16th Annual Miami Youth Awards @ University of Miami!

High-Achieving Youth Promoted as Role Models, Connected to Large National Network

and Received Educational Grants 

MIAMI – The Hispanic Heritage Foundation (HHF) and its sponsors honored 21 Latino high school seniors from the Miami region for their accomplishments in the classroom, community and their focus on various categories during the 16^th Annual Miami Regional Hispanic Heritage Youth Awards on October 28 at the University of Miami. HHF also promoted the young leaders as role models for their peers through social media as they move forward to college and provide them with grants, which can be used for their education or social entrepreneurship to support their leadership for years to come.  Past Youth Awardees joined elected officials, educators, community and business leaders, and families in celebration of the students’ achievement. After the Regional Youth Awards Ceremonies in 10 markets, one recipient was chosen in each of the categories to attend the National Youth Awards in San Juan, Puerto Rico in January 2015 with celebrities.  (Recipients’ average GPA is over a 3.5).

The Youth Awards Ceremony took place at the University of Miami – Newman Alumni Center Multipurpose Room A and B, 6200 San Amaro Drive, Coral Gables, FL 33146.

Business & Entrepreneurship – sponsored by BBVA Compass

• Gold: Naomi Cabrera, G. Holmes Braddock Senior High School
• Silver: Briam Hernandez, Westland Hialeah Senior High School
• Bronze: Daniela Gonzalez, Miami Jackson High School

Education – sponsored by Southwest Airlines

• Gold: Annabel Campo, Western High School
• Silver: Samuel Vlchez, Colonial High School
• Bronze: Celine Rodriguez, West Broward High School

Engineering & Mathematics – sponsored by ExxonMobil

• Gold: Daniela Marques, Berkeley Preparatory School
• Silver: Gabriel Croitoru, Cypress Bay High School
• Bronze: Josefa Osorio, American Heritage School

Healthcare & Science – sponsored by CVS Caremark Workforce Initiatives

• Gold: Natalie Raterman, Berkeley Preparatory School
• Silver: Jesiline Capo, Carrollton School of the Sacred Heart
• Bronze: Juana Domingo-Jimenez, Lake Worth Community High School

Innovation & Technology – sponsored by Entertainment Software Association

• Gold: Melanie Lo, West Broward High School
• Silver: Michael Samper, Miami Lakes Educational Center
• Bronze: Gabriela Abadia, Suncoast Community High School

Sports & Fitness – sponsored by NASCAR

• Gold: Loana Nardoni, Mater Academy Charter High School
• Silver: Sabrina Verdes, Felix Varela Senior High School
• Bronze: Katie Anne Camero, New World School of the Arts

“The Hispanic Heritage Foundation is looking forward to another group of young leaders from the Miami area that we can count on for the future and right now,” said Antonio Tijerino, President and CEO of HHF.  “We want don’t want to simply honor the outstanding students but more importantly put them in a position from which to lead.  Our model is to support innovative leaders to impact thousands of others in industries and fields which are priorities for America’s workforce. And we are grateful to our dedicated sponsors who also realize the importance of tapping a resource like our Latino youth to move not just our community but America forward.”

After receiving the awards, the students are funneled into HHF’s LOFT (Latinos On Fast Track) award-winning, leadership and workforce development program focused on 10 “Tracks” or fields including healthcare, science, technology, engineering, education, public service, entrepreneurship, media and entertainment, finance and Latinas.  Tens of thousands of students and young professionals are connected to each other through the LOFT Network;  thousands are prepared through trainings, priority-field-tailored symposia, workshops, and Charlas (online Google hangouts with experts); and hundreds are placed into internships, mentorships, fellowships and full-time positions with Fortune 500 companies and government agencies.  Join and follow LOFT on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/hhfloft/ and Twitter – @LOFTInstitute.

Youth Awards Regional Ceremonies took place in:

Phoenix, Oct. 21, 2014, Arizona State University

Los Angeles, Oct. 22, 2014, University of Southern California

Miami, Oct. 28, 2014, University of Miami

Atlanta, Nov. 18, 2014, Georgia Tech University

Dallas, Nov. 20, 2014, Southern Methodist University

Chicago, Nov. 24, 2014, Loyola University

Houston, Dec. 2, 2014, University of Houston

San Jose, Dec. 4, 2014, Stanford University

Washington, DC, Dec. 9, 2014, Capitol Hill

New York, Dec. 16, 2014, Viacom

National Youth Awards, January 29, 2014, Puerto Rico

Additional partners of the Youth Awards included: UPS, PhRMA, Google, NRCCUA, Direct Auto Insurance, Rebuild the Dream, i.am.angel Foundation, Qlovi, OCI Group, Es Tiempo, and Voto Latino.