Maria Fernanda was born in Las Tunas, a province of Cuba, where she lived for 16 years until her family made the decision to look for a better future by moving to the United States. With high expectations and a desire to study and strive to achieve a college career, Maria completed her high school education and graduated with honors within the top 15 percent of her class of 2024, this being a significant achievement in her life despite only being in the country for two years. In Cuba, she won a bronze medal in a provincial-level contest in the subject of Geography and was also recognized in a school-level contest in Mathematics. She was involved in a scientific society called Nutritional Education and Food Hygiene, where she engaged in discussions with students and professors, promoting a healthy lifestyle and the prevention of foodborne diseases. Upon moving to Miami in 2022, Maria had the opportunity to volunteer at a summer camp with an organization called Fit Kids of America and in Wesley Matthew Elementary School. Maria was selected as a recipient for the Honors Program scholarship at Miami Dade College, where she is pursuing her Associate's degree in Biology. Her goal is to transfer to a university to complete her bachelor's degree in the same field. With great dedication and purpose, Maria aspires to become an outstanding and passionate doctor, committed to her work and the noble ideal of providing help to her community either in the field of internal medicine, intensive care, or obstetrics and gynecology (this may change when she begins to know the specialties in depth). She is currently the President of Membership at the INIT club with a potentially important role of vice president for the upcoming year.
Alfredo Benites is a first-year Honors College student at Miami Dade College diving into the world of Computer Science, with a strong interest in artificial intelligence, machine learning, and using tech to create real-world impact. He recently completed a remote externship with Extern, in collaboration with Outamation, where he built a Retrieval-Augmented Generation pipeline to automate mortgage document processing. This summer, he will intern at the Air Force Research Laboratory, where he’ll gain hands-on experience with real-world applications of computer science. As Reach Program Manager, and incoming President, of INIT at MDC Kendall, Benites supports members with career preparation and volunteers in programs like INIT Ignite, where high school students are introduced to JavaScript through a collaboration with CodeArt. Outside of tech, Benites finds joy in nature, volunteering at local beach cleanups and environmental nurseries. He also explores personal finance topics like credit cards and investing in his free time. Whether it’s in a meeting, a workshop, or a community event, Benites is always pushing forward with curiosity, purpose, and a drive to make a difference.
As a Florida native, Sabrina Lyons has grown up around the unique environment that inhabits Florida. She has seen not only the world around her evolve, but herself too. From an early age, she was committed to becoming a veterinarian and taking care of animals who needed medical assistance. In high school, she found a different way to achieve that same goal. Through volunteering at Zoo Miami as a Conservation Teen Scientist for three years and attending BioTECH @ Richmond Heights and becoming a proud student of the zoology magnet, she found her true passion for wildlife biology and zoology. She has helped contribute to the environment in many ways, including participating in several academic opportunities involving Monarch butterflies, Gopher tortoises, decomposition, and the Everglades. She has even taken part in clubs such as the Conservation Club for two years, and through that club she has been able to go out into the field and collect eDNA, test water quality, participate in beach cleanups, and learn more about the world around her. Her love for conservation has even allowed her to earn a prestigious award known as the Sunshine State Scholar Award, where she was selected along with two other scholars in the entire Miami-Dade County. In the future, she wants to eventually earn her Doctorate in Wildlife Ecology and Conservation and lead her own research projects to help people understand why conserving animals is such an important practice. She hopes to contribute to the scientific world by discovering new things about endangered species including but certainly not limited to the tree kangaroo, manatees, African lions, elephants, great apes, and the wildlife that surrounds the very place she came from.
Pietra Romano is a freshman at the Miami Dade Honors College studying Mass Communications and Journalism. As an immigrant from Brazil who moved to the United States only two years ago, Pietra has demonstrated admirable passion and commitment to her field. She is the founder and President of the Communication Honors Society at the college’s Kendall Campus, a News Writer for The Reporter with more than 10 publications and serves as Phi Theta Kappa’s Junior Officer. She is also part of the campus’ English Honors Society. Pietra has demonstrated excellence not only in college but also during high school. She was nominated Silver Knight in the journalism category and received the Yearbook Award, alongside Academic Achievement awards and Honor Rolls. Pietra graduated in the top 15% of her class, was Co. Editor-In-Chief of her school’s yearbook, President of the Communications Club, Representative for her school’s Communications Magnet, and was also part of the Journalism Honors Society. Besides her passion for journalism, she graduated with honors in art, having had one of her works displayed at Miami International Airport. She was also part of the Science Honors Society, and has a book published in 2024 titled “Cursed Crowns,” where she wrote its intermission and has a featured story or her own authorship. Pietra remains steadfast in her pursuit of excellence, demonstrating her unwavering commitment to becoming a broadcast journalist.
