What is Silver Knight?

By N'agelie Lazo, Senior and Melissa Keller, English Teacher
Additional Interview with Melanie Rodriguez, Senior, Editor in Chief

For any underclassman, who listens to the morning announcements, may have heard this years 2017-2018 Silver Knight Nominees. Some of you may be wondering what a Silver Knight is, and why it is such an honor to be nominated for this scholarship. Yours truly, has been nominated herself in the category of Journalism. Now before I get ahead of myself, let me give you an introduction to the Silver Knight Awards, this year's nominees/categories, and a special interview with the Editor and Chief herself. 

According to the Miami Herald, the Silver Knight Awards is one of the nation’s most highly regarded student awards programs, and this year it is in its 60th year (John S. Knight began this program in 1959). The purpose of these awards is to recognize outstanding students who have not only maintained good grades, but have also unselfishly applied their special knowledge and talents to contribute significant service to their schools and communities. The program is open to high school seniors with a minimum 3.2 GPA (unweighted) in public, private, and parochial schools in Miami-Dade and Broward counties. 

Nominees from all schools appear on a designated day to be interviewed by a panel of independent judges. Each panel of judges selects one Silver Knight and three Honorable Mentions in that category. Names are not revealed until the Silver Knight Awards ceremony. Silver Knights receive $2,000, a Silver Knight statue and a medallion presented by American Airlines. The three Honorable Mentions are presented $500 and an engraved plaque.

​15 Silver Knight Categories
For more information on the other categories, visit this website: http://www.miamiherald.com/site-services/miami-herald-events/silver-knight/article1930303.html
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JOURNALISM
Excellence should be demonstrated by using writing, editing or reporting skills to benefit others in school, church or civic organizations, or through newspapers, magazines or electronic media in the community. Photographers may be better suited for the Art category unless their photos are used in news publications. Producers and technicians for television programs should choose the Vocational-Technical category unless they are involved in news writing and editing. Nominees may bring a portfolio of writing samples such as excerpts from a student newspaper to the interview.

• Nominee: N’agelie Lazo
• N’agelie is the President of the Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) in her school. She established the Zine Project as the club’s major community service project. Zines are local magazines used throughout the community to bring awareness to social injustices, and other topics. Apart from the GSA, she contributes to the community over 150 hours to both volunteering at Potential Church, and a local vet clinic, The Neighborhood Veterinary Center. She partakes in school clubs by possessing leadership qualities in: Homeroom Representative of Student Government Association, Senior Column writer for The Phoenix Flyer, Active Member in the Model UN/Social Studies Club, and Member/Volunteer within the Teacher’s Pet program through the National Honor Society. She also interns at the Wolfsonian of FIU, where she is the lead intern of the Education Department. She assist with Free Family Days, the Zines for Progress collaboration, and giving tours to the public. ​

MATHEMATICS
Excellence should be demonstrated by contributing to mathematical knowledge through individual or group research; by fostering interest in advanced mathematics; by tutoring in mathematics, or by using computer science to benefit the community.

• Nominee: Jahone Green
• ​Jahone has been working with Shake-A-Leg Miami for the past 3 years where he works with students with disabilities and autism. He has dedicated over 1500 volunteer hours to this organization. Additionally, Jahone is also the President of Omega Psi Phi Lamplighter organization where he has completed several community service projects including walks for cancer and toy drives for underprivileged children. Jahone is President of the National English Honor Society and is a member of the National Honor Society and Mu Alpha Theta.

​MUSIC & DANCE
Excellence should be demonstrated by performing vocal, instrumental music, or dance for the benefit of others, or by fostering wider participation and appreciation for music through school or civic organizations. Service and activities may include leading groups that share musical talents with the community. A nominee does not have to participate in a high school’s music classes or ensembles but must document advanced study of an instrument (i.e. vocalist, piano or harp). Music and Dance nominees are encouraged to bring a sample of their work (including the vehicle to play their sample) or other method of demonstrating their ability in this category.   

• Nominee: Melanie Rodriguez
• ​Melanie was the first iPrep student to volunteer with the Lower Academy Public Speaking and Debate team where she has dedicated approximately 250 hours to train and compete with the children.  Additionally, Melanie is trained in classical opera and musical theater where she has given back to the community through performance.  Melanie teamed with Italian artist, Fabio Ingrassia, producing a mixed media show that donates the proceeds to immigration relief.  Melanie is President of the Model United Nations Club, Editor in Chief of The Phoenix Flyer, Vice-President of the National English Honor Society, Press Secretary of the Student Government Association, Secretary of the National Honor Society, Historian of the Gay-Straight Alliance, Student Ambassador for Culture Shock Miami, Co-Founder of the Sociedad Honoraria Hispánica, and Intern for both Miami Dade County’s Department of Cultural Affairs and de la Cruz Collection Contemporary Art Space.

SCIENCE
Excellence should be demonstrated through advanced study or application of the principles of chemistry, physics, biology, botany, earth and space sciences, physiology and other specific areas, or by encouraging study in these areas. Judges will evaluate the service rendered through hospital laboratory research against the academic credits given a nominee for such research. Other service or activities may include promoting the preservation of the environment or working to save an endangered species.

• Nominee: Daniel Greene
• Danny has dedicated his time to helping children with life-threatening illnesses.  Through the Make a Wish foundation, Danny has raised over $6,000 for a child with leukemia.  Danny has dedicated many hours to our school’s Teacher’s Pet program and is the SGA President. He is also a member of the National Honor Society, National English Honor Society, and Mu Alpha Theta.

SOCIAL SCIENCE
Excellence should be demonstrated through the use of knowledge of American and world history, current events, political science, economics, or sociology for the benefit of others. Service or activities may include activities related to Student Government as well as local, state and federal government (i.e. issue advocacy, voter registration and political campaigns); fundraising or volunteering for social service organizations such as United Way and various health and human service agencies; and history education and preservation.

• Nominee: Natalie Balladares 
• Natalie, a former Breakthrough Miami student since fourth grade, has dedicated over 350 hours to teaching at Breakthrough in the past few years.  Also dedicated to Miami Country Day’s Cancer Walks and Breast Cancer Awareness, Natalie is a true iPrepian: Vice-President of Model United Nations/Social Studies Club, Member of National English Honor Society, Senior Senator of Student Government Association, Co-founder of the Spanish Honor Society, Treasurer of National Honor Society, and Breakthrough Miami intern.

VOCATIONAL TECHNICAL
Sometimes mirroring programs found in career technical tracks, these students should demonstrate excellence through the use of skills in agriculture, business, computing, construction, creative, culinary, healthcare, human services, mechanical and technical fields. Services and activities may include participation and membership in clubs such as Youth Crime Watch, Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA), Technology Student Association (TSA), Junior Engineering Technological Society (JETS), Cooperative Education Clubs of Florida (CECF), and Vocational Industrial Clubs of America (VICA). Graphic design students whose major service contributions or projects include web or multi-media components might be better suited for the Digital and Interactive Media Category.

• Nominee: Laura Mejia
• ​Laura, after transferring to iPrep in her sophomore year, has been integral to the iPrep family.  Working with our own Ms. Pedroso, Laura instituted our Health Information Project (HIP) for our underclassmen, and she instituted the Fitness club.  Laura has dedicated approximately 130 hours implementing and organizing the program: attending workshops, teaching the Peer Health Educators (PHEs), presenting HIP Modules to our underclassmen, and serving as a mentor.  Additionally, Laura has served as a Teacher’s Pet.  She is the National Honor Society, National English Honor Society, and Women of Tomorrow.

Interview with The Editor in Chief, Melanie Rodriguez:

What was your initial reaction to your nomination?

• I was ecstatic to receive this nomination. This is an award I have been hearing about for years, and it was an honor to receive this nomination.

What is the application process like?

• Once we receive a school nomination, then we fill out a preliminary application. After a committee reviews the applications, the official nominees are selected. Currently, the nominees are working on completing the Silver Knight application on the official platform. Our interviews will be in April, and the awards ceremony will be held in May.

What volunteer work do you do? (Apart from your major service project)

• Since my freshman year, I have volunteered with iPrep’s Lower Academy Public Speaking and Debate Team. I work alongside my mentor, Mr. Rickey Cox, to train the children how to be better public speakers and develop critical thinking skills by teaching the children how to collect research, write arguments, and improve presentation skills. I assist the club twice a week (Tuesdays and Thursdays) for two hours each day. I also aid in preparing the students to perform at the annual holiday show and Great Debate competition held at the end of the year.
• I serve as a Student Advisor on Culture Shock’s Student Advisory Council. I assist monthly meetings and volunteer at various cultural events where I promote access to the arts for students ages 13-22 through the introduction of $5.00 tickets.

What is your major service project?

• I started working at de la Cruz Collection in June 2014. Through my experience here I connected with Italian visual artist, Fabio Ingrassia, in 2015. In 2016, Fabio and I met for the first time in person to discuss possible projects and I assisted him with preparing for his live painting performance with Il Volo at their Miami concert. We kept in contact, and in March 2017 Fabio and I collaborated on a show where I sang and he painted live. This show was free and open to the public. For the spring of 2018 we are collaborating on another show where we will donate the profits to an immigration relief charity.

Works Cited:
Herald Board, Miami . “Silver Knight | Miami Herald.” Miami Herald | MiamiHerald.Com, Miami Herald , 2017.