Silver Knights of 2013 The Miami Herald Silver Knight Awards Program is a highly regarded student award program. The purpose of this awards program is to recognize outstanding students who have not only maintained good grades but have also generously applied their abilities and talents to contribute noteworthy service to their schools and communities. Each nominee is evaluated on their use of skills and talents for the betterment of the community; creativity in problem solving; and the quality, consistency, and measurable impact of service. Nominees are expected to be school leaders and possess strong character. They are evaluated on their use of good judgment and their perseverance in overcoming obstacles. Academic achievements, honors, awards, and advanced study in the nominee’s category are also important. Upper School English teacher, Mrs. Carolyn Dorn, is Country Day’s Silver Knight Coordinator. She assists the nominees with the application process, qualifications, and other requirements associated with the award. During the 2012–2013 school year, three MCDS students were nominees for Silver Knight awards: David Butter in Athletics, Devra Gelman in Social Science, and Alexa Halvorssen in Drama. David and Alexa received Honorable Mentions for their categories. Congratulations to our nominees! In Country Day’s history, there have been seven MCDS Silver Knight winners and 19 MCDS Honorable Mentions. The Silver Knight Awards program was instituted at The Miami Herald in 1959 by John S. Knight, past publisher of The Miami Herald, founder and editor emeritus of Knight-Ridder Newspapers and 1968 Pulitzer Prize winner. The program is open to high school seniors in public, private, and parochial schools. Over 65 high schools in Miami-Dade County participate.
2013 Award Winners
Joshua Rivas ’13 received the Greater Miami Shores Chamber of Commerce Outstanding Student Award. He, along with other recipients, was honored at the Miami Shores Chamber of Commerce breakfast in May 2013. The Community Learning Partnership Awards honored outstanding environmental leadership. Avery Watson ’13 was recognized for her work, along with Mila Boano ’15, who will take over in a leadership role with the CLP, representing MCDS. Aaron Jones ’13 was selected as the winner of a National Achievement Scholarship. Aaron’s scores on the PSAT exam qualified him to become one of 800 Achievement Scholar Designees. 16
Top to bottom: Silver Knights with Silver Knight Coordinator Carolyn Dorn; David Butter; Devra Gelman; and Alexa Halvorssen