The Panther 2022-23 Issue 4: Faces of Palmetto

FACES

the sixth annual issue of

THIS IS US.

Welcome to the sixth annual issue of our special edition of The Panther, Faces of Palmetto. This issue aims to show the Palmetto community the unique and special people who walk our halls: from the students currently enrolled to the faculty who dedicate their time teaching us and the alumni who spread Palmetto’s positive influence wherever they go. The Panther staff chose 12 people they feel embody the spirit of Palmetto through their stories and impact.

The Panther also hopes to broaden perspectives on the people in and outside of Palmetto, as the 12 featured in this issue have stories not widely known to others. The Panther recognizes their importance and their humanity. Inspired by Brandon Stanton’s “Humans of New York,” The Panther looks forward to continuing this incredible tradition of highlighting the remarkable people walking among us on campus far into the future.

these are our stories.

For more stories written by the Panther staff, visit www.thepalmettopanther.com.

Many high schoolers view volunteering as a requirement to graduate and as an addition to their resume; however, this is not always the case. Miami Palmetto Senior High School freshman Lilah Suarez dedicates her time to her community and works with families of babies in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) out of the kindness of her heart. When a newborn baby has health problems, is born early or endured a difficult birth, they go to the hospital’s NICU for 24/7 intensive care from the hospital’s expert fetal staff until they reach a healthy status.

This past year, Suarez joined ICU Baby — a nonprofit volunteer organization dedicated to providing emotional and financial support to the families of the baby in the NICU.

“I really wanted to help people. And most mothers do not get paid maternity leave, so the organization helps [those families]. So the parents that need either financial information or emotional help can access it [through ICU Baby] because it is hard, especially since you do not get to stay with the baby overnight,” Suarez said.

Suarez’s family friend, Coral Gables Pediatrics Pediatrician and Chair of ICU Baby, Roger Stoudt connected her to ICU Baby and provided her with the volunteering opportunity.

“So I think I was out to dinner actually with [Lilah’s parents] and we are talking about the girls and their daughters. And they brought up that Lilah is interested in becoming a pediatrician one day, and I brought up ICU Baby and [how] we are looking for young people to be a part of the organization and to volunteer and help out,” Stoudt said.

ONE AT A heartbeat time Lilah

Suarez

As a volunteer, Suarez primarily works with organizing toy drives and NICU packs, which include blankets and other essentials for the baby.

“She has already done a few things where they did some gift wrapping for ICU Baby for the holidays, and I was with her when she was at our Hope Parade. It was our second annual Hope Parade where we got together [with] families of NICU babies we have helped, and we did a walk this year around the Miami Zoo. Lilah, her sister and her parents were all there. They were helping hand out gift bags. She was there the entire day, and then helped, you know, pack things up. So she was an amazing asset for us,” Stoudt said.

Additionally, Stoudt is amazed by Suarez’s courage to fully commit to her volunteer work, no matter the job.

“I think the way she has thrown herself into the work and shows up is really showing to me that it is important to her and she is responsible and that she cares about what she is doing. I think that only reinforces, you know, initial opinions and forms new ones. That it says a lot [about someone]because not all high schoolers, you know, unfortunately, volunteer and sort of put in the work and effort,” Stoudt said.

Since joining ICU Baby, Suarez has learned from many mentors including the CEO and Co-founder of ICU Baby, Elizabeth Simonton, who works closely with Suarez and has helped make a difference throughout her volunteer journey.

“[Simonton] helped me see the big picture of things and how even the little things can greatly impact people,” Suarez said.

Although she is one of the younger volunteers, Suarez has found no difficulty fitting in and has remained committed to the program.

“I think, really quickly, she incorporated herself as part of the team, and her commitment to ICU Baby has just been really unmatched. I mean, she shows up for every event that we have; she participates in every event that we have,” Simonton said.

Suarez is considered a natural-born leader, with many enthusiastic qualities that have led to her great performance as a new volunteer.

“She really took on a leadership role and was leading one of the tables that we have there on the corner for the children. In other capacities, she has been a hard worker, so to speak, she has, you know, taken our project and done the task to a very high level. So I think she is an enthusiastic and graceful volunteer,” Simonton said.

Throughout Suarez’s time volunteering, she has realized how grateful she is and has become extremely compassionate in her role.

“I hope to make a difference and to help NICU babies and their families. Especially if the families have lost NICU babies, I want them to find comfort and peace and to be able to continue to live on a day-to-day basis,” Suarez said.

Ava Stuzin News Editor a.stuzin.thepanther@gmail.com

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PHOTO BY VALENTINA ARIAS

FIGHTING FOR FIGHTING FORpeace,family

The perils of war change one’s entire life in a flash, and amidst the current Russo-Ukrainian war, Miami Palmetto Senior High sophomore Vasyl Romankiv is no stranger to the struggles and sacrifices that accompany it.

Romankiv left his home country of Ukraine in 2014 at the age of seven, saying goodbye to his family as conflict began in Ukrainian territory.

“I actually moved to Miami because my dad got a job offer here. But in Ukraine, the conflict already started, like [the Russian annexation of] Crimea...So our parents decided there were better opportunities here and it’s safer here…it was a little emotional, but I was seven so I didn’t quite understand everything yet,” Romankiv said.

Romankiv had to adapt to the different customs and language in the U.S., which greatly contrasted his previous lifestyle.

“The hardest thing after moving here was the language because I did not speak any English, and the environment in Miami was different because everyone has different social norms,” Romankiv said.

On Feb. 24, 2022, Romankiv heard about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and his parents began to worry about their family in Ukraine.

“I have a cousin that’s in the front lines right now, and my uncle, he’s in reserve and, you know, it’s a little more stressful, more worrisome every single day,” Romankiv said. “I remember the first day when the war started out; I just finished doing my homework, and I saw it on the news, and my friend sent me a screenshot that there was a blast heard in Kyiv. With that, I went to my parents because my uncle lives there, and we got really worried.”

For Vasyl’s family in Ukraine, living through experiences of war has forced them to adjust to a new way of life despite the ongoing nightmare.

“It has not been easy since 2014, when Russia invaded… but the nightmare actually started February 24, 2022. We woke up because of explosions and fled the capital passing by destroyed airports, burned down villages and fire around the capital…terrible experience. A lot of sleepless nights in the hallway of our apartment, which is the safest place at the moment due to constant air alerts, which occur almost daily…with no regard of day or night. We have pillows and blankets in the hallways, it is a usual thing now,” Vasyl’s cousin, Karolina Romankiv said. “We were forced to leave our home…We gladly

Vasyl Romankiv

returned back to Kyiv, but air alerts sound, and we can see rockets through the window almost daily… This is not how I imagined my life.”

Vasyl’s family in Ukraine is unable to leave their home due to the country’s travel ban for adult men. As a result, visitation is not possible for Vasyl and his family.

“We cannot travel with my dad (Vasyl’s uncle, Ihor)... his presence in Ukraine is highly required, and he is not able to leave the country during the war, and is obligated to stay,” Karolina said. “...Vasyl and his brother, Kyrylo Romankiv, are the only cousins I have. We miss them a lot.”

Vasyl puts his efforts towards helping his country in the midst of his family members’ struggles feeling a need to contribute in any way he can.

“I’ve gone to multiple gatherings and events in downtown, and also I do Ukrainian dancing all around Florida…we actually have this yearly event… this year we had like 800-900 people watching… just dancing and showing our culture, and we’re raising awareness,” Vasyl said. “Also, I take a big part in a Ukrainian Catholic Church here in Miami, which supports Ukraine with humanitarian aid and prayers. I attend weekly liturgies and pray for and support Ukraine.”

Vasyl communicates with his family in Ukraine through WhatsApp; however, internet issues and blackouts are common in Ukraine, leaving Vasyl with often no way of knowing if his family is safe.

The war has uprooted Vasyl’s family’s lives and created a huge shift in their lifestyle.

“I dream to wake up every day in my bed and not in a basement or in hallways. No classes spent in the basement with teachers and classmates. No hiding in subways because there are airstrikes while I shop with my mom. I dream one day to wake up and no pillows and blankets in our hallway and no air alert breaking through the night. No more war. Peace, all I am dreaming about. Peace for all,” Karolina said.

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PHOTO COURTESY OF VASYL ROMANKIV

COURAGE, CONFIDENCE, AND

character Aayana Baid

A core value of any well-rounded individual, especially a high-school student, is community service. Whether it be helping beautify a neighborhood by cleaning up trash, serving food to the homeless, or simply volunteering at a local organization, get involved in the community is one of the best.

For Miami Palmetto Senior High School sophomore Aayana Baid, prodigy is an understatement. With so many extracurriculars and leadership positions already under her belt already, she is more qualified than most senior students. Baid’s top priority is community service, and through her participation in the Pinecrest Youth Advisory Council and Girl Scouts, she has demonstrated exceptional talent in helping others.

“I think that once you start getting into the habit of giving back, it shapes you into a different and better person,” Baid said. “[Community service] makes you grateful for what you have and is a way of paying it forward.”

Not only is Baid a member of YAC, but she holds the position of Vice Chair. In this role, Baid has first handedly seen the leadership side of the organization where she has learned the proficiency required to manage and oversee the other teens in the council, as well as do her part of participating in community events.

“I’m so proud of her for taking it upon herself to run for office,” YAC advisor. “It takes a lot of courage to run for an elective position, and she not only ran but won.”

Aside from being a member of YAC, Baid has been a girl scout for 11 years.

Baid’s involvement extends beyond selling the renowned girl scout cookies, but as a leader through her community service projects.

“I’ve been a girl scout since 2012. I’ve completed a bunch of community service projects with the Girls Scouts, and my Take Action project,” Baid said. “I worked with Be the Change freshman year [donated individually packaged beverages and drinks to them]. Now [I am] working towards the gold award,” Baid said.

The Girl Scouts are a way to not only participate in the community but make long-lasting connections and friendships. The Scouts perform many team-building exercises and emphasize cooperation through their group projects and nature activities.

“They’re like a sisterhood,” Baid’s Girl Scout troupe leader Elaine Pachon said. “Not only do they have fun and common interests, but they have a friendship and respect for each other.”

Although this is Baid’s first year at MPSH, she has immersed herself into the school environment. Her passion for community service led her to join the community outreach committee on Student Council, going hand in hand with her work in YAC.

“Palmetto is a lot bigger than my school last year but I just love it. I love how academically challenging it can be, and even though it is a big school,. I just think its a great school and its helped me become more outgoing,” Baid said.

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BRINGING THE POVERTY LINE WITH HER rising above:

After hoping to see a change in her community and beyond, tired of waiting for others to act, Miami Palmetto Senior High School junior Condoleezza Alexis decided that the change was up to her. Consequently, Bleeding Hearts Across America was born: a non-profit organization that aims to help people living on or below the poverty line.

Alexis has always been involved in her community, both inside and outside of MPSH, serving as the President of the Women of Tomorrow club, Vice President of the Debate club, Vice President of the Creative Writing club and the Treasurer of the Italian Honor Society. Yet, Alexis continues to follow her dreams of serving and helping others.

Alexis’s ambition for long-term change became the catalyst of Bleeding Hearts Across America. While attending a meeting for Women of Tomorrow, she heard about a drive the club was planning. This was the moment that her incentive for innovation manifested itself.

“We were talking in Women of Tomorrow about having a feminine hygiene drive and we were going to do it for one month only. So, with the drive being a month, I just thought that did not make sense. As a woman, you get your period every single month, so it was like, why only do it for one month? That is not really going to help in the long term,” Alexis said. “It is not just for products like that, but also for other products people need more regularly, like baby products. Not just for mothers, because there are also single fathers, and also families who struggle to get baby products..”

Upon learning about the drive in Women of Tomorrow, Alexis wanted to do more, thinking of all the people that she could help. Alexis coupled her motivations from the drive to her annual visits to her home country of Haiti, bringing her to the realization of how fortunate she is and how many lack the resources others may not think twice about.

“I do know that a lot of people struggle [in Haiti] with things we take for granted here, and it makes you want to do better, especially with all the things going on in the world. Just thinking about it, in general, does make me want to make a difference,” Alexis said. “You see with every country, there are obviously people who suffer, but there are a lot of things here that we have that we take for granted. For example, electricity. I am pretty sure that when you go home and you turn on the light or water, you do not think about these things, but there are countries where it is genuinely harder for people to obtain these things. Even things as simple as food are very hard to obtain.”

In starting her organization, Alexis swiftly organized her efforts connecting needed positions withand individuals who could fulfill them. Still, Alexis had the most significant strengths of all: determination, passion and open-mindedness.

“She is very organized, she is a bit intense as well, in a good way. She makes sure that we do not fall behind or that we are not missing out on meetings, because even though this has not been going on for as long as other clubs or organizations, it is still important to get a jumpstart on it,” MPSH sophomore and Bleeding Hearts Across America board member Cameron Solomon said. “She is very loud and expressive about this; she wants people to know, and I think that is admirable because she does not hesitate to tell people about it. She is very passionate about this project, which I just find fascinating, and I want to be able to be a part of that good feeling that comes with creating something like this.”

When recruiting board members, Alexis worked precisely and punctually with events, plans and activities. She encourages all members to spread the word about the non-profit and its goals, with their most recent goal focusing on their feminine hygiene drive, sponsored by Women of Tomorrow. Alexis chose to establish her drive as president of the club and in accordance with the sponsor, Algebra II and Mathematics for data and Financial Literacy teacher, Trisha Jarrett.

“Bleeding Hearts Across America, I think those goals are really catering to the lack of feminine care and hygiene issues. At its primal nature, you need necessities. If you do not have the basics, it is hard to function…you need certain things in order to be successful or accomplish other things in life. If you are worried about not being able to have proper hygiene, that does affect your confidence and how you portray yourself to your outward community,” Jarrett said.

Many describe Alexis as welcoming, and her warm personality makes her easily approachable and trustworthy.

“She is always just trying to think about ways to have an interactive community and bring people together. Her personality plays a great part in unifying not only our club but other organizations she is involved with. I see her leadership style, and she is willing to fill in the gaps, even if she is not a part of a board position. She is willing to step up where there’s a need,” Jarrett said.

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STUDENT BY DAY rockstar by night

Living the best of both worlds, Miami Palmetto Senior High junior Victoria Sintes is a teenage musician whose career is on the rise.

“Victoria always had an inclination to music since she was very young,” Sintes’ mother Laura Sintes said. “Her ability to pick up any instrument and kind of, right away, learn how to play it, it is incredible to me. She plays the drums, the bass, she sings, she also plays piano — she has never taken a piano lesson in her life. So it is kind of amazing.”

Victoria Sintes

comfort during stressful times.

“Music has always helped me cope and find an outlet when I am feeling overwhelmed or anxious,” Victoria said.

JUNIOR

However, even with nerves and anxiety, School of Rock has allowed Victoria’s vibrant personality to shine on and off the stage.

Victoria’s parents, Andres and Laura, and her brother, Nicholas, have been her biggest supporters throughout her musical journey.

“My brother [Nicholas] was the one who kind of inspired me to start music because he played guitar, and I thought it was really cool. I would go to his shows, and I was like ‘Oh, I want to do that,’” Victoria said. “Also, my parents have always encouraged me a lot. If I ever felt discouraged, they reminded me that everyone is learning [and that] it is a process.”

Along with being Victoria’s main supporters, her parents are the owners of School of Rock Coral Gables, Coconut Grove and Doral. School of Rock is a worldwide musical education program that offers individual instrument, songwriting and singing lessons for students of any skill level using their own performance-based “School of Rock Method.” The program’s main goal is to get all its students to perform on stage, and it achieves this through group rehearsals and live performances at real music venues. By owning three School of Rock locations, Victoria’s parents hope to bring music to the lives of kids and teens throughout South Florida.

As for her role in School of Rock, Victoria serves as the HouseBand Singer and spreads her talent throughout the South Miami community.

“Music has always helped me express my emotions in a way that sometimes words cannot. It has also helped me meet a lot of people and make a lot of really meaningful relationships,” Victoria said.

Knowing music is a constant in her life has also provided her

“The best part of this for me is seeing her confidence. I love seeing her on stage because I am kind of an introvert, so seeing her have such a good stage presence and be so confident to perform in front of hundreds of people, it is really amazing and I think that is something that can translate into other areas of her life,” Laura said.

Victoria and her rock band’s talents have not only been showcased locally, but have gone international, performing in the world-renowned Rock Festival “Rock in Rio” in Lisbon, Portugal, in the Summer of 2022. At the festival, Sintes performed alongside artists such as Muse, Black Eyed Peas and Ellie Goulding.

Throughout the glamor and excitement, Victoria still faces hardships as a full-time student.

“I mostly just make sure to keep school a priority,” Victoria said. “If I am ever feeling overwhelmed, everybody is really understanding.”

Another struggle Victoria faced was the COVID-19 pandemic, which put a halt to School of Rock for a period of time. However, the break only solidified Victoria’s love for music.

“While it was really hard, it did encourage me more, because when I went back I was really determined to make the most of what I had,” Victoria said.

School of Rock not only impacted her upbringing as a teenager but has paved a way for Victoria’s future.

“Before this, I was not really sure what I wanted to do, and now I know what I really want to do is pursue music, even if it is hard. I think it is something I definitely want to keep chasing after because this is what makes me really happy,” Victoria said.

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DESIGN BY LUNA GARCIA PHOTOS BY VALENTINA ARIAS AND VICTORIA SINTES

BUILDING THE beat

Dylan Morris

Eight years old was a formative year for Miami Palmetto Senior High senior Dylan Morris. While playing Minecraft, Morris’ friend told him about an app that would teach him how to play piano. From there, a flourishing love of music grew, leading to Morris becoming a seasoned piano player and an established music producer.

“My dad (Morris’ grandfather) got him for Christmas, one year, a keyboard…then he just started playing on it. And it was extraordinary. It wasn’t just like a six-year-old banging on a keyboard, it was classical music. It was really incredible,” Morris’ mother Lisa Morris said.

Throughout his childhood, Dylan taught himself piano to an extremely skilled level and now utilizes his skills to produce music today. He mainly plays classical pieces, which expanded his abilities and taste in music.

During quarantine, Dylanused all his newfound extra time to break into the music industry. He expanded his skills and résumé by working with popular artists, including 42 Dugg, Tory Lanez and MPSH alumni Zzz.

“Quarantine was a great time for me to [become an established producer] because I had so much time on my hands. And there was a big community on Instagram; you get into group chats, you talk to people, you network and you make connections; you send things out to people and eventually something somewhere will land,” Dylan said.

Dylan is able to create and collaborate through means of emails and phone numbers. Through this, he sends beats and anticipates whether or not his beats are used by other artists.

“The best part of the experience for me is hearing the news that I got this huge placement with this big artist,” Dylan said. “I get such an adrenaline rush from that.”

Dylan is a member of the Global Cartel, a collective of creatives who support each other and collaborate. As a collective, the members of Global collaborate with each other for connections to create more music.

“I consider [Global Cartel] like a family,” Dylan said. “We just work together and help each other out… it is more or less a loose group of people who work together.”

Through the encouragement of his friend and fellow music producer, Nate Figueroa, Dylan joined Global Cartel in 2020.

“We (Figeuroa and Dylan) have been working together for three years. It is really good. I like working with him. It is very natural, and we get stuff done. We make a lot of different loops, and everything we make is very different,” Figueroa said.

Dylan gains inspiration from the classical music he grew up playing in his production, creating a distinctive sound and feeling in his work. From classical music, Dylan was able to branch off into different musical categories.

Even though Dylan produces mainly hiphop, he does not shy away from allowing his style to bleed into other genres. Influences of rock and classical music can be heard across his expanding body of work.

“We would take a lot of inspiration from classical music, like a lot of the old piano records and stuff. He is really great on the piano,” Figueroa said. “So he might start off and play some really cool chords— dark, you know, vintage sounding chords, and I will come in with a bunch of different instruments, just to try to replicate that old classical sound.”

As a young producer, Dylan regularly works with people more experienced than him, but this is not necessarily a disadvantage. Dylans’ work ethic from a young age led to the admiration of his work by his peers and his potential as a producer.

“People will be like, ‘oh my God, this [at the time] 16-year-old kid and he is doing all this stuff.’ I think it makes more people want to work [with me],” Dylan said. “...People want to find young talent that they have time to build.”

As an independent music producer, Dylan needs to make sure that he is not taken advantage of. His job does not just entail music; there is a business aspect, too. Dylan has a lawyer look over his contracts to make sure he is getting proper credit and compensation.

“I’m very proud of him. Even if he decided to go in the direction of not pursuing college and doing music, I believe in his abilities,” Lisa said.

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A LEAP INTO THE unknown

Camryn Givens

Some people know their passion from a young age, while others may stumble upon it accidentally. Camryn Givens, a senior at Miami Palmetto Senior High acted on a whim of fascination the day she discovered pole vaulting.

“I actually went to the wrong part of a track meet, and I saw someone pole vaulting freshman year and I was like, ‘Oh, I want to do that,’ and I eventually found a coach at the beginning of junior year and started,” Givens said.

This planted Givens’ initiative to participate in pole vaulting alongside track. Only starting pole vaulting as a junior, Givens has broken out of her comfort zone and soared.

Although Givens just recently began pursuing pole vaulting, she has already accomplished an array of accomplishments. Givens was a District Champion, Regional Champion and placed sixth at states. She continues to thrive on her ride to the top through all her hard work, practice, and dedication.

“...It takes a really long time to build these skills, so [Cameron] is really advanced, for starting when we started,” Brianna Romeo, Dr. Michael M. Krop Senior High student and member of Given’s club team.

With track and pole vaulting taking up a large part of her life, Givens has connected with other kids her age and developed everlasting connections.

“...Most sports are so competitive and hard to make friends. But with Cameron, it was really easy. She is such a team player and a really good competitor…she really pushes my sister and I, and we are really good friends…,” Romeo said.

Balancing school, track and pole vaulting and more, Givens has a busy schedule. Luckily, she is surrounded by a great support system and provided with the necessary tools for success.

“My coach has a club that I am in, and [I] pay for the club which is actually really cheap for how good of a coach she is. All the money is put back into the club, so I do not have to buy poles or anything. The only thing I have to buy are my spikes, which are my shoes, and then I buy chalk [to] just [ensure] my hands do not slip on the bar,” Givens said.

At practice, vaulters warm up by sprinting and working with their poles. Then, they practice jumping and work on their form and technique.

“Every time a vaulter goes up a bar to be like

10 feet, and then if you clear that, you go to 10’6. Once you get three scratches where the bar falls, or you jump but you are not able to clear a bar, then you are out and that is where the final height is,” Givens said.

While some athletes spend years practicing to get attention from college athletic scouts, Givens already has an offer lined up with Clemson University. With college around the corner, this marks an opportunity of a lifetime.

“I was talking to the coach and he had followed me on Instagram and kind of showed his interest in me. So I emailed him like a couple of weeks later and said, ‘Hey, this is where I am at.’ He was like, ‘If you can clear 11’ 6,’’ I will let you walk on; you have a spot on the team,’ and I cleared 11’ 6’’ a couple of days ago,” Givens said.

Despite this impressive offer, Givens is still debating among several other colleges and whether she will pursue pole vaulting in college. Like many other seniors in highschool, Givens considers her future and possible career paths she may take.

“If I get far with pole vaulting like this is a big stretch, but if I do get to be like a world athlete like obviously, I would definitely do that. But honestly I want to go to college just to have a college experience, I was thinking of going to college to be a firefighter, which has nothing to do with it,” Givens said.

Pole vaulting is known to be extremely difficult as it involves immense upper body strength, practice and a keen eye to ensure the pole does not harm the player as they descend, and Givens has accumulated these skills quickly. Givens is a true treasure to MPSH’s athletics department with her versatile skills and unbeatable motivation. She shows her tremendous talent through her deep passion for her craft, which remains a valuable asset to have at such a young age.

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PHOTO BY RYAN MCKEAN

THE gears BEHIND THE gallery Patrick

Many Miami residents and tourists travel far and wide to visit world-renowned artist Xavier Cortada’s art gallery located in Pinecrest Gardens. There to help them beyond the information provided by the placard under the painting is none other than Miami Palmetto Senior High senior, Patrick Rodriguez. Rodriguez assists in raising awareness about the environment by showcasing Cortada’s art. Cortada’s artwork is known for giving a voice to social justice and environmental issues by depicting them in a visual form.

“A lot of people cannot really understand something through just words or just reading something…art is something that evokes feelings in a lot of people…when it comes to activism, it is just so important that those feelings are involved,” Rodriguez said.

Though Rodriguez does not create art himself, he has adapted to the ins and outs of the creative industry. Taking a different path from most who find a passion in art, he is pursuing art business, tying together a love for art and a knack for entrepreneurship. Rodriguez’s interest in art began in his junior year taking AP Art History and continued when he attended the Sotheby’s Institute of Art’s summer program in New York City.

Rodriguez brought his knowledge back to South Florida and now works showcasing Cortada’s work at the Pinecrest Gardens Hibiscus Gallery.

“[Cortada] kind of assigned me to the gallery itself, which is in Pinecrest gardens, so I kind of run that gallery. I do the marketing for the gallery, so I run the Instagram. I make graphics for the Instagram. I am kind of a representative. So when people come in, they ask about

the gallery. I am usually there on Sundays from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and [people] come in and people will ask questions, and I will guide them through his work through the gardens,” Rodriguez said.

Rodriguez has used the opportunity to help him grow in different ways. The interactions at the gallery allow him to communicate better, and his constant interaction with art that advocates for the environment has helped him understand the cause on a deeper level.

“I kind of saw him talking to people and really getting to know people and telling them about the art. It was just really cool to see him understand and have a deeper meaning for all of the pieces,” MPSH senior and friend of Rodriguez, Katie Herskowitz said. “Although he does not actually make the art, he can kind of depict the art extremely well; he understands the meanings and he loves figuring out the meanings.”

Rodriguez’s friends and family have been standing behind and supporting him throughout the course of his work. Rodriguez’s older brother even provided him with connections to Cortada, aiding him to become one of the youngest people Cortada works with, as the artist tends to only work with college and post-graduate students.

“[My family is] extremely proud… There is something in our blood and in our family that the art runs through…I think it is a beautiful thing that Patrick has been able to find this interest and really take flight with it,” Patrick Rodriguez’s older brother Philip Rodriguez said.

Patrick believes art has a special role in justice movements because of its ability to move and inspire people. Art often changes

Rodriguez

how people feel about a subject and can compel them to take a stand.

“Art is something that evokes feelings in a lot of people. Some people will see art and feel something from it and that is what it does. You feel something when you listen to music, you feel something when you see a painting or when you see a sculpture, it is not defined by a certain medium, anything is art, and it is just something that evokes that feeling. So when it comes to activism, it is just so important that those feelings are involved because you will not want to get involved in something or be active in something unless you feel strongly about it,” Patrick said.

Patrick looks to make his mark on the art world by challenging people’s perceptions. He acknowledges that many people feel detached from the art world, believing that art is something exclusive, for the privileged few.

“I think art is kind of seen as this upperclass sort of thing that only certain people have the luxury to enjoy and I just don’t think that that’s true, or it should not be true, because it is something that everybody should be able to enjoy,” Patrick said.

Making change is important to Patrick and his work at the gallery facilitates that passion.

“I think Patrick working for them makes a lot of sense because he’s a big advocate of changing the world,” Herskowitz said.

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Growing up surrounded by the ocean, Miami Palmetto Senior High Marine Science honors teacher Nicolas Quintairos has always had a fervent admiration for marine life. Pursuing his education in marine biology, aquaculture and entrepreneurship, Quintairos found a way to incorporate every element of wildlife conservation, media and adrenaline into his company, Reel Ocean.

As a graduate student at the University of Miami’s Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, Quintairos, alongside co-founder Jake Weinberger, founded Reel Ocean, a company dedicated to educating people on South Florida’s environment and instilling providing hope for the preservation of the ocean through media outlets and documentaries. Quintaros initially started the business to plant mangroves, but he shifted his idea to fit his aquatic and adventurous lifestyle.

“The idea kind of came from the fact that I love diving. I love being out in the world. I love just being underwater. And so I wanted to design the company in a way where [I can] make myself go diving more, and also build the company through that. And really one of the only options was to film what we are doing and learn how to use a camera underwater. And so that is what we did, . Aand that is what we are currently doing,” Quintairos said.

REELING IN ON marine science

Weinberger, a videographer, produced videos before the start of Reel Ocean. Through the company, he has learned to direct films and manage social media pages, as well as experience the work of Quintairos firsthand.

“I was making videos on the side as a side project. And when h came to me with his idea of making documentaries and having that as a business, I was on board. He had a strategy to make it into a business, so I just joined in,” Weinberger said. “I have been working with him for a couple years now. He has been pretty good to work with [and is] very understanding, very caring; , he’s pretty patient as well just with overall workflow.”

When seeking a way to merge his two interests, the ocean and business, Quintairos decided to pursue aquaculture, a form of farming by cultivating aquatic animals and plants in controlled environments for commercial or recreational purposes.

“So I actually wanted to study aquaculture because I had this idea of combining science and entrepreneurship, [because] both things were a passion of mine; so I saw that aquaculture was a really fast growing industry, and that if we are going to solve a lot of the environmental problems that we have as a global society, we need to fix our food system,” Quintairos said.

Nicolas Quintairos

Although he had not originally did not planned to, Quintairos wanted to further spread his passion for the elements he currently pursues in his company by teaching high school students.

“I did not really know if I was going to like teaching or not, but about three or four months into it, I absolutely fell in love with teaching and the impact that you can have on others, and not only their opinions about the environment, but their confidence in the way they carry themselves. It is something that has given me a lot of satisfaction, watching [my students] grow as people more than just giving [them] information,” Quintairos said.

Quintairos took the initiative of not only spreading his passion for marine biology to young minds, but made it one of his goals to push students to reach their potential through the development of life skills and public speaking. In his curriculum, Quintairos incorporates business elements and requires students to develop their own start-up company and film a documentary in hopes of inspiring innovation among them. He believes these lessons contain useful information for the real world ahead of them.

Additionally, to incorporate his driven nature and hope to see students thrive, outside of marine science, Quintairos is the assistant boys lacrosse coach and sponsor of the robotics club at the school. To Quintairos, teaching holds a major part in his life whether that is inside or outside the classroom.

“[He expresses his passion for teaching] probably through a variety of ways. First and foremost, every day he comes home and he’s super excited about either something that a student taught him and stuff like that, and I know that for example, a lot of the things that he does for his business, he brings it into the classroom. So I know [his students] have seen probably a bunch of videos and snippets of his documentary, so he’s just always kind of meshing his professional life as a teacher and his business endeavors into one, and just always trying to make a difference with his students,” Quintairos’ fiancé Joanna Gomez said.

Both in the school environment and outside of it, Quintairos is always seeking a way to encourage action in the community. Due to his time researching, filming and diving in the Florida Keys, Reel Ocean has provided him a new eye-opening perspective.

“Just experiencing nature in a whole different way through a camera lens and learning how to approach certain animals so that you can get close enough to film them, and having these really unique experiences in nature has really been my favorite part about what we are doing,” Quintairos said.

Currently, Quintairos and Reel Ocean are producing a documentary alongside SeaWorld, Disney Conservation, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission as well as otherand other conservation organizations in hopes of creating

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a meaningful impact and spreading knowledge toof environmental issues. Additionally, the company has major plans and aspirations for the future, such as selling prints of the ocean from both underwater and birdseye perspectives, and reaching a greater audience by launching their documentaries to major streaming platforms.

“I would say that [one of his best qualities] is thaÏt he just doesn’t settle. I’ve seen him work on his trailers for hours and hours and hours and I’ve seen them probably over 100 times each, but he just doesn’t settle for what I say is the goal. He’s always looking to make improvements, just to make sure that, for example, when he presents it to the board of whatever company he’s working with, [that they will] take them back,” Gomez said. “It has been an overall exciting journey for probably like, five or six years now, and it’s definitely been an exciting time. I know he definitely puts his 110 percent into his business and he’s always working on it after school, so I’m definitely proud of him.”

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DESIGN BY ELLA PEDROSO PHOTOS COURTESY OF NICOLAS QUINTAIROS

LEARNING TO THRIVE LIKE A seed from cement Anne

From Cuba to France and then the United States, honors and AP French teacher at Miami Palmetto Senior High School Anne Woungly-Massaga has prioritized education and taken advantage of her love for teaching, hard work and the arts by amplifying the voices of her students and loved ones throughout her life.

“I am French (my mother is French, and my father is Camerounaise). I have four siblings. When I was little, I moved to Cuba with my mom; I studied in Cuba. I did a lot of going back and forth from country to country but I was raised in Cuba,” WounglyMassaga said.

After completing her educational career in Cuba with a degree in mathematics, Woungly-Massaga began teaching at a pre-university institution, followed by a 14-yearlong career at the French embassy.

“It was an amazing experience. I worked at the school for 14 years. It was very different from the other schools I worked at because all the students were diplomats’ children. At the beginning, I was a bit scared because I was very young; I was about 25 or 26-years-old. I had never done that kind of job, and I had never taught in French, but I always say that if others can do it, I can do it too, with a little bit of determination and work. I learned a lot. The courses I taught allowed me to travel to other countries like Haiti and Venezuela,” WounglyMassaga said.

Following this, Woungly-Massaga made the decision to move her career to France in order to evade political unrest alongside her son, Saïd, in 2004. Despite challenges, WounglyMassaga prioritized Saïd’s educational opportunities and ensured that her son maintained access to reputable educational institutions across France

Woungly-Massaga

in order to prepare him for his future.

“We went to France, [Saïd] was able to finish his education in France, and he was very well prepared because it was a school with a high academic reputation,” Woungly-Massaga said. “In France, work became much more difficult to find. Here there are a lot more opportunities if you’ve done something with your life, and I decided that France was not the place for us, because to be able to work, I would’ve had to completely restart my career.”

Given the circumstances regarding work and her career, after two years, Woungly-Massaga chose to move to the U.S., with hopes of continuing her career as an educator and language teacher. Not without its challenges, restarting her career in the U.S. allowed Woungly-Massaga to pick up yet another skill — speaking English.

“Like the rest of the world, I had to work in what I could: in the supermarkets, odd jobs like that, but every day I looked at myself and thought, ‘I need to go back to what I do. I worked hard to become a teacher.’ So one day, I decided it was time to study English, because there was no other way for me to come to Miami and not speak English, but it was very hard to learn English because here everyone speaks Spanish, ” Woungly-Massaga said. “I went to school for three months, and even then people spoke Spanish in the classroom so I decided, ‘Nope this is not for me.I am going to learn English the same way I learned French.’ I started to study. I studied for months and months, maybe a year or two years of studying English for eight hours a day, coming home from work and studying. I presented myself to become a teacher, and I got my license in teaching French, Spanish and math,” Woungly-Massaga said.

PHOTOS BY MADDIE VOLPE

Aside from her career as an educator, Woungly-Massaga has found a sense of comfort through the arts. Woungly-Massaga always liked art and was always drawn to it and the beauty that came from her work. She never took it seriously, it was just something on the side she did for fun.

“Well honestly, I did not choose art, art chose me. Art was something casual. I was doodling little things here and there, on napkins in meetings. Then, one day my son told me that he liked what I drew. ‘Why don’t you start to paint?’ He said. I really started to paint for him,” Woungly-Massaga said.

Woungly-Massaga did not even want to share her art; she did not think anyone would actually enjoy it. Until one day her son told her he wanted the world to see her art. She was hesitant at first, but he told her it would be a trial run, and if nothing comes of it, then they would not do anything with it. Now her page is very popular; she even has her work in some galleries. Saïd even says that now she loves to take and post the pictures herself.

“[The owner of a beauty salon] contacted us through Instagram. He basically saw the pictures and he wanted us to have some of her art in his salon and then eventually we had the courage to also talk to different galleries and make that connection with people and we’re able to have her art in? this gallery in New York,” Saïd said.

She describes her style as a “perfect chaos,” called Alywoungs. Her work can be found beyond Instagram, at Futurama Gallery in Little Havana, and she is currently working on a children’s book called “Bizarre,” a children’s coloring book for kids with disabilities. Find her on instagram: @annew_art.

For Saïd, his experiences in Cuba, France and the U.S. alongside his mother has allowed him to reflect on his childhood and his appreciation of her hard work and determination.

“In the back of my mind, I remember her saying things and the things she’s told me to protect me and her guidance. It’s something that I try to follow, especially when I moved to Orlando, that was

the first time I left the house. I went to UCF and it’s crazy how when you’re far away from home, you remember all that little advice that your parents gave you; she’s a big inspiration. I think that her determination, her strength and every time that she sets her mind to something she goes for it, that’s something that I admire from her,” Saïd said. “She’s working on her second master’s now, after she’s 62, and she still pushes forward, that’s something that’s incredible.”

Woungly-Massaga’s impact reaches far beyond the classroom, leaving a mark on each of her students and their futures.

“I don’t think there’s any other teacher like Madame in school, outside of being a very dedicated teacher and having a different insight and opinion on everything. She kind of went against the flow but not in a bad way. She went against the flow with how she perceived some stuff like, ‘Okay, this is always done this way. But why? Why does no one question and go this way? This could be better or this could benefit the students more,’” MPSH alumni and former AP French student Rachelle Portes said.

Woungly-Massaga has devoted her career to ensuring that her students not only gain knowledge on their topic of study, but that each one leaves her classroom with a better understanding of themselves and the tools necessary to lead a life of kindness, hard work and dedication.

“Love yourself, love others, work for what you want and don’t fall down. If you fall down, you get right back up, like seeds that fall on the ground. As one of my old professors told me: ‘You are like a seed that falls into the cement and no matter what, finds a way to grow,’” Woungly-Massaga said.

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STEPPING OUT THE SHADOWS and into the spotlight

Syndee Winters

Triple threat and Miami Palmetto Senior High alumni, Syndee Winters, has dominated the Broadway stage since 2010. Prior to her debut as Nala in “The Lion King,” and later taking the stage in “Hamilton,” she dazzled in the spotlight of Palmetto’s activities.

Originally born in New York, Winters had to create a brand new life for herself across the globe in the sunshine state. Six weeks before summer vacation of her eighth-grade year, Winters became the “new girl” at Southwood Middle School.

“I was born in Queens. My parents are from Jamaica, originally. And I grew up in Brentwood, Long Island, which is a predominantly Hispanic, Black and Caribbean community. And then in the summertime of my eighth-grade year, my parents separated and I moved to Florida. Nothing is worse than showing up when everybody’s solidified their relationships,” Winters said.

After feeling like an outsider, Winters graduated middle school and in the next school year, transformed into her true Panther self, embracing every opportunity at MPSH.

“I signed up for everything. The African American Heritage Club, the Hispanic Heritage Club, Pep Squad, Variations, Omega singers, the musical — anything that provided an opportunity for me to perform and choreograph and create art and collaboration with others,” Winters said. “My friends would just be like, ‘Syndee, you are too serious. You are really taking it to another level.’”

Despite Winters’ involvement at Palmetto, she still faced challenges concerning her personal life. Apart from her closest friends living more than 1,000 miles away, she also faced a distance between her parents. Yet, her connection to the arts allowed her to find a relationship to something deeper.

“You know, having been a product of divorce, you have to create your own world. So performing music was the thing that kept me really focused,” Winters said. “I would go home and I would be so depressed because my life was somewhere else. I listened to the music and played it loud in my bedroom, and I felt that it was keeping me company.”

After graduating in 2004, Winters took her talents to the basketball courts as an NBA dancer for the New York Knicks. During her high school years, Winters immersed herself in every performing arts class, including the Variations dance team. Winters’ best friend from school, Brianna Belletiere, was one of her biggest inspirations when it came to dance. Belletiere was the first choreographer that Winters “worked under.”

“[Brianna and I] became such good friends that her mom, Ms. Scarlett said, ‘Syndee, Brianna tells me that you are a singer and singers can train at my studio for free on scholarship.’ Well, the truth was, my dad did not have the money to pay for me to go to anything extracurricular outside of school. So, Ms. Scarlett gave me a scholarship to learn at her school, and then I eventually taught there,” Winters said.

At MPSH, Winters was surrounded by an array of teachers, including Trisha Jarett who gave Winters a helping hand through her troubling academic endeavors. Jarett describes her as a light.

“As time went on, I saw that she was very talented with dancing and she learned really fast, and she had a natural knack of getting along with different personalities. So she was just easy to talk to,” Jarrett said.

Although Winters was not considered a “perfect student,” she worked hard to graduate and move on to post-secondary education — even if that meant attending night school.

“So I was teaching night school and she was across the hall in one of my colleague’s room, Mr. William’s class, and she would always ask if she could come sit in my class to do her work. And he allowed it, and I would help her with whatever concept was going on, and she would just sit in my room and do her work,” Jarrett said.

Looking for a way to avoid stereotypical castings based on ethnicity, a problem common in the entertainment industry, she changed her last name “Chinloy” into her stage name “Winters.”

“When I first started in the industry, I changed my name. I went from being Syndee Chinloy, that is how I am known at Palmetto, to being Syndee Winters because I did not want to be pigeonholed into being typecast, for having an Asian last name or I was not wanting to be ambiguously ethnic,” Winters said. “Syndee Chinloy is the person who created Syndee Winters and that person is a student of music.”

Portraying Nala in the Broadway production of “The Lion King” officially marked Winters’ first professional production. To Winters, this role was everything she had envisioned, regardless of the various attempts it took to land the role — with a threeyear lapse from when Winters first auditioned and then auditioned again.

“I wanted that show, I did not want anything else. Hamilton did not even exist when I wanted to be Nala in the Lion King,” Winters said. “When the opportunity came, it was just like, oh my gosh, I cannot believe Syndee Chinloy who drives a 1987 Volvo that I bought for 250 dollars in Miami, Florida who has no connection to Broadway or any sort of musical theater profession, nothing, is being asked to audition for Nala.”

Although Winters first took center stage as Nala, she saw Hamilton as an encompassment of every musical element she enjoyed such as hip hop, r&b, jazz, gospel, soul music, and reggae, which attracted her to the production.

“[Lin Manuel Miranda] loves hip hop and he loves musical theater, and those two worlds combined. So do I. I know all the references that Lin pulled from to create Hamilton. All the musical references and all the artist’s references, other rappers and singers that he pulled as inspiration to create the themes of all the characters that are in Hamilton and how they tell their stories,” Winters said.

Although she stood on multiple Broadway stages, it never stopped Winters from returning to her alma mater and giving back to the community that shaped her.

“When she came in, she wanted specifically to teach my beginner students, and she explained to them that the reason behind that was when she was here at Palmetto, there were a lot of beginner classes and only one advanced class,” MPSH theater and stagecraft teacher Robin Barson said. “If you are just in her presence, she is just a bouncing bundle of positive energy. She has come in through the years and done some masterclass workshops for my students both advanced and beginners.”

Despite the challenges throughout life, Winters persevered, took advantage of every opportunity given and dedicated countless hours to her craft ultimately leading her to dazzle atop the Broadway stage.

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our skill sets and putting the effort and the time in… So I think trying to develop the work ethic and work on our skill set and getting the opportunity to be in the gym all the time was a positive influence on them,” former MPSH basketball coach and current Head Basketball Coach at Daniel Boone High school Christopher Brown said.

Like any highschooler who transfers to a new school, the transition did not come easy. At first, making new friends and navigating the halls seemed daunting, but once students met

and my head coach, Chris Brown. Those two were mother-father figures for me outside of my parents. They taught me how to work hard, they taught me how to be passionate and be persistent in the work that I involve myself with. And most importantly, to be respectful. Be respectful to not only your peers, but to anyone that you may encounter, because you never know who’s watching, and you never know who you could leave a lasting impression on. So, I just try my best to listen to them and follow their lead and be a great student athlete,” Hardaway said.

Tim Hardaway Jr.

LETTER FROM THE

We hope you love “Faces of Palmetto” as much as we loved creating it. We recognize how special the Palmetto community is, and our staff worked diligently over the past couple of months to show that to you.

Palmetto has changed significantly. Decade-lasting traditions like Mr. Panther and Panther Prowl have returned along with a heightened sense of “Panther Pride.” While our traditional experiences transform around us by the minute, we are lucky enough to find ourselves surrounded by the most inspiring people that continue to do amazing things for their community, overcome incredible obstacles and motivate those around them.

We do not always know the stories behind those who roam the halls with us, and we hope “Faces of Palmetto” gives insight into some unknown aspects of your peers’ and teachers’ lives. Oprah Winfrey said it best, “Everyone has a story. And there’s something to be learned from every experience.”

To the seniors featured in “Faces of Palmetto,” thank you for dedicating your time to our school and our community. Your impact is incredible, and though we will miss you next year, we know that you will continue to be a positive influence wherever you go.

Unfortunately, we can only feature a certain number of “Faces of Palmetto” stories each year, but if we could, we would write a hundred more. Thankfully, we plan to continue the tradition of “Faces of Palmetto” far into the future.

Thank you all for reading this year’s “Faces of Palmetto” issue and for learning about the students, alumni, and faculty that make Palmetto so extraordinary. We, the editors of The Panther, are incredibly proud to share it with you.

EDITORS

Love,Samantha Elkins and Amy-Grace Shapiro

MISSON STATEMENT

The Panther staff aims to inform fellow students and parents about school-wide, local, national, and international news. The Panther’s content aims to represent the student body. Editorials feature the opinions of staffers. Features of other students, teachers and clubs further promote the spirit, culture and personality of Miami Palmetto Senior High School.

EDITORIAL POLICY

The Panther is a monthly publication of Miami Palmetto Senior High located at 7431 SW 120th Street Miami, FL 33156, (305) 235-1360 ext. 1124. The views expressed are solely those of The Panther staff. Students who wish to respond to an article in this publication or discuss another issue may write letters to the editor and submit them to room 1237 or e-mail us at s.elkins. thepanther@gmail.com and/or a.shapiro.thepanther@gmail.comThe Panther has professional membership in NSPA and CSPA. The Panther prints 1,400 copies per issue for distribution. The Panther is distributed for free to all students in school. Please visit our paper online at thepalmettopanther.com.

BYLINE POLICY:

All creative work (such as illustrations, graphics, photos and writing) excluding staff editorials and staff member pictures will include byline credits.

CORRECTION POLICY:

Any errors in print will be acknowledged in the next print issue in a correction box. Any errors online will be acknowledged immediately. Errors include facts, figures, misquoting and name misspellings.

ADVERTISING POLICY:

Ads will be designed by the advertiser and include all information the advertiser wants included. If the advertiser asks the staff to design the ad, the individual who sold the ad will design the ad or the Ads Manager will. Ads will be approved by EICs, the Advisor and the Ads Manager. If an ad produced is illegible, contains false information, or the advertiser does not like it, they will receive a free ad in the next issue. If you would like to advertise, please contact us.

The School Board shall comply with all Federal Laws and regulations prohibiting discrimination and all requirements and regulations of the U.S. Department of Education. The Board will enforce its prohibition against discrimination/harassment based on sex, race, color, ethnic, or national origin, religion, marital status, disability, age, political beliefs, sexual orientation, gender, gender identification, social and family background, linguistic preference, pregnancy and any other basis prohibited by law. The Board shall maintain an educational and work environment free from all forms of discrimination/harassment, which includes Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972. Title IX prohibits sexual harassment and other sexual misconduct such as unwelcome touching, graphic verbal comments, sexual jokes, slurs, gestures or pictures. All students, administrators, teachers, staff, and all other school personnel share responsibility for avoiding, discouraging, and reporting any form of prohibited discrimination or harassment against students by employees, other students and their parents or guardians, or third parties. This policy prohibits discrimination and harassment at all School District operations, programs, and activities on school property, or at another location if it occurs during an activity sponsored by the Board.