Local students and organizations have donated over $20,000 to the island’s Rotary Club

This month, the Rotary Club of Key Biscayne awarded $20,000 to local students and organizations, a record amount for a program the club has operated for 45 years.

The cash award, presented at the Club’s annual Scholarships and Grants Ceremony, is the culmination of the Club’s year-long fundraising efforts.

Rotary is an organization of independent clubs from dozens of countries, with 1.4 million members united around one ideal: “Service Above Self.” This ideal helped Club members select this year’s worthy recipients.

Academic scholarships for 2024 were awarded to five outstanding students. They are:

Stefania Da Graca

The Rotary Club sponsors MAST Academy’s Interact Club, which is made up of community-minded students who inspire us all with the promise of tomorrow. This year one member, Stefania Da Graca, stood out for his fearlessness in leading and innovating. Silver Knight nominee and Eagle Award winner, Stefania balances significant academic achievement, commitment to family and commitment to one’s community. Stefania will be attending Santa Fe College to study public health!

Julie-Anne Hopkin

Sports lover, Julie-Anne Hopkin achieves excellence by combining athletic mastery with strong academic skills. This fall, he will attend Florida International University to major in political science with the goal of pursuing a degree in health law. The catalyst she focuses on is the mistreatment of women she witnessed in the health care system in her native Grenada. Julie-Anne, a news intern from Iceland, has a degree in sports leadership and management.

Klara Borie

Learning and personal health were identified as a challenge Klara Borie towards medical sciences. Her volunteer activities concerned health care, especially nutrition. Her diverse skills and goals, which are evident in her application, also impressed the selection committee. She plays guitar and piano, composes music, can write programs, enjoys engineering challenges and earned a 5.258 grade point average at Wolfson’s School for Advanced Studies, voted the best high school in Florida. Clara is going to the University of Michigan, where she plans to study molecular, cellular and developmental biology.

Edward Amaya

As an AP Honors Scholar at Miami Senior High School, Edward Amaya he will be the second in his family to attend college. His motivation comes from his desire to provide a future for his immigrant family through hard work, good grades, and ultimately a career in veterinary medicine. Family struggles made him want to take advantage of the freedom offered to him. His father was deported when he was younger, forcing him to grow up faster than his peers. He wrote that his school achievements were rewarded with a smile on his mother’s face. Edward devotes his time to animal shelter projects and the Key Biscayne Tennis Association. He will attend Florida International University with hopes of majoring in veterinary science.

Isabel del Valle McGuinness

Some people say that English and Spanish are separate cultures, but Isabel del Valle McGuinness, a MAST Academy graduate born in England, her mother is Spanish and her father is English, she has embraced various cultures, choosing the best of both. A generous and tenacious volunteer in seventh grade, she founded Share the Boo, a program to provide costumes and candy to low-income, foster care and homeless children during Halloween. Children’s smiles are where Isabel finds joy in the project. He also excels in studies. In her essay, Isabel wrote, “AP statistics and the fatigue that sometimes accompanies my job are challenges I struggle with.” Isabel will attend Florida State University, where she hopes to earn a degree in political science.

Rotating grants were also awarded to several local organizations.

Miami Children’s Chorus (music education for children). Analy Mendez, former executive director of the choir.

Marjory Stoneman Douglas Nature Center (Summer Scholarships Program for Disadvantaged Youth). Jackie Kellogg.

Zero waste culture (our community’s garbage composting program). Helena Iturralde and team.

High flying for Haiti (education of children in Haiti). Ines Lozano.

MGH Dominican Republic (van for transport for children and cancer centers). Graciela Nearing, Patricia Romano, Ines Lozano.

Malaria program in Peru. Ellen Blasi

2 Scholarships for student participation in Rotary Youth Leadership Assembly. Mayra Mesa

For more information about the Rotary Club of Key Biscayne and how to apply for future scholarships and awards, visit rotaryclubofkeybiscayne.org