2026-2027 School Year
Isabella Ramos: Sophomore – Medical Assisting
“A part of my personality that I’ve grown to accept is being socially awkward. I have always found it hard to socialize with others especially as I’ve moved up through grade levels. There have been times when I’ve tried to put myself out there, but in the end I never could because I couldn’t bring myself to approach people. It’s hard to physically seek that connection with people and try to force a conversation out of them. I don’t think there is really a reason for my social awkwardness. But in the end, I’ve learned to live with the fact that I am socially awkward and it’s something I can only keep trying to grow on.”
Claudia Cruz-Horta: Freshman – Health Science
“One memory that I look back on even though it happened a year ago was my time spent in eighth-grade. So many core memories happened within the span of a year. Gradventure stood out the most for me throughout the entire year. Just going on the rides and walking around with my friends is what made the trip so worthwhile. I went on a bunch of rides I’ve never been on such as Spider-Man and even tried Butterbeer at Hagrid’s! Not only did Gradeventure play a role in making my eighth-grade year so memorable but also the number of friends I made. Although I couldn’t hang out with them this summer, those connections still mean the world to me. The eighth-grade year was truly such a good memory for me.”
Kenton Lettice: Junior – Culinary
“What inspired me to start up the project of a movie was me always wanting to make a movie, but never actually knowing where to start. But then I saw these kids my age posting little fan films on YouTube “Scream Acting Group” and I finally decided let me just do it, what’s the worst that could happen. I’d been sitting on the script for a year now, but then during the end of summer I actually finished it. It was just me getting little ideas along the way, and also trying my best to make a fun little horror comedy piece. I posted my casting call, and I already knew most of my friends would be interested. So they auditioned, and I picked the people who I thought fit my vision of the characters the most. Shout out to Siani (she plays Hollie) because she found most of my crew and cast. The hardest problem I’ve faced so far with the movie has gotta be the filming schedule. Because since we’re all busy students, we have to find the time to film on weekends and whenever we can. I’m also currently working on a novel based on the short film, that can probably flesh the story out some more. Hopefully one day it’ll become a feature film.”
Genesis Valdez: Junior – Practical Nursing
“I’ve been interested in dance since I was 6 years old, because I enjoy learning new moves and expressing myself through dancing. I wasn’t inspired by one specific person, but K-pop choreographies inspired me because they feel different, creative, fun, and have a lot of energy. My favorite part about it is learning new choreography, improving my skills, and really feeling the music. The energy in Flow Latino is exciting and positive. Everyone brings their own personality and enthusiasm, which makes dancing more fun. I would love to continue dancing in the future because it’s a hobby I really enjoy, and I want to keep improving the way I dance and try different styles. Performing can feel exciting and I feel nervous sometimes, but when the music starts I feel confident like if I were at home and it’s cool to show people what you’ve practiced and worked hard on. My advice is to never give up, keep practicing, and don’t be afraid to try new things. You don’t have to be perfect right away. The most important thing is to enjoy dancing and have fun!”
Fabiana Albornoz: Junior – Culinary
“At first, the competition was somewhat intimidating because the judges were not the only people observing us. There was also an audience consisting of other competitors, their families, and visitors walking around the Youth Fair. However, the experience taught me the importance of putting yourself out there and allowing others to appreciate your work. If you never step outside your comfort zone or share your talents with others, it becomes much more difficult for your abilities and efforts to be recognized. I learned that even when a situation feels uncomfortable, having the courage to participate and showcase your skills can lead to valuable experiences and opportunities. Once I began decorating my cupcake, I became completely focused on my work. I was so concentrated on what I was creating that I eventually stopped worrying about the people watching me. I created a chocolate cupcake filled with caramel and toffee, topped with a dark chocolate ganache and a fresh raspberry. The judges evaluated our creations based on both flavor and visual presentation. Appearance was an important factor because food is often appreciated visually before it is even tasted. I wanted my cupcake to have a balance of flavors while also looking appealing and professionally presented.”
Amaya Hollerman: Junior – Web Design
“At first, I was a little disappointed with the change. I was originally told I can still have the IT intern experience while also helping the marketing department. Unfortunately, I was told later I had to commit completely to marketing. But it wasn’t a huge problem for me. Before I realized my passion for IT, I also had a passion for marketing and social media. So when they gave me the choice to commit into the IT department instead, I chose to stay with marketing, as I believe it would’ve expanded my skills, and the marketing team was so inviting. They were also a much smaller team (2 high-school interns including me and 5 supervising marketing Goodwill employees), so I would’ve gotten the individualized workload and attention I wanted in an internship, compared to the much larger IT team (10+ high-school interns and 2 supervising IT Goodwill employees). Before this internship, I used to think that Goodwill was simply like every other thrifting franchise. But once I stepped foot into the South Florida headquarters, I gained a new perspective.”
Jayden Nicolas: Sophomore – Global Studies
“I know it sounds cliché but something I didn’t appreciate until it was gone was middle school, more specifically the person I once was. The Jayden that was just living life, the one who took everything at face value, the one who wasn’t constantly worried about if he’s doing something right. Looking back at my pictures, I see memories of an older me, one that seems so far away yet all the more precious. What I took for granted was a simpler, more innocent version of myself, one that I will miss but whose memory I will take with me forever knowing that he’s not fully gone. The Jayden who was just living life with his friends without a care in the world.”
Abigail Mercado: Junior – Finance
“When I was younger, I was incredibly shy and had a really difficult time making friends. I never felt that I could be myself around anyone, and that prevented me from having true connections with people. I felt really alone because it felt like everyone around me was able to form these amazing and meaningful friendships, and my shyness was blocking me from having that too. At some point, I honestly thought that that was just the way I was and I would never get to have that experience. But as I got older, I slowly came out of my shell and found it easier to talk to people and be myself. Now I have been blessed with so many wonderful friendships, people that I knew before and lots of new friends too. I think younger me would be so proud and relieved that my shyness wasn’t permanent, and that I have so many great people in my life now.”
Jackson Hamilton: Junior – Finance
“How much I care about others. I notice I always care about other people and how they feel a lot in social settings, and I hope that never changes because it leads to other people feeling more happy at times because, if they’re not included in things we’re doing, I include them and then it makes them feel better. Or if, like they’re not feeling well, I ask them if there is something I can do to help. This habit of mine hasn’t always been with me; it’s been something I picked up after 9th grade of high school when I became a more outgoing and social person. It’s partly because it feels good to help others and also that I hope others do this for me when I am feeling that way.”
Mei-Lei Chang: Sophomore – Nursing strand
“A time when I was about three years old and I was getting taken care of by my grandmother, in my own house and she used to live with us because nobody else would take her in. So what we would do was she would always take care of me and our only thing that we would have between us was we would watch the Jerry Springer show together. I always like to look back at that memory due to the fact that I feel like sometimes when I walk past my house, I feel like she’s still there even though, you know, it’s been a long time. Even when I walk past my living room, I feel like, you know, it’s like she’s still there with me.”
Almin Afolabi: Junior – Health Science
“I started playing football really because of middle school athletics and my desire to stay fit. I wanted to keep myself active after middle school, so I joined Miami Edison to play linebacker. I still currently play football to keep the momentum going because I know I have a lot of potential to be great. I am currently playing at Barbara Goleman at the same position, linebacker. I love football because it is one of the most competitive sports. The tension is always high, that’s why it’s so interesting to me.”
Barrington Irving: Junior – Finance
“You know, it was really fun. I’ve always been surrounded by planes because my dad is a pilot. I’ve always been surrounded by aviation so I decided to give it a try. I’ve flown before with my dad, but I decided to try flying with an instructor, and that was really fun. Now I’m in the process of getting my pilot’s license. I’m going through flight school and everything. You can get your pilot license at 17, which is the minimum age, but you can start preparing before then. My experience flying by myself was fun. I got nauseous because I experience a lot of motion sickness. When you’re in a small plane, you can feel all of the winds knocking you around so that gets you really nauseous, but overall it was fun.”
Jletzy Ruscalleda: Freshman – TV Production
“Something I would tell my younger self is to stay happy. By staying happy I’ve accomplished making new friends, meeting new people, knowing, and talking to people. Another thing I would say is to probably not let myself get negatively influenced because that could bring a lot of bad situations in school. My mom has been the biggest impact on the person I’ve become, because she taught me her values, she taught me to always stay positive, keep a clear mind, and to always stay true to myself. However, this school has also influenced me in a great way, as I feel better mentally ever since I got here.”
Absara Sagarra: Sophomore – Practical Nursing
“The separation of my parents, and transferring schools taught me that life can change in ways you never imagined. I never thought the situation with my parents would happen, and I always thought that I would end my entire high school career at Goleman. One of the most important things that I took from these experiences is that change can promote growth. Through my parents’ separation my family and I learned things about ourselves that we may not have discovered otherwise, like independence and perseverance. Transferring school also taught me to expand my circle, not to judge people based on first impressions, and have courage to pursue my dreams, even when doing so means stepping outside of what feels familiar.”
Isaiah Pierre: Junior – Global Studies
“I got into playing the drums because my mom and uncle encouraged me to start playing for my church. I always wanted to play since I was younger, but I never found the opportunity. Now I’ve been playing the drums for about a year, and I also play bass guitar and a little bit of piano. I still play regularly and often get a few gigs a week, mainly for drums. I enjoy how clear my head feels when I’m playing. It’s like it’s just me and the music, and it’s very calming. I’m not technically in a band, but when I get gigs, I play with a band.”
Katherin Jorge-Leon: Sophomore – Global Studies
“When I was in Cuba, my mom put me in baile español, which is a cultural dance from Spain, because I had a problem with one of my legs that affected the way I walked. I stopped when I was 11, but I never really stopped dancing. I continued with things like salsa, and now one of the skills I’m most proud of is being able to dance to almost anything. I used to perform a lot more, and while I still enjoy dancing in front of people, I don’t perform as much as I used to. Moving to the United States at 11 had a big impact on me and changed a lot of things, but dancing was something I was able to carry with me. People probably wouldn’t guess that I listen to heavy metal every day, especially because I also spend most of my time reading manga and watching anime. My brother got me into anime, especially romance ones like Inuyasha. I think another thing that says a lot about me is how much I try to do little things for other people. Even if they’re strangers, I like making people feel happy and comfortable around me.”
