstanding educators, up and coming scholars and community leaders.

Eight awards were presented to students who competed in an essay contest about Hispanic Heritage. For Elementary School, 5th grade students shared “What I value about Hispanic culture.” Winners include: Randy Bauta, First Place (Twin Lakes Elementary); Daniel Sheikh, Second Place (Calusa Elementary); Rodolfo Rodríguez, Third Place (Dante B. Fascell Elementary.)

For Middle School, 8th grade students wrote about “Hispanic role models who have influenced my life.” Winners include: María José Alonso Torres, First Place (Gulliver Academy); José Pañeda, Second Place (Belen Jesuit Preparatory); Cynthia Ibarra, Third Place (Shenandoah Middle.)

For High School, 12th grade students explored “How my education has led me to contribute to the Hispanic community of Miami.” Winners include: Roberto Baca, Second Place (School for Advanced Studies, Wolfson Campus); Kathia Lopez, Third Place (Doral Academy Charter High School.)

Eighteen educators and community leaders were also recognized as Cervantes Outstanding Educators based on their significant efforts to support excellence in the education of Hispanic students in Miami-Dade County. They include:

Pedro Bermudez (Christopher Columbus High School), Eduardo Blanco (St. Brendan High School), Mayra Breault (Dade Christian School), Johnnie Brown (Miami Gardens Elementary School), María de Armas (South Central Regional Center), Lourdes Delgado (Shenandoah Middle School), Carlos Fernández (Royal Palm Elementary), Susan Fleming (Our Lady of Lourdes Academy), Marcelino García, SJ (Belén Jesuit Preparatory Academy), Charles E. Hankerson (Miami Northwestern Senior High School), Matti Herrera Bower (City of Miami Beach), María Jorge-Garcés (Immaculata-La Salle), Rosa Marie Lopez, SSJ (Archbishop Curley-Notre Dame High School), Julio Robaina (City of Hialeah), Alberto Rodríguez (Westland Hialeah Senior High School), Alina Rodríguez (Monsignor Edward Pace High School), Emma Rodríguez (Archbishop Coleman F. Carroll High School), and Maria Rodríguez (Ransom Everglades School.)

Maria Pena, center, is congratulated by Jamie Manburg, left, Ed.D., Dean of Undergraduate Teacher Education for the Fischler School of Education and Human Services, and Education Provost and University Dean H. Wells Singleton, Ph.D. Pena, an NSU student, was one of three recipients of a $10,000 Hispanic Heritage Scholarship. Maittee Diaz and Argentina Mendoza also received scholarships.

Additionally, three NSU students pursuing degrees in education were recognized as the recipients of a Hispanic Heritage Scholarship. The scholarships are valued at $10,000 each and were presented to Maria Pena, Maittee Diaz, and Argentina Mendoza, all of Miami.

A special Cervantes Award was also presented to Guarioné Díaz, President and Executive Director of the Cuban American National Council, a private nonprofit organization that since 1972 has helped more than 3,000 at-risk students remain in school, made 35,800 direct job placements; created more than 4,000 new jobs; awarded internships to needy students; published more than 60 policy papers and books, and built 1,700 new low and moderate income housing units.

Previously, Diaz has held management positions at New York City’s Department of Employment and the Community Development Agency. He has served on the Board of Directors of Children Have All Rights: Legal, Educational, Emotional (CHARLEE); the Hispanic Association on Corporate Responsibility; National Association for the Hispanic Elderly; National Council of La Raza; and the National Hispanic Leadership Agenda. He has also served on the Boards of The Florida Commission on Education Reform and Accountability, the National Hispanic Leadership Institute and the U.S. Census Advisory Committee on Race and Ethnic Populations. Recently, Diaz was appointed to the Verizon Community Consumer Advisory Board, and to Burger King Corporation’s Diversity Advisory Council.

In 1994, he was appointed as United States Ombudsman/Civilian Liaison at the naval base in Guantanamo, Cuba, where he assisted more than 30,000 Cuban rafters interned in camps and provided coordination among the U.S. military, and civilian government agencies, and the public at large.

Media Contact:
Andra Liwag, NSU Office of Public Affairs
954-262-5309, andrali@nova.edu