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Program Spotlight2008 Champions for Children Awards CeremonyPublished Friday, December 05, 2008The 65 boys and girls of the Norma Butler Bossard Elementary School Chorus filed into three lines on stage in honor of Lilia Garcia, The Children’s Trust 2008 Champion for Children.
Garcia began her career as a public school arts teacher in Liberty City and by the following year had been appointed to head the school system’s magnet arts program. Throughout her 35-year career with the schools, Garcia tenaciously sought to integrate the arts with education. “Through the arts, kids can really learn about each other, exchange their culture and be proud of who they are,” she said. Garcia described herself as a visual learner. “You can talk to me until you’re blue in the face, and I don’t know if I’ll remember, but if I do it and see and touch it, I will learn it much more readily – I think it’s that way for a lot of our kids.” She spearheaded a wide number of innovative arts and literacy programs. Among her many “firsts” include: implementing the first arts talent-program in the school district; the first photography program in the school system; the first film festival for children; Artworks Gallery, the first professional U.S. gallery for student-only works; the Visiting Artists’ Program; the Cultural Adventures Program; the first musical strings program in the elementary schools; the Portfolio/Performance Day Program; among others.
Lawrence, who will step down in late January as chairman of the board, received a special recognition for his leadership of the reauthorization campaign from Children’s Trust CEO Modesto E. Abety. Over lunch, guests enjoyed a dance performance by The Shimmy Club, which teaches tango dance to visually impaired teens at the Miami Lighthouse for the Blind. With the young men dressed in black shirts and pants with red suspenders and their female partners outfitted in satiny red dresses with matching hair ribbons, six couples took the stage. Instructor Sean Erwin and dancers – Rebekak Vargas, 14; Richell Vargas, 16; Matthew Smith, 19; Furious Berrain, 17; Nasya Wright, 17; Natalia Sulca, 16; and Reinaldo Sanchez, 19 – glided and swirled across the stage to a traditional tango tune. The dance on the special stage was an ambitious one for the teens, who generally depend on familiarity with their dance space to perform their routine. Following Garcia’s award and songs from the children’s chorus, Miami Mayor “Manny Diaz” was presented with the Excellence Award for Public Policy for his visionary work, especially for forging partnerships with the public schools and for helping to eliminate the digital divide through his Elevate Miami initiative. In accepting the award, Mayor Diaz said he was concerned by recent statistics indicating that 50 percent of youth do not graduate high school, 60 percent are not performing at grade level and that 20 percent are victimized by youth violence. “I got a little teary-eyed watching the children perform,” he said, “and then thinking that half of them wouldn’t even graduate high school. This country can do so much better.” The YMCA Junior Marine Biology Camp, a program which offers youths 10-15 living in certain inner-city Miami neighborhoods first-hand experience of South Florida’s bountiful marine life, received the Excellence Award for Youth Development Programming. Organization CEO Alfred Sanchez accepted the award along with other program administrators. “Thank you for the kids who, if not for funding from The Children’s Trust that allows for a program like this, would never set foot outside of their neighborhoods and wouldn’t have this kind of a life-altering experience,” Sanchez said. The All Aboard Family Literacy Program of the Institute for Child and Family Health was honored with the Excellence Award for Early Childhood Programming. The program works with parents in the area of Riverside Elementary in Little Havana, many of whom don’t speak English as their first language, to get the parents directly involved in their child’s education. Marta Fernandez and Maria Piñon received the award on behalf of the program, which has enjoyed excellent success in improving language and literacy skills both in the children and with the parents. Parent to Parent of Miami was the winner of the Excellence Award for Programs for Children with Disabilities. Executive Director Isabel Garcia accepted the award along with other staff for the program, which today serves thousands of families with children with disabilities throughout Miami-Dade and Monroe Counties. Garcia said that she was proud that 90 percent of the families that seek support from the organization thrive with the help they receive. Lyse Deus, currently a field supervisor for the Injury Free Coalition for Kids of Miami, received a standing ovation when she was announced as the Excellence Award for Public Service for “showing selfless dedication in the direct service of children.” In the only previously unannounced award, Children’s Trust Public Policy and Communications Director Diana Ragbeer was named The Children’s Trust Employee of the Year. “I have the best job in the world; it’s such a privilege to work for the children of Miami-Dade County,” said Ragbeer, a seasoned and effective advocate of children’s rights with the state legislature. Children's Trust CEO Abety closed the ceremony. “We’ve seen so many inspiring examples of commitment and love, and we’re so proud that The Children’s Trust has had the opportunity to honor them.” |
