Pace High celebrates students' accomplishments

By Rene David Basulto - Monsignor Edward Pace HS

MIAMI GARDENS | Msgr. Edward Pace High School honored and celebrated the academic accomplishments of its student body at its 2016 Academic Awards.

Hundreds of students were honored for their academic prowess in each subject area and in each Signature Academy Class. Two students from each grade received trophies for Best All-Around, Service to School & Community, and the Spartan Pride Awards.

• Destiny Wilson, a star girls basketball and flag football player who will be playing basketball at St. Thomas University, was named the 2016 Lady Spartan of the Year.
• Alex Perez, the 2016 1A 138lb state wrestling champion who will be attending Missouri Baptist University, was named the 2016 Spartan of the Year.

Both Wilson and Perez were also named to All-Dade First Teams and Wilson was named Flag Football Player of the Year at the All-Dade Athletic Awards.

• Mattias Wettergren won the 2016 George Cunningham Award and Juliette Dubon, who will be playing soccer at Campbell University, won the 2016 Margie Wessel Scott Award for their excellence in academics, community service, and athletics.

Students were also recognized for attaining a multitude of scholarships, service awards, and other honors, particularly graduating members of Pace’s elite Spartan Sword and Shield program.

• Spartan Sword and Shield senior Mia Bravo is graduating Summa Cum Laude and will attend Cornell University. She was named an AP Scholar with Distinction, won the President’s Volunteer Service Award along with sophomore Alexandria Altidor and senior Brian Rodriguez, and was nominated for the Silver Knight Award and the Orgullo de Nuestra Juventud Award.
• Daniel Labrousse, another Pace Summa Cum Laude graduate, was awarded the College Match QuestBridge Scholarship to attend the University of Chicago and also nominated for the Silver Knight award.
• Maya Lora, a Magna Cum Laude graduate who will be attending Washington & Lee University, was named an AP Scholar with Distinction, a Silver Knight nominee and received the Burger King Scholarship alongside fellow Magna Cum Laude graduate Samantha Bacerio.  
• Mia Lama and Naja Murphy, Magna Cum Laude graduates who will both be attending the University of Miami, were named AP Scholars with Honor. Lama was also awarded the Miami HEAT Scholarship.
• Finally, Sabrina Ortega, a Cum Laude graduate who will attend the University of Florida, received the 2016 Principal’s Award for Outstanding Leadership and the senior Spartan Pride award alongside Daniel Labrousse.