Viper Principal: 2010

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Band of Mystery

The Felix Varela Band of Mystery went to Tampa, Florida this weekend to perform on Saturday 11/20/2010 at State Championships and accomplished many great things.

They won the Semi-Final event and were awarded Best Music and Best Percussion. I am honored by those awards which designate our program as having the highest level of music performing in our class in the State Competitive Circuit. This means our kiddies can play their instruments well and are able to perform literature at a high level.

The success at Semi-Finals Qualified the Band program for Finals that night at the Tropicana Dome in Tampa, Florida. This was the first time in the school's history that our band program makes it to Finals. Many spectators and schools were cheering for our Band of Mystery, as well as ALL of the other Miami-Dade Bands. Only 2 bands from Miami made it to Finals and Varela was one of them. At finals the students performed very well and ended up in third place for the State, even after some of our percussion instruments fell apart marching onto the field. This is all amazing when you consider there are hundreds of bands in Florida and our little band is one of the top ones.

Jon Kersten Memorial Scholarship Award

Felix Varela's Drum Major Anthony Williams, Senior, was awarded a Scholarship and Certificate. He received the Jon Kersten Memorial Scholarship Award for outstanding Musician. Only five students in the State received this Award and Anthony was one of them.

Congratulations to him for his hard work and dedication.

Region IV Rookie Teacher of the Year

Congratulations to Mr. Chris Illa, band director at Felix Varela Sr. High School for being named Region IV Rookie Teacher of the Year.

FDOT Public Hearing

This year there will be a new way to participate in the Florida Department of Transportation’s Work Program Public Hearing. It will be streamed online so interested persons will be able to participate by e-mailing or phoning in comments or questions.

Please help inform the public of this opportunity by
• posting the public hearing dates on your organization’s calendar
• e-mailing the attached electronic flier to your members or constituents and/or
• posting the attached e-flier on your website.

There will be a link to the Work Program on the FDOT construction website www.fdotmiamidade.com where viewers will be able to preregister beginning November 26 to participate online, and where all related materials will be available. Your opinion is important to the department. FDOT project managers will be on hand to hear your thoughts and answer your questions.

Those who attend the public hearing online will be able to view two-minute pre-recorded segments on major FDOT projects, as well as the live portion of the public hearing. Online participants will have the opportunity to submit questions or comments via e-mail or phone.

• Miami-Dade County Public Hearing
Thursday, December 2, 7 p.m.
FDOT District Six Auditorium
1000 NW 111th Ave., Miami

• Online Public Hearing can be viewed
Thursday, December 2, 7 p.m.
at www.fdotmiamidade.com/workprogram

• Monroe County Public Hearing
Wednesday, December 8, 6 p.m.
Marathon Government Center
2798 Overseas Highway, (Mile Marker 50), Marathon

Friday, October 29, 2010

Important News about Miami Dade College

 MDC’s admission application fee has been increased from $20 to $30 as of October 18, 2010.

 Students will be charged a $3 per credit beginning in the fall of 2011. This “access and parking” fee will automatically be included with tuition. For instance, a student taking 12 credits will be charged $36 that semester. All parking and access fees will go toward construction, the hiring of public safety patrols, parking attendants and operational expenses college wide.

 The Miami Culinary Institute, the first public program of its kind in South Florida will open its door in January, 2011. The eight-story building located at the Wolfson Campus includes a state-of-the-art food and wine demonstration kitchen, three floors of kitchen laboratories and fine dining restaurant overlooking the port of Miami. The program plans to have 100 students by January. Visit: www.miamidadeculinary.com

 New program for quicker degrees: The Wolfson Campus initiated two programs that will allow student to earn their associate degree in one year! Tracks are offered in information technology and business administration. The program is comprised of four-week classes, rather than the traditional 16 weeks. Classes are set up in a virtual and traditional way, where the course materials are delivered in face-to-face personal settings, as well as in online sessions. All the classes are mapped out before so that students completely understand and are fully aware of their responsibilities. Students are offered orientation, advisement and other sessions where they can discuss their concerns with faculty members and advisers. For more information contact:
~ Mr. Eugene “Chris” Kinnaird, Dept. Chairperson, (305) 237-3928, ekinnair@mdc.edu
~ Mr. Pierre Carrasquilla, Business Coordinator, (305) 237-3498, pcarrasq@mdc.edu

 Miami Book Fair International- eight days, more than 300 authors, hundreds of exhibitors an millions of books!!
November 14-21, 2010 Street Fair: Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 19, 20, 21. You are all invited!!!

UF Priority Deadline

The freshman application deadline is November 1. Please submit the completed online application at www.uf.edu no later than the end of the day (November 1st) to be considered on-time. Freshman applications received after November 1 will receive a decision on a space-available basis only.
Few students are admitted purely on academic merit. While the potential for academic success is a primary consideration, UF's comprehensive holistic application review also considers personal essays, academic awards, extracurricular activities, family background and home community. All information in the applicant's file, academic and non-academic, is considered in relation to the size and strength of the applicant pool for that class.

• Submit your online application, including essay and résumé sections, by November 1, no later than 12:00 am (midnight) Eastern Standard Time. Applications received after November 1 will receive a decision on a space-available basis only. www.uf.edu

• $30 application fee, submitted online or mailed by check or money order. If sending fee waiver, choose check or money order option and attach fee waiver.
• Arrange to have official high school transcripts sent to UF (please see Mrs. Pulido in Attendance)

• Arrange to have official ACT plus Writing and/or SAT scores sent directly to UF from the testing service (UF will accept SAT/ACT scores until December from the testing agency)

Posse Scholarship

Please congratulate the following Felix Varela students who were selected as Posse Scholarship finalists. Now they select 10 students after an interview with the university. If selected as a Posse Scholar they will receive a four-year, full-tuition, merit-leadership scholarship worth approximately $160,000.

This is a great accomplishment since they were chosen from over 900 nominated students.

Jessica Fernandez- Mount Holyoke College
Sohaib Ahmad-University of Pennsylvania
Fatimah Abdullahi-University of Pennsylvania

Help the Band Win some $

We need help!!! Please help us win.... we really need the money to keep the band program growing. When you click on the link http://www.wkis.com/marchingbands/
scroll down to find Felix Varela HS. Click on the video, when the video screen shows up write the letters and numbers your going to see below the video then click vote. We really need your help.

Band of Mystery

This past Saturday October 25, 2010 the Band of Mystery performed in competition at the Hialeah Showcase of Champions. Our band students performed extremely well.

Not only did they accomplish all of these great achievements, but they also were awarded first runner up in the evening with a score of 86.00. This is an amazing accomplishment considering that the one group ahead of them is about three times the size of ours. This score of 86.00 is the highest score in Varela history and places us first overall in our county over all schools and first in the state in our class.

Superior:
-Drum Majors
-Percussion
-Woodwinds
-Brass
-Auxiliary
-Music
-Visual
-General Effect

With Distinction:
-Percussion
-Visual
-General Effect
-Music
-Drum Major

Best in Class
-Drum Major
-General Effect
-Music
-Visual

1st place in Class 3A(we are really a 1A) 1st Runner up for the evening.

The last local event we will be performing at is this Saturday at the FIU Stadium For the FBA District Assessment. Please come out and support OUR band program!!! We will be performing at 4:15pm this Saturday.

Please congratulate any Band students you see, they are doing amazing things.

2010 Homecoming Queen

Please see the story aired on WSVN Channel 7 on Melissa Valencia, our Homecoming Queen.

Varela 2010 Homecoming Queen

Office Employee of the Year

Congratulations to Ms. Ada de la Cruz who was named the Varela Office Employee of the Year.

The Princeton Prize in Race Relations

• Since 2006, the Princeton University Alumni Council of South Florida has sponsored an awards program for high school students - .
• High school students involved in activities that are helping to improve race relations in your school or community are encouraged to apply.
• A cash award of $1,000 will be awarded to the first prize winner and certificates of accomplishment will be presented to other students worthy of recognition at a distinguished ceremony.
• The first prize winner also will be awarded a trip, in spring 2011, to the Princeton University Campus for the Princeton Prize Symposium on Race, where he/she will attend a two-day conference with other winners from around the country, local high school students, Princeton faculty, and Princeton Prize volunteers.
• Information regarding the scholarship application process will be provided to the Senior High School Student Services Department Chairs, at their Technical Assistance Meeting on November 9th.
• Attached is a copy of an article about last year's winners.
• Applications are available at www.princeton.edu/pprize and must be postmarked by January 31, 2011.

Hispanic Scholarship Fund

• The Hispanic Scholarship Fund (HSF) works to provide financial support to Latinos going to college and educates students and families about the resources available for paying for a post-secondary education.
• The goal of HSF is to double the rate of Hispanics earning a college degree and significantly reduce public expenditures on social services, health, law enforcement and other social programs.
• Over $195 million in scholarships have been granted by HSF to date to the Hispanic community.
• To this end, HSF is hosting the "College is Possible" event on Saturday, October 30, 2010, at 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon, at Miami-Dade College - Kendall Campus that is FREE and open to the public.
• Presentations will include information on preparing for college admissions, and researching financial aid and scholarship opportunities.
• During the College Expo, participants will receive information about career and post-secondary education options.
• The attached flier has been distributed to the College Assistance Program Advisors.

Friday, October 1, 2010

Celebrity Scoop Night

Celebrity Scoop Night

Come see Ms. Navarro, Mr. Galardi and Ms. Fins
scoop ice cream for you.

50% of all profits that night will go to the Miracles for Madison Fund

We will also have Dollies for Madison available for donations!!!

Haagen Dazs
At the Falls
October 5th
6pm-9pm

See You There!!!!

National Hispanic Recognition Program

It is a privilege to recognize Lainie Velasquez who has been selected as a 2010-11 National Hispanic Recognition Program Scholar by the College Board.

This year the NHRP is recognizing 5,000 students selected from a pool of over 200,000students who took the 2009 PSAT and identified themselves as Hispanic/Latino.

We are very proud of Lainie.

Journalism Teacher wins National Award

The Dow Jones News Fund has named Elizabeth Cardenas, Journalism teacher at Varela as one of four Special Recognition Advisors Award Recipients.

All winners will be honored at the JEA/NSPA convention in Kansas City in November.

We are very proud of Mrs. Cardenas' efforts, which benefit both the students and communications industry.

CONGRATS, Mrs Cardenas

Thursday, September 30, 2010

Virtual College Open House

CollegeWeekLive has 14 opportunities for your students to connect with colleges and admissions experts this October. This month's online events include a Federal Student Aid day, regional shows for California and Ohio, and college-specific virtual open houses.

October College Week Live Events:

Friday, October 1
FEDERAL STUDENT AID DAY

Tuesday, October 5
University of Florida

Wednesday, October 6
Roger Williams University

Thursday, October 7
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA DAY

Tuesday, October 12
University of South Florida

Wednesday, October 13
CollegeWeekLive OHIO DAY

Friday, October 15
Louisiana State University at Shreveport

Monday, October 18
University of California, San Diego

Tuesday, October 19
University of California, Santa Barbara

Wednesday, October 20
University of Houston - Victoria

Thursday, October 21
Apply to Bentley Day

Friday, October 22
University of California, Irvine VIRT

Tuesday, October 26
Washington State University VIR

Thursday, October 28
University of California, Riverside

Click here for full schedule of events

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Open House

Monday, September 13
Resource Fair 6 pm - 7 pm
Open Hoiuse 7pm - 8:20 pm

DIXON BUILDING AT VARELA

While Felix Varela High will never be confused with a powerhouse football program, Dixon is out to change that as the Vipers are stacked with talent this year and can be considered as one of the teams that can make a playoff spot.

Varela already has Undray Clark committed to the University of Maryland and other players receiving Division 1 offers.

Read more: http://miamiherald.typepad.com/hssports/2010/09/menocal-dixon-and-hardy-on-radio.html#ixzz0yqz56FsK

Tuesday, August 31, 2010

College Visits

Juniors and Seniors
Don’t miss these opportunities

A representative from the following colleges and universities will be visiting Felix Varela Senior High School doing local presentations.
Please sign up in the CAP-Office in room #09 during lunch to receive a pass to attend these presentations. This is an excellent opportunity to obtain admission applications and information on scholarships and financial aid.

UNIVERSITY NAME DATE TIME ROOM
Florida Atlantic University 09-02-10 9:00 a.m. 14
University of Florida 09-22-10 1:30 a.m. Cafeteria
Boston University 10-13-10 10:00 a.m. 14
Florida International University 10-13-10 1:30 p.m. C afeteria
University of South Florida 10-14-10 1:30 p.m. Cafeteria
Florida State University 10-18-10 1:30 p.m. Cafeteria
University of Central Florida 10-21-10 :30 p.m. Cafeteria
Salem College 10-27-10 1:30 p.m. 14

See Ms. Clara Gonzalez, CAP Advisor for a pass.

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Graduation 2010

The 2010 graduation was a wonderful ceremony. We were honored with having Superintendent of Schools, Mr. Alberto Carvalho give a keynote speech.

A heartfelt thank you to faculty, staff, parents and students for making it a memorable morning. And remember : You become what you believe you are; so if you ever dream to become an eagle follow your dreams, not the words of a chicken.

Friday, May 14, 2010

Mass Mutual Scholars Program Scholarships

MassMutual Scholars Program
Scholarships will be awarded to African American/
Black, Asian/Pacific Islander American and
Hispanic American students.
Eligibility Criteria:
• Be of African American/Black, Asian/Pacific Islander
or Hispanic descent.
• Be entering your sophomore, junior, senior or fifth-year senior year,
and be enrolled full-time at a U.S. accredited college or university.
• Be a U.S. Citizen or a legal permanent resident of the United States.
• Have a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 on a
4.0 scale.
• Students must be majoring in:
Business Economics
Finance Financial Planning
Management Marketing or Sales
• Students must reside in one of the following metropolitan areas:
Atlanta,GA Central New Jersey
Chicago, IL Denver, CO
Houston, TX Los Angeles, CA
Miami, FL San Antonio, TX
San Francisco, CA
MassMutual is proud to sponsor the
MassMutual Scholars Program
presented by the Hispanic Scholarship
Fund (HSF), UNCF and the Asian & Pacific
Islander American Scholarship Fund
(APIASF).
A total of $135,000 in scholarships are
available for the school year!
Application Deadline:
May 30, 2010
Apply on-line at:
www.hsf.net/massmutual.aspx
©

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Florida Council for Economic Education

Danny Vinat, Social Studies teacher from Felix Varela Sr was honored to receive the 31st Annual Florida Governor’s Award from the Florida Council for Economic Education. He received the award for entrepreneurship for “The Apprentice” project he does with his Economics students.

CONGRATULATIONS DANNY !!!

Monday, May 10, 2010

NJROTC @ Miami Military Museum

On April 24, 2010, Felix Varela cadets had the opportunity to meet the Honorable Mario Diaz-Balart, US Representative and the Honorable Jose “Pepe” Diaz, County Commission during the ground breaking ceremony of the Miami Military Museum and Veterans Memorial.

CISCO Champions

Our students are Network Champions for the district!!

In district-wide Cisco Networking competitions, two of our students took First Place:

Robert Cyr – Network Cabling

Mario Martinez – Network Design

These young men even beat out two technology magnet schools: Miami Lakes Technical Center and Miami Central.

Both men performed admirably. Robert was the first student who completed the cabling project without any errors. He demonstrated focus and confidence as he swept the competition. Mario’s network design impressed the judges, two of which were Cisco engineers. The engineers made a point of stating that Mario’s solution was even better than their own, and they used Mario’s solution as the answer key for the rest of the competition. They are even considering an internship for Mario – something Cisco does not normally do.

If you see Robert or Mario, please give them a big CONGRATS! There were absolutely amazing.

And Varela, once again, shows off our excellent networking program. We are small, but mighty!!!!

Thursday, May 6, 2010

Varela Boys Volleyball

The Varela boys volleyball team picked up a major playoff victory against the second seed Westminster Warriors. The Vipers were led by hall of famer Roger Garcia who completely took over the game. He not only led the teams in kills but he also played a new role as setter. Not many people could change roles like that at the end of a season and still dominate. Kevin Vivanco and Billy Baez also came up with big stats to lead the vipers to the district championship tonight versus the Palmetto Panthers @7:00 @ Coral reef.

Tuesday, May 4, 2010

Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Scholarship

Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Scholarship

Scholarship Information and Criteria

Selected recipients will receive a scholarship of $1,000.00. This will be paid in two Payments

Applicants must meet the following criteria:
Be a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen with a valid Social Security number
Be a High School graduating senior from a Miami-Dade County Public School.
Have an overall cumulative grade point average of a 2.5 or higher on a 4.0 grading scale.
Must provide (3) Letters of Recommendation from any combination of persons listed below:
High School Teachers
High School Guidance Counselor or CAP Advisor
Community Leader

Submit a typed 500-word essay on the following topic:

“The Values and Importance of a College Education”

Provide proof of a completed community Service Activity as required for High School Graduation

Application Deadline: Monday, May 10, 2010

College Borad Resources

The College Board has created an online guide on the following PSAT resources:

· My College QuickStart

o Personality Profiler

o SAT Study Plan

o Online PSAT Score Report

o College Matches

o Major & Career Matches

· AP Potential

· Summary of Answers and Skills (SOAS)

The web link is http://cbpd.na4.acrobat.com/tbwxiz5.2xtx5k/. This is a great link to share with your schools. It offers insight, and answers many questions educators and students may still have.

Varela hosts "Senior" Prom

West Kendall Students host prom for senior citizens

By LATOYA BURGESS
lburgess@MiamiHerald.com

A group of South Miami-Dade high school students spent a recent Saturday giving new meaning to the term ``senior prom.''

The Key Club at Felix Varela Senior High School in West Kendall hosted a senior citizen's prom earlier this month for residents of the nearby Coral Reef Senior Nursing home, 9869 SW 152nd Ter.

Seniors at the prom played alphabet bingo and dice games that included prizes like socks, candles and playing cards.

Key Club president Sanah Faroke, a senior at Varela High, said the prom was her idea and a fun way to do something that benefits the community.

``One reason the Key Club created this prom is to aid those who need a little sunshine in their lives and to show that there is still kindness in the world,'' Sanah said.

Key Club members Ena Marie Montero and Alissa Alayeto wowed the crowd with their own rendition of Lee Ann Womack's I Hope You Dance.

Among the 30 senior citizens at the prom, all in wheelchairs, sat author John Holman, who published a book that chronicles his fight with cerebral palsy and how he hasn't been able to speak for several years.

Because Holman cannot talk, he designed a communication board with common words so that he can convey messages to the public.

Holman sat front and center listening attentively to Ena Marie and Alissa's performance. He pointed out the words: THIS-IS-GREAT.

Dorothy ``Dot'' Keim, 86, was crowned prom queen. She said the song reminded her of her dancing days when she was a young woman living in New York.

``I used to go dancing with my husband all the time,'' she said. ``He loved to dance, and he was the cutest man: tall, dark hair, light eyes. We'd dance to all kinds of music, I loved it.''

Betty Patterson, 69, who has lived at the nursing home for about two months, said her favorite part of the prom was the raffle, in which she won a prize she thinks was tailor-made for her.

``I love ballet, and I won a ballerina figurine,'' Patterson said. ``I'm really glad these students came out here and did this for us.''

Janice Lewis, a science teacher and advisor of the school's Key Club, also works as a sponsor for the international organization. She said the club benefits the community at large and that the students have a lot to gain, as well.

``Our club is primarily based on being a servant to the community,'' Lewis said. ``But we also expose out students to etiquette, how to get jobs and how to represent themselves.''

Key Club International is the oldest and largest service program for high school students, boasting approximately 250,000 members and representing 30 countries.

Each Key Club member pays an annual fee of $15. Varela's Key Club currently has 40 paying members.

Lewis says she is hoping to expand that number.

``My job is so wonderful because I get to cater to the needs of each individual student,'' Lewis said. ``A lot of students don't understand how important it is to get on the right track early.''

Newspaper Article

Florida FFA

GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA - Florida FFA is pleased to announce those students who have submitted an application to receive the coveted State FFA Degree. The State FFA Degree is the highest honor bestowed upon any regular member of the Florida FFA Association.

The 2010 State Degree applicants from Felix Varela Sr are:

Kathryn McBryde
Claudia Morejon
Kevin Rodriguez
Reymon Salvador

Creative Visions Art Show

The following Felix Varela Art Students that have been chosen to exhibit in our district’s Creative Visions Art Show. We have won the Catalog cover, 2nd place, and 2Honorable Mentions as well. Please congratulate these talented students if you know them.

Buu Huynh
12
Felix Varela Senior High
Dianne Romero

David Rojas
12
Felix Varela Senior High
Dan Dawes

Karla Martinez
12
Felix Varela Senior High
Dan Dawes

Lauren Mercado
11
Felix Varela Senior High
Dan Dawes

Ariel Calderon
11
Felix Varela Senior High
Maria Lantigua

Paul Japaz
12
Felix Varela Senior High
Maria Lantigua

Anamarie Montero
12
Felix Varela Senior High
Maria Lantigua

Randol Martinez
12
Felix Varela Senior High
Elaine Evans

Yennifer Barona
12
Felix Varela Senior High
Elaine Evans

Maia Vergno
12
Felix Varela Senior High
Elaine Evans

Lucia Almerares
12
Felix Varela Senior High
Elaine Evans

Paul Japaz
12
Felix Varela Senior High
Elaine Evans

Randol Martinez
12
Felix Varela Senior High
Elaine Evans

Bianca Khan
12
Felix Varela Senior High
Elaine Evans
2nd Place

Fernando Gutierrez
12
Felix Varela Senior High
Elaine Evans
Honorable Mention

Marielle Baliwis
12
Felix Varela Senior High
Elaine Evans

Meylin Rojas
12
Felix Varela Senior High
Elaine Evans

Randol Martinez
12
Felix Varela Senior High
Elaine Evans

Tyrenne Saloman
12
Felix Varela Senior High
Elaine Evans

Elizabeth Arango
12
Felix Varela Senior High
Elaine Evans

Marlin Acosta Catalog Cover
12
Felix Varela Senior High
Heather Cipriani
Catalog Cover

Umer Farooq
12
Felix Varela Senior High
Heather Cipriani

Vanessa Castellanos Honorable Mention
12
Felix Varela Senior High
Heather Cipriani
Honorable Mention

Signing to Barry University

Congratulations to Derrick Bolanos for signing an athletic and academic scholarship to attend Barry University in the fall.

Derrick led the Vipers to a record of 15-7, best in school history. A 2nd Team All-Dade selection, he averaged 20 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 steals in his senior season. By signing today he becomes the first boys basketball player in school history to sign a scholarship!

Visit w/ Congressman Mario Diaz Balart

Some of our ESOL kids traveled to Washington DC last week. A couple of them have been in this country for just 8 months.

They were lucky enough to have met with Congressman Mario Diaz Balart were able to ask him questions and share their opinions. They participated in workshops about immigration, education, and other interesting topics and they visited the White House, The Capitol, and many museums. They did a great job there and learned a lot about the government and the election process.

If you have Jonathan and Steffan Blanco, Jose Vila, David Romero, Daniela Suarez, and Daniela Sequeira, please, give them a pat on their backs. They were amazing!

2010 Agricultural Proficiency Award Finalist

NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release
Contact: Ronnie Simmons
Ph: 352.378.0060

2010 Agricultural Proficiency Award Finalist
GAINESVILLE, FL – Florida FFA is pleased to announce the finalists for the 2010 Agricultural Proficiency Award program. More than 230 applicants from throughout Florida submitted applications within this program. The Agricultural Proficiency Award program rewards FFA members at the local, state and national levels for
exceptional accomplishments and excellence in a Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE) program. These supervised programs are planned, practical activities that are conducted outside of class time that help students develop and apply agricultural knowledge and skills learned inside the classroom. These programs can include
entrepreneurship, placement, or research and experimentation.

Felix Varela Senior, Kevin Rodriguez is the only finalist representing Miami-Dade County Public Schools this year for Environmental Science. CONGRATUALTIONS !!

28th Annual Museum Education and Art Technology Programs Exhibition

The Opening Reception for the 28th Annual Museum Education and Art Technology Programs Exhibition

The following students will be presenting their work:
Lauren Mercado
gr 11
Felix Varela Senior High
Art Teacher, Dianne Romero

Tyrenne Salomon
gr 12
Felix Varela Senior High
Art Teacher, Dianne Romero

Jennifer Rodriguez
gr 12
Felix Varela Senior High
Art Teacher, Dianne Romero

Alex Reyes
gr 12
Felix Varela Senior High
Art Teacher, Dianne Romero

Samuel Zaglul
gr 12
Felix Varela Senior High
Art Teacher, Dianne Romero

Thursday, May 6
6 PM - * PM
Jewish Museum of Florida
301 Washington Avenue
Miami Beach, Florida

Annual Blood Drive Award Luncheon

Having collected 669 units of blood during this school year Varela came away from the Blood Drive Award Luncheon yesterday with two trophies; One for Highest Percent Participation (85%) and one for Most Pints Collected (Region IV).

Also, student coordinator Zaniet Frias was awarded Student Coordinator of the Year for which she received a plaque and a $1,000 scholarship. Varela generated $13,380.00in scholarships for students of Miami Dade County Public Schools for which we thank you and for which you should congratulate yourselves.

College Week Live

CollegeWeekLive is proud to announce CollegeWeekLive FLORIDA DAY, the first online college fair devoted entirely to schools in Florida! CollegeWeekLive FLORIDA DAY takes place May 6th from 12 PM to 10 PM Eastern. Register now for free at:

http://www.collegeweeklive.com/

At CollegeWeekLive FLORIDA DAY, students, parents, and guidance counselors can chat live with admissions reps from Florida State University, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Florida Atlantic University, Florida International University, Lynn University, Miami Dade College, Nova Southeastern University, Rollins College, Saint Leo University, Saint Thomas University, Stetson University, University of Florida, University of Miami, University of South Florida, University of Tampa and more!

Students, parents, and guidance counselors can also participate in online presentations covering Florida related topics. FSU will be presenting live at 7 PM EST.

Mark your calendar for May 6th to attend this free online event at:

http://www.CollegeWeekLive.com/

Felix Varela Sr High School Veterinary Science Magnet Academy

Highlights all of the achievements, awards, and recognition earned by students enrolled in the Felix Varela Sr High School Veterinary Science Magnet Academy for the 2009-2010 school year.

Youth Agricultural Exhibitors Achievement Points

Rabbit Exhibitors:

Kyle Krause:
Rabbit – 2nd Place Black Netherland Dwarf
Record Book – 1st
Record Book Skills Test – 1st
Educational Poster – 1st
Showmanship – 2nd

Melissa Alegria
Record Book – 1st
Record Book Skills Test – 1st
Educational Poster – 2nd
Showmanship – 2nd

Kelly Lashbrook
Rabbit – 20th Place Holland Lop Solid Senior Buck
Record Book – 2nd
Record Book Skills Test – 2nd
Educational Poster – 1st
Showmanship – 1st

Stephanie Pretto
Record Book – 2nd
Record Book Skills Test – 1st
Educational Poster – 3rd
Showmanship – 2nd

Andres Pinares
Rabbit – 5th Place Holland Lop Solid Senior Doe
Record Book – 2nd
Record Book Skills Test – 2nd
Educational Poster – 2nd
Showmanship – 2nd

Nadya Ortiz
Record Book – 2nd
Record Book Skills Test – 3rd
Educational Poster – 3rd
Showmanship – 2nd

Antonia Garcia
Rabbit – 1st Place Silver Fawn
Record Book – 2nd
Record Book Skills Test – 1st
Educational Poster – 2nd
Showmanship – 1st

Kathryn McBryde
Rabbit – 1st Place BOSV Holland Lop Solid Senior Doe
Rabbit – 1st Place BOSV Holland Lop Broken Senior Buck
Rabbit – 1st Place BOSV Chocolate Dutch Doe
Rabbit – 1st Place BOV Otter Mini Rex
Rabbit – 1st Place BOB Blue Polish
Record Book – 1st
Record Book Skills Test – 1st
Educational Poster – 2nd
Showmanship – 1st

Michelle Haramboure
Record Book – 1st
Record Book Skills Test – 1st
Educational Poster - 1st
Showmanship – 1st

Anastasia Rivera
Rabbit – 3rd Place Orange Netherland Dwarf Senior Buck
Record Book – 1st
Record Book Skills Test – 1st
Educational Poster – 1st
Showmanship – 2nd

Yaslin Gonzalez
Rabbit – 2nd Place Tort Dutch Senior Doe
Record Book – 1st
Record Book Skills Test – 1st
Educational Poster – 1st
Showmanship – 1st

Maria Garcia
Rabbit – 1st Place BOV REW Mini Rex Senior Buck
Record Book – 1st
Record Book Skills Test – 2nd
Educational Poster – 2nd
Showmanship – 2nd

Michael Rivera
Rabbit – Holland Lop Broken Senior Doe
Record Book – 1st
Record Book Skills Test – 1st
Educational Poster – 1st
Showmanship – 2nd

Poultry Exhibitors:

Oscar Bolanos:
Chicken – 2nd Place Silver Laced Polish Cock
Chicken – 1st Place, BOV Silver Laced Polish Hen
Record Book – 3rd
Record Book Skills Test – 1st
Educational Poster – 1st
Showmanship – 1st

Pamela Sanchez:
Chicken – 1st Place BOB, BOV Orpington Hen
Record Book – 2nd
Record Book Skills Test – 1st
Educational Poster – 1st
Showmanship – 1st

Reymon Salvador
Chicken – 1st Place BOB, BOC, BOV Dominique Cock
Chicken – 1st Place BOB Silver Laced Wyandotte Cock
Record Book – 2nd
Record Book Skills Test – 2nd
Educational Poster – 2nd
Showmanship – 1st

Alexandra Lloyd
Chicken – 1st Place BOB, New Hampshire Cock
Record Book - 2nd
Record Book Skills Test – 1st
Educational Poster – 1st
Showmanship – 1st

Kevin Quincosa
Chicken – 1st Place RIB Golden Pheonix Cock
Chicken - 1st Place BOB Golden Pheonix Hen
Record Book – 1st
Record Book Skills Test – 2nd
Educational Poster – 2nd
Showmanship – 1st

Goat Exhibitors:

Claudia Morejon
Goat: 1st Place
Goat: 1st Place
Record Book – 2nd
Record Book Skills Test – 3rd
Educational Poster – 1st
Showmanship – 1st

Kathryn McBryde
Goat: 1st Place Junior Grand Champion Doe
Goat: 1st Place Junior Reserve Grand Champion Doe
Record Book – 1st
Record Book Skills Test – 1st
Educational Poster – 1st
Showmanship – 1st

State Level Awards:

Agricultural Proficiency Award Applicants

The Agricultural Proficiency Awards program like the FFA motto, helps you set goals and learn practical skills. The program rewards FFA members at the local, state and national levels for exceptional accomplishments and excellence in a Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE) program.

Small Animal Production and Care
Elizabeth Arango
Amanda Bartley
Alexandra Lloyd
Cecilia Plaza
Raquel Ruiz

Specialty Animal Production and Care
Michelle Haramboure

Environmental Science and Natural Resources Management
Kevin Rodriguez

Award Finalist
Kevin Rodriguez

State Degree

The State FFA Degree is the highest honor bestowed upon any regular member of the Florida FFA Association. Each of the 192 candidates will be recognized during 9th General Session of the 82nd Florida FFA Convention on Friday, June 18, 2010.

2010 Senior Award Recipients

Kathryn McBryde
Claudia Morejon
Reymon Salvador
Kevin Rodriguez

28th Annual Museum Education Program Exhibition

Xiomara Guerrero, grade 12, will be the recipient of the 2010 Joan Meisel-Gaffney Memorial Art Award at the opening reception of the 28th Annual Museum Education Program Exhibition at the Jewish Museum on May 6th. The award will be given for Xio’s ceramic window with mixed media piece.

BeSafe

M-DCPS is launching a NEW District Anonymous Reporting System (BeSafe) that includes TEXTING, WEB-BASED reporting, and PHONE reporting of any school safety concerns.

BeSafe allows students to anonymously submit incidents of crime, weapons, drug violations or other safety concerns in schools; thus reducing fear of retribution and preventing additional incidents.

BeSafe can be used to address any crime, disorder, or disruptive behavior and is a particularly effective prevention tool to encourage students to submit incidents that threaten the security of the school environment.

Effective May 3, 2010, BeSafe will be available using any of the following
3 Options:

WEB-BASED Reporting: Links will be placed on the dadeschools.net pages that will redirect the user to besafe.dadeschools.net An anonymous reporting form can be completed and submitted at this time. Direct Access: http://besafe.dadeschools.net

TEXTING: Using cell phones, a text message is sent to 274637 (CRIMES) with the text message beginning with the keyword "BESAFE"; followed by the anonymous tip.

PHONE Reporting: Continue to utilize 305-995-COPS

Mario Savio Award

The Mario Savio Award carries a cash prize of $6000 and is presented each year to a young person(s) with a deep commitment to human rights and social justice. Deadline is June 30, 2010. Link below has more information.

Application

11-Tube e-Creative Visions Competition

The 11-Tube e-Creative Visions video clips will be online starting Monday, May 3rd until Friday, May 7th. Enjoy the video clips produced by our very talented students from District 11 High Schools: G. Holmes Braddock, Felix Varela and John A. Ferguson.

http://www.miamidade.gov/district11/home.asp.

VOTE for Varela !!

The “Creative Visions 2010” Student Art Exhibition Opening and Awards Reception, will be held at The Patricia & Phillip Frost Art Museum at Florida International University, on Wednesday, May 12, 2010, at 6:00 pm.

2010 Theodore Gibson Competition Region Finalists

Congratulations are in order to Anase Frazier and Marla Hector for being 2010 Theodore Gibson Competition Region Secondary Finalists. The Varela faculty is very proud of them and wishes them luck in the district finals held May 10th at Miami-Dade Community College- North.

Kierra Bryant 12 Dr. Michael Krop
Jefferson Reid 12 Corporate Academy
Oscar Riviera 11 Sunset High
Edline Simmone 12 DASH
Wesley George 12 Coral Gables
Anase Frazier 10 Felix Varela
Dominique Seward 12 DASH
Jordane Champagne 12 Norland Senior
Marla Hector 12 Felix Varela
Jean Floradin 12 New School of the Arts
Maggy Caceres 12 Robert Morgan
Joseph Brown 12 Northwesten Senior
Ashley Canady 10 Coral Reef High
Joshua Brinsley 10 Young Men’s Prep
Arnadrian Burgess 12 Westland Hialeah Senior

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

NAACP ACT- SO Competition

Students from Varela attended the NAACP ACT-SO competition on April 17, 2010. We have one first place winner in the Humanities category of essay writing. Natalie Taillepierre will be going on to Kansas to the National ACT-SO Competition in July.

We have second place winners in Humanities category of playwriting (Marla Hector) and poetry (Christine Louis).

In Performing Arts category of oratory, we placed second (Marla Hector) and third (Anase Frazier).
The students that placed in their categories will be honored at an awards ceremony in May.

Please congratulate these students for all of their hard work.

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

The Producers at Varela

Felix Varela Senior High School

Presents: THE PRODUCERS

April 20, 21, 22
Tickets are $7
Showtime: 7:00 PM
Rated PG-13

The Producers is a musical adapted by Mel Brooks and Thomas Meehan from Brooks' 1968 film of the same name, with lyrics by Brooks and music by Brooks and Glen Kelly. As in the film, the story concerns two theatrical producers who scheme to get rich by overselling interests in a Broadway flop. Complications arise when the show unexpectedly turns out to be successful. The humor of the show is accessible to a wide range of audiences, and draws on ridiculous accents, caricatures of homosexuals and Nazis, and many show business in-jokes.

Tennis News

The Varela girls’ tennis team won their regional semi final match against Killian yesterday 5-2. Jessica Escobar, Tina Esfendairy, and Abi Lelis all won their singles’ matches. Lida Esfendairy and Lais Marrero won #1 doubles with Jessica Escobar and Tina Esfendairy winning their #2 doubles. The win improves their record to 12-1 and sets up a regional finals match tomorrow for a trip to the State Finals.

Florida's Thespians Festival

It is with great pride that we announce our result from this past week’s Florida State Thespians Festival. Our Varela Thespians received an astounding 5 Superiors and 2 Excellents.

In case some of you are unaware, our State Festival is the largest Theatre festival in the nation with almost 6,000 participants from Florida. Competition is fierce but our Thespians netted remarkable marks. The results were as follows:

Monologues:

Zack Lopez – SUPERIOR

Duet Scene:

Sommer Carbuccia
Joselyn Oliva - SUPERIOR

Solo Musical:

Sommer Carbuccia - SUPERIOR
Adriana Vergara – SUPERIOR

Directing:

Sandra Alghawi - EXCELLENT

Scene Design:

Anna Rodriguez- SUPERIOR

Large Group Musical:

Zack Lopez
Audrey Tesserot
Bianca Arrese
Raul Martinez
Blake Jenner
Joselyn Oliva
Delilah Smith
Anna Rodriguez
Edwin Segovia
Kris Sanchez
Maribel Cabrera
Edward Mones
Adriana Vergara
Sommer Carbuccia
Sasha Mangarre - SUPERIOR

Also congratulations goes to the cast and crew of THE MEMOIRS OF ROMEO AND JULIET
who received an EXCELLENT rating for their original 1 Act Play.

Friday, April 9, 2010

The Miami Herald All-County Teams

The Miami Herald All-County Teams for the Winter Sports were announced today. Varela was once again represented very well. Please congratulate the following student-athletes:

First Team

Andres Cardona Boys Soccer

Cristian Molina Wrestling

Margarita Rosario Girls Basketball

Second Team

Johnny Vidales Boys Soccer

Victor Cortes Boys Soccer

Alex Joseph Boys Soccer

Derrick Bolanos Boys Basketball

Third Team

Dario Alberico Boys Soccer

Adam Yepez Boys Soccer

Laura Rockel Girls Soccer

Jessica Clark Girls Soccer

Honorable Mention

Daniel Gonzalez Boys Soccer

Enrique Villa Boys Soccer

Danny Salgado Boys Soccer

David Cuervo Boys Soccer

Nahuel Medina Boys Soccer

Roger Garcia Boys Basketball

Joseph Anglade Boys Basketball

Julian Velasquez Boys Basketball

Ashley Rosario Girls Basketball

Tomaiya Graham Girls Basketball

Kiara Clarington Girls Basketball

Jasmine Pierre Girls Basketball

Carlos Diego Wrestling

Kevin Alzate Wrestling

Congressional Nominations

The application process is now open for students interested in obtaining a Congressional nomination to one of the United States Service Academies for the class entering in the summer of 2010. The academies include the Military Academy at West Point, NY, the Air Force Academy at Colorado Springs CO, the Naval Academy at Annapolis, MD, the Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point, NY.

The Coast Guard Academy at New London, CT, does not require a congressional nomination for appointment.

Academy application packets from U.S. Senator Bill Nelson can be accessed online at http://billnelson.senate.gov now through September 24, 2010.

If you have any questions regarding the nomination or appointment process, please contact the Service Academy Coordinator at (407) 872-7161 or (888) 671-4091.

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

Free Travel for Students

Southwest Airlines and HACU Open Travel Program for Students

Southwest Airlines offers an education travel award program. Each student is eligible to receive 1 – 4 tickets for use by the student or immediate family to travel to/from a college or university. The tickets are awarded to undergraduate and graduate Hispanic students with socio-economic needs who journey away from home to pursue higher education. All of the participants must submit an essay explaining why they deserve the travel award and what inspires them to pursue a college degree.

Online applications will be accepted through April 30, 2010, at HACU website.

http://www.hacu.net/hacu/Lanzate_EN.asp?SnID=1986781734

For more information, please contact:
(Mr.) Hilarion "Lari" Martinez
U.S. Department of State

Diplomat in Residence at Florida International University and Miami Dade College Department of Politics and International Relations School of International Relations and Public Affairs Florida International University University Park, DM431A 11200 S.W. 8th Street Florida International University Miami, Florida 33199 Tel (305) 348 7552 Fax (305) 348 6138
MartineH@fiu.edu
cell: 305 9873490
HilarionMartinez@gmail.com

Monday, April 5, 2010

The Miami Posse

The Posse Miami nomination process is now open. If you know of any students who are leaders in the school and community, committed to their education, demonstrate academic potential, interested in teamwork and diversity and are positive, motivated, talented, ambitious young people please refer them to Ms. Clara Gonzalez, CAP advisor.

Fifteen juniors will be nominated to participate in the Posse.

The Posse Foundation identifies public high school students with extraordinary academic and leadership potential who may be overlooked by traditional college selection process.

All nominees must:

Be high school seniors in the fall of 2010

Demonstrate extraordinary leadership within their high school, community, or family

Excel academically and have strong GPAs. Although there is no minimum requirement, only nominees who have consistently progressed toward academic excellence will be given the opportunity to be a Posse Scholar. While the ACT and SAT are not a focus of Posse’s evaluation, students should take both tests and do their best.

The participating colleges/universities this year are Mount Holyoke and Hamilton College offering full-tuition scholarships and the University of Pennsylvania offering a leadership award equal to 100 percent of their determined financial need. The foundation is looking for more colleges and universities to be added for the upcoming year.

Friday, March 26, 2010

April Scholarship Bulletin

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

P-off Competition Winners

Remember that for the p-off competition, the kids had 3 minutes 14 seconds to write down as many digits of p as they could. The top student earned a plaque and a graphing calculator; 2nd and 3rd places will also receive a plaque. All the students will get a p -week flash drive and a p pin for participating.

1st Place: 123 digits RICARDO TRIMARCHI

2nd Place: 80 digits Sohaib Ahmad

3rd Place: 59 digits Neal Rabulan

Honorable Mentions:

54 digits Mahmmoud Abdeldayen

52 digits Natalia Tamayo

47 digits Daniel Camous

46 digits Fabian Diaz

26 digits Daniela Gallego (she actually wrote down over 50 digits but omitted digit # 27!)

Monday, March 22, 2010

College Week Live

The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities’ (HACU) is partnered with www.CollegeWeekLive.com, the leading provider of online college fairs and admissions events. CollegeWeekLive is having a FREE Spring CollegeWeek admissions event for students and their families on March 24 and 25 from 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 (EST). Each hour, during this event, students will have the opportunity to talk to experts in the fields of college admissions, financial aid and standardized testing or to representatives from different universities across the United States.

Agenda can be found at http://files.hacu.net/pdf/agenda.pdf.
It is important for students to register before the actual event in order to qualify for one of five scholarships totaling $10,000. To register, simply go to the following link http://www.collegeweeklive.com/en_CA/guest/app-colleges/refcode=HACU.

Quest Bridge College Prep Scholarship

Quest Bridge College Prep Scholarship

(10) Full Scholarships to Summer Programs at Harvard, Notre Dame, Stanford, or Yale

Deadline:3/29/10
Junior
Strong Academic Record
Annual household income of less than $60,000
Many past award recipients have also been part of the first generation in their family to attend college

Quest Bridge’s College prep Scholarship provides awards that equip outstanding low-income students to compete for admission to top-ranked colleges

Application available online at http://www.questbridge.org

Monday, March 15, 2010

Stampede to Success at USF

Stampede to Success at USF on April 9th, 2010 is designed for high school juniors, sophomores and their families. Visit www.usf.edu/Stampede for more information.

Stampede to Success
Friday, April 9, 2010
8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Selecting a university that’s right for you is a big decision. To help make the process a little easier, the Office of Undergraduate Admissions at the University of South Florida invites you and your family to Stampede to Success, an event exclusively for high school juniors and sophomores.

Stampede to Success is different from most other college visits because you can meet with faculty and staff from the academic area of your interest, take campus and residence hall tours, hear first-hand about scholarship opportunities and the financial aid process, and learn about activities USF offers students outside of the classroom!

We invite you to come to Stampede to Success and discover what makes USF an Unforgettable University! The event will be held from 8:30 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. in the Marshall Student Center and will feature:

· Academic program previews

· Admissions information

· Current USF student panels

· Financial aid and scholarship opportunities

· Student life overview

· Walking campus and residence hall tours

Reserve your spot today!

Space is limited, so please register by Friday, April 2, 2010!

2010 South Florida High School Shakesphere Monologue Competition

The University of Miami Motion Picture Graduate Students and the members of the Miami Branch of the English-Speaking Union of the United States congratulate Sommer Carbuccia, a junior at Felix Varela Sr High School. He placed 1st and won an all expense paid trip to New York City to represent South Florida in the 27th National Competition at Lincoln Center.

Zack Lopez won 4th place. He performed King Henry from King Henry V.

Congratulations to both students and their teachers Mr. Rey Bode and Ozzie Quintana.

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

March Scholarships

University of South Florida Honors College
$4,000 ($500.00 per semester)
• Senior
• 3.7 GPA or higher
• Planning to attend the Honors College at USF
• 1250 (math/verbal) SAT/29 ACT or higher
• Students who do not meet the requirements but have extraordinary life experiences might be admitted to the program at the discretion of the program director. You can contact the director to discuss options
For more information and application go to www.stpt.usf.edu/coas/honors

The JCI Senators of Florida Foundation, Inc.
Up to two $1,000 scholarships to high school graduates who attend a college/university or vocational school full-time
A third scholarship will be awarded based on need
• Senior
• Resident of Florida
• Must include the FAFSA application
• Complete the FAFSA online and include the print summary as completed by FAFSA
• Resume
• References
• Transcript
• All submissions must be typewritten or printed
• Personal Statement
For application information, please visit the website, click on Florida and email the Florida contact person: http://www.usjcisenate.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=13&Itemid=26

NROTC Scholarship Program
Full tuition, books, fees and other financial benefits
• U.S. Citizen
• Not less than 17 years old by 9/1 of year starting college and no more than 23 on June 30 of that year
• High school graduation or equivalency certificate by 8/1 of year of entrance into four year NROTC scholarship program
• Physically qualified by Navy or Marine Corps standards
• Apply for and gain admission to NROTC colleges
• SAT score of 530 Verbal, 520 Math or ACT 21 Math, 22 English. If you do not meet the test scores but are in the top 10% of your class you still qualify
• Students will receive a $250 per month allowance
• For more information or to start your NROTC application go to:

Bridges to the Future
(Miami Dade College and the University of Miami)
Two years full tuition at Miami Dade Honors (separate application needed) and two years full tuition at UM if student meets the requirements to transfer

• Senior from an underrepresented minority group (Hispanic, Black, Pacific Islander, and Native American) planning to continue studies in biomedical science
• U.S. citizen or permanent residency status
• Planning to attend Miami- Dade Honors College the first two years (separate application needed), then planning to transfer to the University of Miami
• For application and future information please visit http://mdc.edu/honorscollege/enrichment_bridges.asp

Miami Dade College- Kendall Summer Scholarship
(Early Start)
In-state tuition coverage for up to 5 credits (prep or college credits) plus $50 towards the cost of books and mentoring throughout the summer
• Senior
• Planning to attend Miami-Dade Kendall in the summer term (June 21-July 30, 2010). Participation requires attending classes only two or three mornings per week
• For application please contact Sue Giorgi at dgiorgi@mdc.edu or (305) 237-2582 or (305) 237-0742

Scholar Athlete Milk Mustache of the Year
(SAMMY) 2009 Award Program -
(25) winners $7,500 scholarship
-An invitation for winners, parents and/or guardians to attend a weekend at the Disney World Complex in Orlando, FL
03/12/10
• Senior
• If you are a star both in the classroom and on the field, the Scholar Athlete Milk Mustache of the Year Award is for you
• Judging will be based on academic performance, athletic excellence, leadership, and community service
• Essay: 250 words about how milk has helped him/her in his/her academics and/or athletics
• Application and nomination information available at the Athletics Office see Ms. Cortright for additional information www.BodyByMilk.com

Clara B. Knight Scholarship/The Links
$1,500.00 DEADLINE:03/19/10
• African American background and reside in Miami Dade
• Financial need (Copy of parent’s 2009 income tax return
• Evidence of being accepted or having applied to a post-secondary institution
• GPA 3.0 or better and attend a public school in Miami Dade County
• SAT or ACT scores (attach a copy of original report with a minimum of 1000 SAT or 20 ACT)
• Photograph
• Letter of recommendation
• Transcript
• Personal statement
• Application available at the CAP-Office

The King of Clubs Scholarship Award
(3) $1,000 Received by: 03/26/10 • Senior
• African American background
• GPA 3.0
• Financial need
• Involvement in school and community activities
• Two letters of recommendation
• Two senior class photos
• Essay
• Must be able to attend Scholarship Banquet May 2, 2010
• Application available at the CAP office

Judge Sidney M. Aronovitz Memorial Scholarship
At least three $1,000 scholarships will be granted
annually 03/26/10
• Senior
• Scholarships will be awarded to Miami-Dade County minority students planning to continue their education through to the university level and pursue a career in South Florida.
• Applicant must be a high school senior or GED recipient in a Miami-Dade County Public School.
• Applicants must have a GPA of 3.0 or higher
• For an application go to: http://www.dadecommunityfoundation.org

Quest Bridge College Prep Scholarship
(10) Full Scholarships to Summer Programs at Harvard, Notre Dame, Stanford, or Yale
03/29/10
• Junior
• Strong Academic Record
• Annual household income of less than $60,000
• Many past award recipients have also been part of the first generation in their family to attend college
• Quest Bridge’s College prep Scholarship provides awards that equip outstanding low-income students to compete for admission to top-ranked colleges
• Application available online at www.questbridge.org

National Conference of Puerto Rican Women
Up to $2,000 annually Postmarked by 04/14/10
• Puerto Rican female, by birth or descent (include birth certificate)
• Student admitted for fall term of 2010 at an accredited College or University of choice
• GPA 3.0 or higher
• Proof of financial need (IRS Income Tax Return for the year 2009)
• Transcript
• Statement including professional goals
• Essay:” What it means to be Puerto Rican.”
• Photo of choice (2x2)
• Application available in the CAP-Office

Essence of a Haitian Woman Inc.
$500.00 Postmarked by: 04/16/10
• Senior
• Female of Haitian descent
• Transcript
• Essay
• College/University Acceptance letter indicating intended major
• This scholarship is committed towards increasing the number of Haitian women in pursuing an undergraduate/graduate degree in the area of Business Administration, Accounting, Marketing, Finance, and Business Management
• Overall GPA of 3.3 or above
• For further information contact Cassandra Theramene at www.ehwinc.org or (850) 294-0441
• Application available in the CAP-Office

ExxonMobil Bernard Harris Math and Science Scholarships
(4) 2 males and 2 females $5,000 Postmarked by: 05/14/10
• Senior
• African American or Hispanic student
• Evidence of academic achievement in high school
• Leadership skills or community service in the area of Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics
• Commitment to pursue a career in a STEM field
• Transcript
• Essay
• Three letters of recommendation
• Three copies of the application (original and two copies)
• Application available at http://www.cgcs.org/Awards/Harris_Scholarship.pdf

SENIORS:
CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE
Required by certain colleges and universities)
More information at www.collegeboard.com/profile
PROFILE Application for 2010-2011 will be available on October 1, 2009. You should file this application if you are entering college in the fall of 2010 or the spring of 2011 and if required by your college or university.

CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE® is the financial aid application service of the College Board. Almost 600 colleges, universities, graduate and professional schools and scholarship programs use the information collected on the PROFILE to determine eligibility for nonfederal student aid funds. The PROFILE is a fully Web-based application system that provides students a secure and efficient method for reporting their financial data to schools.
• Required by some colleges and universities
• Institutions use the information collected on the CSS Profile to help them award non-federal student aid funds
Application is available online at www.collegeboard.com/profile or by calling (305) 829-9793

What happens after FAFSA?

After you submit your FAFSA:
 Once your FAFSA is processed you will have access to a Student Aid Report (SAR), either through an online summary of the online application process, or through a printed document mailed to you if you apply using a paper FAFSA.
 VERY IMPORTANT- review your SAR for accuracy, and make corrections if necessary. In some cases, additional information is necessary before the application can be considered complete
 If selected for verification, the colleges and universities where you are planning to attend will request additional information, keep copies of any documents that you submit. Make sure to include your name and social security number or college/university ID on the top corner of all documents submitted.
 Most college send universities will provide you with online access for you to monitor your financial aid file.

The data provided by you to the federal processor on the FAFSA form is put through a calculation established by the federal government. This calculation establishes an Expected Family Contribution (EFC). Your eligibility for need based aid is calculated by subtracting your EFC from your Cost of Attendance (COA). This gives the financial aid office at the college/university you are applying your financial need.
- COA
- EFC
- Other resources

Understanding the Student Aid Report (SAR)

Student Aid Report (SAR): A Student Aid Report (SAR) is a document the student will receive after the FAFSA is processed. The SAR will list all of the answers they provided on their FAFSA. Students should review these answers carefully to make sure they are correct. If they provided an email address, they should receive an electronic SAR by email; otherwise, they will receive a hard copy SAR by mail.
If they need to make any changes, select Make Corrections to a Processed FAFSA under the FAFSA Follow-Up section of the home page at www.fafsa.gov. They can also make corrections on the paper SAR, if they received one, and mail it back to the address provided.

Expected Family Contribution (EFC): Top of page 1. The EFC is the amount the federal government believes that the family is able to contribute towards the college cost, based on the information provided on the FAFSA. This is not necessarily the amount the student will have to pay (see award letter).

Verification: If there is an asterisk next to the EFC, it means that the SAR has been flagged for verification. More information needs to be provided to the Financial Aid Office at the college or university.
Data Release Number (DRN): Top of page 1 underneath the EFC is a four digit reference number needed when contacting the Federal Student Aid Information Center to make corrections to the mailing address or the schools listed on the FAFSA. The DRN also allows students to release the FAFSA data to schools not listed on your original FAFSA.

Award Letter

Once a financial aid officer at the college/university reviews your SAR, the college/university will put together your financial aid package and send you an award letter. The award letter will include the financial calculation that determines the amount of aid you receive: Cost of Attendance (COA) minus Expected Family Contribution (EFC) = financial need. It will also list the financial aid awards that the college has determined you are eligible to receive. Financial aid awards may include:
• Scholarships. Scholarships are awarded to students based on financial need or to award them for special talents in academics, music, athletics, etc. They are offered through colleges, the community, and other organizations. Scholarships do not have to be paid back.
• Grants. Grants are awarded by the federal or state governments or by the school and are usually based on financial need. Grants do not have to be paid back.
• Federal Work-Study. Federal Work-Study is self-help aid and is awarded to students with financial need. Students can work part-time to earn this award money to help with the cost of attendance. Work-study jobs can be found on or off campus through the school's Financial Aid Office.
• Student Loans. Student loans must be repaid.
Once you receive the different financial aid award letters from each of the schools to which you have applied, you need to compare the financial aid packages offered from each school. Once you have decided on a school, you must let the school know whether or not you are accepting or declining the awards by filling out and signing the award letter and sending it back to the school. If you find that the college you want to attend offers less aid than your financial need, be sure to look into ways of filling that financial aid gap.

NJROTC Joseph C. Gilliam Award

The Area SEVEN 2009/2010 Gilliam Scholarship winner is Cadet/LCDR Ivonne Navarro of Felix Varela High School. Enclosure is submitted to support her as the 2010 NJROTC Area SEVEN selection for the Joseph C. Gilliam Award.

Cadet Navarro is currently serving as Varela's "Viper" Company Commander. She is the third member of her family to become a member of Varela's NJROTC program and the second to serve as its commanding officer. Her parents are Hispanic immigrants with modest income who speak limited English, yet her brother Danny is a Junior at the University of Virginia and brother Giovanni is a Freshman at the University of Michigan. Cadet Navarro has applied to attend college next year at Harvard, Yale or Johns Hopkins University. Cadet Navarro's current ranking is 7 of 729 Varela seniors, with the likelihood that she will finish in the top 5. I am very proud to submit her as Area SEVEN’s Joseph C. Gilliam scholarship recipient for school year 2009/2010.

For Students attending UF

The Gator Club® of Miami is giving away up to $10,000 worth of scholarships to deserving students and so far, we have not received enough applications. The scholarship is limited to Miami-Dade County high school seniors graduating at the end of the current school year (May/June 2010) and the student must be accepted and enrolled at the University of Florida for summer and/or fall semester of 2010. Please follow this link to access our scholarship application: http://www.miamigators.com/wp/?page_id=26

Deadline for applications needs to be postmarked by Friday, April 16, 2010.

On a different note, each year our club has 2,500 volunteer hours that we would like to offer to your students. Each student will receive between five to ten hours based on which event they are able to attend. If you have any students that are interested in volunteer hours, please have them go to our web site at www.miamigators.com and click on “Gator Volunteer” for more information.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me directly at sergio@miamigators.com or at 786-447-4830. You can also send any questions and inquiries to info@miamigators.com.

Monday, March 8, 2010

District Music Performance Assessment

The Felix Varela HS Wind Ensemble performed Friday at the District Music Performance Assessment and received Straight Superior ratings. Congratulations to the students for all of their hard work and dedication in successfully performing college level literature with high standards.

This is a great accomplishment especially since it makes this the first year in the schools 10 year history that all the bands receive Superior ratings! Congratulations to the band program, volunteers, parents and Director, Chris Illa.

Monday, March 1, 2010

P-Week Festivities

March is around the corner and I am planning some activities in anticipation of March 14, p-day. I am inviting you and your students to be a part of the following:

HALL DECORATION:

Ask your students to decorate 8½ x 11 unlined sheets of paper with digits 0 – 9. I also need a good looking p, a decimal point, approximately equal sign (»), and an ellipsis (…). Ms. Daire needs all of your decorated sheets on our planning day, March 1st.

p-THEMED CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES:

Next week Ms. Daire will e-mail you 2 – 3 activities that you are invited to complete with your classes (Friday 3/12 & Monday 3/15). This of course is optional. If you have any great activities that are also p-related please share them with the department.

p-OFF COMPETITION:

Friday 3/12 at 2:40 PM in room 138.

Participants will have 3 minutes 14 seconds to write as many digits of p as they can remember. Winner receives a trophy and a graphing calculator.

p-RELATED POEM AND/OR ARTWORK:

Students can submit an electronic copy of a p-themed poem or artwork. The winning entry will be printed as p -postcards that will go to the faculty on p -day. The deadline for submission is Friday March 5th (NO EXCEPTIONS).

State Wrestling

Cris “The Spider” Molina made history at the State Wrestling Tournament at Lakeland, FL. He was Varela’s first time State Finalist. He was awarded a Silver medal for taking 2nd at State.

Also, Kevin Alzate showed great resiliency by knocking off a number 1 seed, but unfortunately could not win his next two matches to place at state.

Congratulations to both of them for one of the greatest wrestling season in school history.

Fairchild Challenge

Congratulations to Felix Varela student, Samantha Barnes,she received an Honorable Mention for her Lychee Watercolor.

Congratulations to Varela Science Students

Please join the Felix Varela Science Department in congratulating Jonathan Prendergast and Christopher Sanchez who will be two of eight students representing Miami Dade County Public Schools at the Intel International Science Fair May 9-14 in San Jose, California.

Jonathan presented the results of a year long research project with Dr. Ligia Collado and his poster is entitled “Interpreting the nutrient limitations, salinity, and seasonal variations of Florida Bay in order to analyze shifts in species and biomass productivity”

Christopher’s poster summarized two years of research with Dr. Evelyn Gaiser, the Lead Investigator at FIU’s Florida Coastal Everglades Long Term Ecological Research Program and is entitled: “Quantifying hydroperiod fluctuations across an Everglades wetland through microscopic analysis of siliceous microfossils”. This project is a continuation from his 2009 project for which he received 2nd Place at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair.

The Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce 2010 College Scholarships

Application Deadline: March 15, 2010

MIAMI, FL, February 22, 2010 – The Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce is currently accepting applications from Miami-Dade high school seniors for the Jeanne Bellamy Scholarship and Maloof Family Scholarship Fund. The application deadline is Monday, March 15, 2010 at 5:00 p.m. Applications are available at www.MiamiChamber.com.

The Jeanne Bellamy Scholarship fund was created by Jeanne Bellamy, the first woman to serve as chair of the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce. One scholarship of $2,500 will be awarded to a female, high school senior from a Miami-Dade County public high school who intends to pursue a degree in business. The scholarship is restricted to 12th graders.

The Maloof Family Scholarship Fund was created by board member Al Maloof, PhD to ensure that five deserving Miami-Dade students would have a scholarship opportunity to be able to attend the college of their choice. Five scholarships of $2,000 will be awarded to seniors from Miami-Dade public or private high schools who intend to pursue a degree in business, law, political science or government service. Two of the scholarships will be awarded to the child of a Miami-Dade County and/or City of Miami employee.

The recipients will be announced and the scholarships presented at the May or June 2010 Chamber Board meeting. For more information about the Jeanne Bellamy Scholarship contact, Tania Valenzuela: 305-577-5491 or tvalenzuela@miamichamber.com. For more information about the Maloof Family Scholarship Fund contact, Cornelia Pereira: 305-577-5432 or cpereira@miamichamber.com.

QBIC Scholarships at FIU

Over the last three years, several faculty at Florida International

University (FIU) have formed a fantastic and highly selective

Undergraduate Premedical and Biology Scholarship Program.

This program continues to grow, and the students involved in it

continue to excel in their course study. At this time, we are seeking

to increase the scope of our endeavors. As a result, we are asking

South Florida High School Science Instructors to help us spread the

word to their interested senior class students.

Students can Google us at “QBIC FIU” or directly visit

our website at: http://qbic.fiu.edu

What is QBIC?
» QBIC (Quantifying Biology in the Classroom) is a new Biological Sciences Program intended for incoming freshmen interested in earning a BSC in Biology.

QBIC graduates will have a greater likelihood of being accepted into Medical, Biomedical, or Behavioral Science Graduate Programs.

Our rigorous, faculty-developed curriculum is both interdisciplinary and quantitative: QBIC courses integrate the biological and physical sciences with, statistics, mathematics, English, and other required electives.

QBIC Scholarships
36 total scholarships are available for the 2010-2011 academic year.

Two general awards are available:

1. FIU scholarship: Covers the cost of in-state tuition. There are no US residency/citizenship or FAFSA financial need requirements.

2. NSF scholarship: ~$5,315 per year. Does not fluctuate with credit load. Requires US residency/citizenship, and at least $1 of FAFSA financial need.

Currently, 33% of QBIC students pay no tuition.

QBIC Benefits
smaller and specialized classes
a tight social network of gifted classmates
close interactions with professors
research opportunities
a summer computer simulation and modeling workshop
and a chance at one of QBIC’s four-year scholarships, among others.
How To Apply
QBIC is actively recruiting entering freshmen with excellent academic credentials for Fall 2010.

Applicants must have:
minimum 3.3 GPA
minimum 1750 SAT score (Math 600+)
an interest in an M.D. or Graduate degree in the Biological Sciences

Applicants must provide:
completed application form (http://qbic.fiu.edu)
2 letters of recommendation from teachers/advisors
personal statement that explains your interest in QBIC

Small Works Exhibition

At the M-DCPS Small Works Exhibition at Miami International University of Art and Design, Bianca Khan was selected as the senior high school winner of the Renay Rossi Distinguished Artist Award for her ceramic sculpture. This yearly award is made possible by the Dade Art Education Association and the family of former M-DCPS Art Educator, Renay Rossi, who taught in this county for over 30 years. Please congratulate Bianca for her outstanding sculpture. Her piece will be featured on the Dade Art Education Association website.

Varela's Mock Trail

Congratulations to Varela's Mock Trail Team. The Mock Trial team won all four rounds of the mock trial competition and advanced to the District Final, which will take place Friday, March 5th. The teams competing are Our Lady of Lourdes, Coral Reef, Killian Sr. and Felix Varela.

In the photo:

(Bottom row Left to Right):
Zabrina (The Rock) Branca
Vanessa (The two-step) Martinez
Dalisi (Mrs. Mock Trial) Otero
Antonio (Awkward) Lopez

(Top row Left to Right):
Frank (The Tank) Samitier
Martin (The Helmet) Tenorio
Mateo (The Tinman) Riano
Luis (Mr. Mock Trial) Herrera
Stephania (Mom) Herrera
Dr. Vichot (The man, the myth, the legend)
Linette (Accident on heels) De Los Santos
Jonathan (Curly) Carrasco
Ivana (The Paperclip) Alvarez
Kabil (Big Sexy) Afzalirey

Harvard for Free

Free Harvard Education Opportunity!!!!! Please share with your students.

A family earning less than $60,000 a year with an honor student graduating from high school soon, Harvard University wants to pay the tuition. The prestigious university recently announced that from now on undergraduate students from low-income families can go to

Harvard for free... no tuition and no student loans!

To find out more about Harvard offering free tuition for families making less than $60,000 a year, visit Harvard's financial aid website at:http://www.fao.fas.harvard.edu/ or call the school's financial aid office at (617) 495-1581.

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Senior Breakfast 2010

Today the Seniors at Varela were treated to their annual breakfast at Signature Gardens. Everyone had a great time.

Kudos to Ms. Christin for the "Race to the Finish" Theme and all the planning.

Monday, February 8, 2010

Viper Wrestling

The Viper Wrestling team advanced 7 wrestlers into next week’s Regional tournament. Starting it off was Carlos Diego and Justin Vazquez with 3rd place finishes. They were also followed by Mike Ortiz and Sebastian Molina with 4th place finishes. We also had Kevin Alzate and Zack Pareja in the finals and they finished in 2nd place. Our only District Champ was our team Captain Cris “The Spider” Molina with a dramatic overtime win.

Come root for your wrestlers this Friday and Saturday at Ronald Reagan High School in Doral.

Congratulations to the wrestlers for advancing to the Regional tournament.

Sunday, February 7, 2010

Exxon Mobil Bernard Harris Math and Science Scholarships

Named for the first African American to walk in space, a new scholarship is now available to encourage minority students to pursue college degrees and careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. The Exxon Mobil Bernard Harris Math and Science Scholarships are for 2010 graduating high school seniors in school districts represented by the Council of the Great City Schools.

Four scholarships for two males and two females -- $5,000 each -- will be awarded to two African American and two Hispanic students on behalf of the former astronaut, physician and businessman. Deadline for student submissions is May 14.

Here's the link to the program: http://www.cgcs.org/Awards/Harris_Scholarship.pdf

Sunshine Week Essay Contest

Governor Crist Invites Students to Participate in Sunshine Week Essay Contest

TALLAHASSEE – Governor Charlie Crist today announced Florida’s 2010 Sunshine Week “Government in the Sunshine” Web site and invited Florida students in grades 9-12 to participate in the Florida Sunshine Week essay contest. Observed March 14-20, 2010, Sunshine Week celebrates Florida’s laws dedicated to making state and local government more accessible to the public.

“This year’s Sunshine Week Essay Contest provides an opportunity for high school students to focus on the First Amendment and the importance of open government,” said Governor Crist. “Openness and transparency must be one of government’s top priorities in order to ensure citizens can continue to hold their leaders accountable.”

The essay contest is open to all Florida high school students in grades 9-12 and the winner will be announced during the week of March 8, 2010. The first-place winner will receive a $2,500 scholarship, the second-place winner will receive a $1,500 scholarship, and third place will receive a $1,000 scholarship. The contest is supported through the Volunteer Florida Foundation. Winners will be invited to attend an event at the Governor’s Mansion.

Guidelines

After reading the First Amendment to the United States Constitution, contest participants must explain the importance of one or more of the civil liberties found in the First Amendment and how Florida’s open government laws protect these liberties.
Each student may enter only one essay, no longer than 500 words and typed or handwritten in print, rather than cursive writing.
Essays must include the student’s name, home address, telephone number, school the student attends, grade level and essay title.
Essays must be accompanied by a parental waiver form, which can be found at http://www.flgov.com/og_sunshine_essay. For electronic entries, the parental waiver may be typed, but if chosen as a winner it will be verified.

Entries must be emailed to SunshineEssay@myflorida.com or mailed to: The Executive Office of the Governor, Attention: Sunshine Week Essay Contest, 400 South Monroe Street, The Capitol, Suite PL-04, Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0001. Entries must be emailed or postmarked no later than 5:00 p.m. EST on Thursday, February 18, 2010.

In addition to the essay contest this year, teachers also have the opportunity to engage their students in activities relating to “Government in the Sunshine." The crossword puzzle and word search may be accessed and downloaded at www.flgov.com/og_sunshine.

About Sunshine Week

In 2002, Sunshine Sunday was launched by the Florida Society of Newspaper Editors in response to increased public and legislative awareness of the open government laws. After Florida’s trailblazing actions to establish Sunshine Laws, many other states have adopted Sunshine Sunday, which resulted in the American Society of Newspaper Editors designating a Sunshine Week, which started in March of 2005.

Governor Crist’s dedication to the Sunshine Laws is clearly evident. In his inaugural address, Florida’s 44th Governor made open government a top priority. He quoted President Abraham Lincoln, pledging under his watch Florida government would be “of the people, by the people and for the people.” The next day in his first Executive Order, Governor Crist established the Office of Open Government and charged it with providing the Governor’s Office and all state agencies the tools necessary to serve the people of Florida in a professional and efficient manner.

For more information, please visit www.flgov.com/og_home.

Becca's Closet

Rebecca Kirtman Memorial Scholarships

Becca’s Closet collects and distributes homecoming and prom clothing to needy high school students in local communities. Becca’s Closet also hosts annual fundraisers to raise money to assist local students with the cost of higher education.

The Rebecca Kirtman Memorial Scholarship awards 3 types of scholarships in the amount of $1,000.00 each. The purpose of these scholarships is to encourage students who have demonstrated outstanding community service in high school or college to continue their efforts throughout their lives and to encourage others to do the same.

Becca's Closet Scholarship is a one time scholarship, with the possibility of renewal.

The applicant must:

· Be a graduating high school senior or full-time college student

· Have made an outstanding, documented contribution to his or her local community through the creation of or involvement in a Becca’s Closet chapter or Becca’s Closet supporting organization

· Be a U.S. Citizen or legal resident

· Plan to attend or continue to enroll in an accredited college, vocational school or university in the United States in the Fall of 2010

· Have a minimum 2.0 unweighted high school grade point average

Becca’s Closet Spirit of Generosity Scholarship is a one time scholarship, with the possibility of renewal.

The applicant must:

· Be a graduating high school senior or full-time college student

· Have made an outstanding contribution to his or her local community through volunteer action including but not limited to Becca’s Closet

· Demonstrate Financial Need

· Be a U.S. Citizen or legal resident

· Have a minimum 2.0 unweighted high school grade point average

· Plan to attend or continue to be enrolled as a full-time student at an accredited college, vocational school or university in the United States in the Fall of 2010

· Have a minimum 2.0 unweighted high school grade point average

DEADLINE: Applications must be received by Monday, April 12, 2010, See Ms. Clara Gonzalez, CAP counselor for application.

Late entries will not be considered. Hand deliveries and overnight delivery will not be accepted. Becca's Closet will not be responsible for lost or late Applications.

Scholarships awarded for the 2010 – 2011 School Year will be announced in May 2010. Applications must be postmarked by Monday, April 12, 2010.