CLASS OF 2010
JUNE 30, 2010 MIAMI BEACH CONVENTION CENTER
T H E N E W G E N E R AT I O N L E A D E R S H I P A N D W O R K F O R C E I N S T I T U T E
PROVIDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUTH TO REACH HIGHER, DREAM BIGGER AND WORK SMARTER
UNIDAD of Miami Beach, Inc. offers a unique and innovative youth development and leadership program aimed at providing inner city youth with the opportunity to reach higher, dream bigger, and work smarter while achieving life and career goals. The goal of the New Generation Leadership and Workforce Institute is to help prepare today's youth to excel in tomorrow's workforce and in their lives overall. The New Generation Leadership and Workforce Institute enhances academic and career training by using current and future labor market information to create a roadmap of short and long term goals that align with participant's abilities and interests. The Program is funded by the South Florida Workforce Investment Board with
support from the City of Miami Beach and The Children's Trust. 315 youth have graduated the program since 2005. The program offers a year round continuum of academic and career development opportunities and culminates in intensive summer programming at two levels for selected youth. Level I and Level II programming provide more advanced leadership, workforce and career development activities including internships, work experience, leadership training, civic involvement learning, development of debating skills and pregnancy preventing activities. Today we celebrate the graduation of the 54 exceptional youth who have completed Level I of the New Generation Leadership and Workforce Institute. Join us in recognizing their achievements!
Class of 2010.
MARGARITA CEPEDA-LEONARDO Executive Director If you have suggestions for volunteer speakers, field trip experiences, funding sources, sponsors or other program resources, please contact me at: mcepeda@unidadmb.org
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BARRINGTON IRVING Pioneer
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Barrington Irving is the youngest person to pilot a plane around the world solo. He is also the first Black person and first Jamaican to accomplish this feat. As of 2007, he was an aerospace student at Florida Memorial University. His airplane, a Columbia 400, is named the "Inspiration", and was manufactured and assembled by the Columbia Aircraft Mfg. Co. in 2005, classified as a standard aircraft in the utility category using over $300,000 in donated parts. Mr. Irving was born November 11, 1983, in Jamaica, and grew up in the Miami, Florida. He is a graduate of Miami Northwestern High School. Mr. Irving turned down multiple football scholarship offers with his sights set on aviation. He later founded Experience Aviation, a non-profit organization dedicated to empowering minority youth to pursue careers in aviation. A 23-year old senior at Florida Memorial University in Miami, majoring in aerospace, the young aviator completed his historic world mission in June this year, traveling more than 26,000 miles for 97 days across 27 countries in a single engine Cessna. At the age of 16, Barrington was encouraged to pursue an aeronautical career by a United Airlines pilot he just happened to meet. Capt. Gary Robinson met Barrington in a bookstore and offered him the opportunity to tour Capt. Robinson’s Boeing 777 stationed in Miami. He immediate-
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ly fell in love with the thought of becoming a pilot. By coincidence, Barrington later met another pilot, Robert Girdler, who owns a Cessna 172 and offered the opportunity to fly every other week. After earning his private pilot license, Barrington began to visit schools and youth centers to speak about career opportunities in aviation. Barrington researched the aviation industry and discovered there is a significant shortage of younger technically skilled professionals. He started a company called Experience Aviation and pushed his message while continuing to work with disadvantaged youth. In the meantime, Barrington received the Florida Memorial University/U.S. Air Force Flight Awareness Scholarship (worth $100,000). The best part of Barrington’s adventure is that you will be able to track his progress online in real-time thanks to Microsoft and Sky Connect LLC. The latter is a small company that has installed over 2,000 satellite tracking and voice systems for general aviation aircraft. SkyConnect has supplied Barrington with such a tracking system (without cost) to help make the online tracking feature a reality. Microsoft Web designers will use the data captured from the tracking system, translate it and then populate an online map with Barrington’s position, speed, direction, and altitude.
T R A I N E R S
Ophelia Valls, Esq. and Armando Alonso, Esq. Trainers-Management Resources Institute
Lt. Gonzalez & Lt. Suarez City of Miami Fire Rescue
Armando Alonso, Esq. Trainer
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C O M M U N I T Y
ELIZABETH “LISA” JOSEPH ALONZO MOURNING CHARITIES
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Lisa Joseph is a twelve-year veteran of public and community relations as well as marketing and non-profit management. She has vast experience in a wide range of PR and marketing disciplines, including but not limited to consumer, event, non-profit and sports marketing. Lisa began her career working as the Director of Event Marketing and Public Relations for Alonzo Mourning Charities, Inc. managing fundraising events for the foundation, and handling local and national publicity efforts for NBA All-star center Alonzo Mourning. In 2002, AM Charities’ mission expanded into building youth enrichment centers and launched the community-renowned establishment, the Overtown Youth Center. Lisa’s support continued, serving as OYC’s Development Director in which she assumed day-to-day management of fundraising and donor cultivation. She was also responsible for building alliances with local and national corporations to garner support for the foundation and organize the strategic program and development structure. With her experience in sports marketing, since 2004, Lisa has also managed the career of NBA All-star and MVP Dwyane Wade. Aside from handling appearances, community involvement and PR efforts, she is also heavily involved in the advertising campaigns and management of his major endorsement deals including Converse, Jordan Brand, Gatorade, and Pepperidge Farm. Lisa has earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Communication from the University of Miami and a Master’s degree in Communication from Florida International University. She is a proud advisory board member of Honey Shine, Inc., a foundation tailored to meet the needs of young minority women in the community. She is now the founder and President of The Elle Agency, LLC, and a public relations agency specialized in branding, non-profit management, and communications. Lisa was featured in 2009’s edition of Success South Florida Magazine’s “40 under 40 Leaders of Today and Tomorrow.” Born in New York City and raised in Miami, she currently lives in Miami Gardens.
New Generation Summer Institute, Level II, Class of 2010
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Michell Amaya
Angelo Arrieta
Edrik Bandez
Elizabeth Bello
Maribel Blanco
Luis Camejo
Djerry Cassamajor
Ashley Cerrate
Pedro Cerrate
Cecile Chery
Danisha Cotton
Michael De Hann
Alicha Desir
Roosevelt Desir
Gabriella Deza
Faboila Dorvil
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Jasjuan Duggins
Ariana Ellis
Quavanda Flowers
Ericka Francios
Wanda Fritz
Lissi Garcia Rey
Salomon Genard
Shaniyah George
Olivia Goedde
Maria Guiterrez
Antionette Hall
Jasmine Hepburn
Orientation
Epcot 2010
Business Plan Preparaton
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Antonyca Joseph
Manouchka Joseph
David Lindor
Johani Londono
Ornella Louis
Tatayna Marshall
Janesha Martinez
Gordine Mathurin
Jhon Matos
Sakari Moore
Benita Okeke
Isabel Portillo
Preventive Pregnancy Workshop
Leadership Workshop
Performance Preparation
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Rolando Ramirez
Carlos Rigali
Brodquell Rouse
Jessica Sanchez
Pierre Sharmene
Issis Stives
Laiyen Suarez
Marilyn Thomas
Cindy Torres
Timothy Tyson
Nosomi Valentin Fu
Zikeria Wallace
Business Suit Fitting
S T A F F
T R A I N E R S
Nelson Santiago
EAR-Q Mirizza Menendez
Raymond Adrian
Waleska E. Conde
Career Center Director
Director of Operations
Program Coordinator
Armando Alonso
Management Resources Katherine Hernandez
Roselyn Ortega
Gisel Shull
Team Leader
Counselor
Counselor
Ofelia Sanchez
Jackie Bruno
Sandie Farreau
Wanda Jimenez
Human Resources Coord.
Team Leader
Program Assistant
Management Resources
Ophelia M. Valls
Management Resources
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C O M M U N I T Y
ESSIE "BIG MAMA" REED COMMUNITY ORGANIZER
LESLY VIERA ORGULLO DE NUESTRA JUVENTUD
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While it is often said that it takes a village to raise a child, the tables have been turned in the case of one caring Fort Lauderdale resident. Ms. Essie Reed, known to all as "Big Mama", is busy helping raise many of "the village's" less fortunate children. Big Mama has three sons of her own, Christopher, Brennan, and Sam. The Reed family experienced hard times of its own after being abandoned by the boys' father when Christopher was only one month old. "We lived in a fish market for a while," says Sam, "so we know what it's like to have no home." Brennan added, "Our experience made us realize how important it is to help others in need." All three of Big Mama's sons help in many ways, from directing the Boys' Step Team and running errands to driving neighborhood kids to school each day. Big Mama and her extended family are members of the Royal Assembly Church of the Living, located at 1964 Sistrunk Blvd. Bishop L.W. Williams and other parishioners have both given and received support from Big Mama's Team of Life organization, and the Church serves as the location for many of the organization's events. During a recent visit, Big Mama told me about some of her most memorable and rewarding experiences. "The church owned a fast food outlet on Broward Blvd where we taught many of our kid’s useful job skills. After a long day at work, we would wake the Bishop at 2 or 3 o'clock in the morning. He would open the Church for us, and we would always take time to pray before going home. It touched my heart to see how sincere those children's prayers were." Among her many civic awards, Big Mama was honored as Community Activist of the Year 2001 by the Vanguard Chronicle.
A senior at Mater Academy High School who faced her own battle with cancer who coordinated Locks of Love, finishing her chemotherapy in December has inspired the entire school community. Last December, Lesly started feeling pain in her back. A belly dancer, she figured she had pulled a muscle. However, when the pain persisted, Lesly and her mother went to the hospital. It was then the doctors discovered a tumor wedged between Lesly’s heart and her lungs. It was the size of a small lemon. The teenager began chemotherapy immediately. Lesly stayed home from school. She took classes online and over the phone. Despite her missing approximately 4 months of school, she will be graduating top 10% of her class; she won el “Orgullo de Nuestra Juventud” Award and is the Nominee for the Silver Award in English. Lesly attended classes as often as she could — even during the weeks when she had chemotherapy. In the spring, Lesly kept up with her membership in the National Honor Society. She even aced her Advanced Placement exams in psychology and English despite having missed four months of school. The tests are among the most difficult a high-school student can take. In April, Lesly had a revelation: She wanted to go back to school. The cancer is now in remission. She has her mind set on attending Nova Southeastern University — and then
F I E L D T R I P EPCOT — ORLANDO, FLORIDA
S P E A K E R S
Lee Luna Primerica
Cynthia Demos CBS4 Anchor Woman
Honorable Judge Gayles
Georgia McLean, Human Resources - Mt. Sinai Hospital
Miguel Del Campillo, Director of the MB Housing Authority
SPECIAL
THANKS
TO:
William T. Turner Tech High School Miami Beach Senior High Hialeah Gardens Senior High West Dade Career Center Northside Career Center Susana and Carlos Bus Service Advantage Bus Service Carlos Olmos, Graphikmar
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