I traveled to Costa Rica in January with eight classmates and a professor to create a website for a start-up recycling and waste management non-profit. Santa Cruz Recicla is located in the Guanacaste region of Costa Rica on the Pacific northwest of the country.

I was the Director of Photography in charge of gathering stills & video and coordinating the content gathering efforts of my teammates.

 

We created a video narrative called "Porque Reciclamos" (Why we recycle) upon our return to Elon. I wrote the script, shot it with two teammates, and did the editing.

 

Check out the English version here: Santa Cruz Recicla Website

 

 

 

 

The first assignment in my Visual Aesthetics class at Elon was a self-portrait. I had not done a real self-portrait since my 2004 fine art photography class at UM. Sure, I've taken some over the years, but I haven't necessarily shared them with anyone, especially not a large group of people that I had just met. The assignment was to make a photographic self-portrait based on realism and another one created with any medium (except photography) based on expressionism.

 

 

This project made me realize how I have changed in the last few years. I am more comfortable with myself. I am also more open. When I think back to my self-portrait assignment from undergrad I remember not being very comfortable in front of the camera, not really having any ideas for what to do, and them not turning out very well. In undergrad I had someone help me. In grad school I went to the woods with my camera and tripod, using self-timer to make the photos. This process allowed me to be more open, to not be afraid that other people would instantly see the photos of me that didn't come out well, and to take my time. I was new to North Carolina and chose the woods near my house because I wanted to be surrounded by nature. I wanted the images to feel organic. For the finished product I transferred the images onto sections of a tree trunk.

 

The expressionist self-portrait is sharpie and acrylic on stretched canvas. I didn't want to paint a literal image of myself so I used words that described my feelings over the past few weeks. As soon as I started laying the paint over the words I instantly regretted my concept decision. Although these self-portraits were probably the most honest artwork I have produced, they made me uncomfortable. They were too open, making me feel extremely vulnerable.

 

 

For West Kendall Today

 

Hey, Kendall motorists, get ready for Open Road Tolling, a system that charges drivers automatically without making them stop or slow down.

 

Beginning July 17, motorists will encounter two tolls on State Road 874 costing 25 cents each, one toll north of the interchange on State Road 874 costing 50 cents and two tolls on State Road 878 costing 25 cents each.

 

At a meeting of the Kendall Federation of Homeowner Associations (KFHA) on Monday night, representatives from the Miami-Dade Expressway Authority (MDX) explained the process and gave away free Mini SunPasses to attendees.

 

Some in the audience welcomed the new toll system, while others refuted it.

Currently, one toll stands south of Killian Parkway on SR 874 that costs drivers $1 with a SunPass. The new Open Road Tolling takes that $1 and divides it into segments based on distance.

 

"We have what is called an open system, the Turnpike is a closed system," explained Tere Garcia, a spokeswoman for HNTB Corp., the general engineering consultant for MDX. "So we are closing it, not to charge more, but to divide that cost over different segments corresponding to the distance you drive."

 

Example: If you travel the entire stretch of SR 874, there will be no change to your cost. But if you drive on a piece of 874, you will pay for that distance. If you drive only on SR 878, it will cost you 50 cents.

 

Before the establishment of the Miami-Dade Expressway Authority in 1996, all the toll money collected in Miami-Dade County would go to Tallahassee and be redistributed. Miami-Dade was given a percentage back.

 

Now all the money collected by MDX goes back into the county system for building and maintaining the roads, they said.

 

The roads covered by MDX include: State roads 924 Gratigny Parkway, which began Open Road Tolling on Monday; 874 Don Shula Expressway; 878 Snapper Creek Expressway; 112 Airport Expressway; and 836 Dolphin Expressway.

 

According to MDX, about a million commuters use the roads under its jurisdiction. But only 45 percent of users pay tolls.

 

MDX believes this system will be more fair, as well as safer, faster, and cleaner. According to MDX, traditional toll plazas can process about 400 cars per hour in the cash lanes and 1200 to 1800 cars per hour in the SunPass lane. With Open Road Tolls, where there is no slowing down or stopping, 2200 cars per hour can travel through the tolls. And because there is no longer a stop-and-go element to driving on the expressways, less fuel will be used and less toxins emitted.

 

"These are preliminary numbers, but system-wide [when Open Road Tolling is complete] there will be a savings of about half-a-million gallons of fuel," Garcia said. "If we multiply that by the cost of gas, that is a savings of $1.4 million. As far as cleaner, there is a savings of about 1600 metric tons of toxic emissions."

 

They say it will be safer because drivers will no longer have to slow down or change lanes.

 

But while the experts touted its advantages, some in the audience were skeptical.

 

"A lot of the residents are concerned about the portion of the Snapper Creek that they don't pay for now, that they use on a regular basis," said Miriam Mimi Planas, a candidate for the Miami-Dade County Commission District 10 seat. "For them, it's going to be an extra expense."

 

Mario A. Diaz, a spokesman for MDX, said a frequent user discount is being discussed. Currently, 80 percent of motorists during off-peak times use the SunPass and 85 percent during rush hour.

 

Once everything is in place, MDX will look at the system as a whole to see how they can give back to the customers who are frequently use their roads, he said.

 

Some in West Kendall said they thought the new tolling system was more fair. People in East Kendall have been getting a free ride for a long time, and now West Kendall motorists, who use the longest stretch of the roads, won't be paying for everyone, said Lawrence Percival, executive vice president of the KFHA.

 

A few objected, saying the new tolls were new taxes being imposed on them without

representation.

 

"You talk about the money stays in this community, I want the money to stay in my wallet," said Lee Zimmerman, a 30-year resident of West Kendall. "I'll be driving another route. I won't be taking those roads."

 

"People believe that other roads are free," Garcia said. "Other roads are not free. You pay with your gas taxes, with your property taxes, etc."

 

"Tolls are user fees. If you use the roads, you pay. If you don't use them, you don't pay."

 

Said Percival: "We have to have some mechanism for paying for our roads; to build them and maintain them. Look at all the beautification. You don't see that on the Turnpike."

 

What you need to know:

• Starting July 17, the new tolls will be in effect on the Don Shula SR 874 and Snapper Creek SR 878.
• There will be two 25-cents tolls on Snapper Creek SR 878.
• There will be two 25-cents tolls on SR 874 south to the Florida's Turnpike and one
• 50-cents toll going north to the Palmetto Expressway SR 826.
• The Toll-by-Plate will record your license plate and send you a monthly bill but, there is a surcharge for this service so a SunPass is more cost effective.
• For more info, visit www.mdxort.com

For West Kendall Today

 

For many abused and neglected children who have been taken away from their parents, Father's Day may be one of those difficult holidays to celebrate. So a group of men at Ministerio Nueva Jerusalen Internacional church in West Kendall decided they would organize a fun day for some of these kids and celebrate Father's Day as it should be.

 

On Saturday, 52 children between the ages of 4 and 17 from His House Children's Home, a nonprofit organization that provides residential care for these children until they go to foster families, visited the church at 5400 SW 122nd Ave. for a day of fun and food in the sun with bounce houses, face painting, snow cones, cotton candy, a waterside, a rock climbing wall, basketball, a train, a clown, sandwiches, chips and Coldstone ice cream.

 

The event was held by the Men's Ministry at the church with the help of 75 volunteers from Southwest High School and 45 church volunteers. Coldstone Ice Cream on Southwest 125th Avenue and 120th Street in West Kendall donated enough ice cream for 300 people, Carlito's Way Party Rental donated a bounce house, and other private donors made the event possible through monetary donations.

 

Eddie Peralta, father of three to Stephanie, 19, Joshua, 8, Caleb, 8 months, and husband to Ydania, heads the Men's Ministry that holds two major events a year. They also work with the elderly throughout the year and act as handymen for the church, changing lightbulbs and cutting the grass.

 

The Men's Ministry decided to create an annual Father's Day event for the children of His House Children's Home after working with the organization through the Youth Ministry. 

 

"A lot of these children don't have fathers, they are foster children, some have been abandoned, so we wanted to do something special for them," Peralta said.

 

The Peraltas have been members of Ministerio Nueva Jerusalen Internacional for 13 years and lived in West Kendall for about 10. Church is where they spend a lot of their time individually and together as a family. 

 

"We want to give back to the community," Peralta said. "We are a church that gives back."

 

On Saturday, the entire Peralta family arrived at the church at 8 a.m. to prepare for the event. 

"Instead of thinking about me, me, me, we think about others," said Ydania Peralta, "To be able to do this as a family teaches our children that they are blessed."

 

Stephanie Peralta, 19, will begin studying public relations at Miami-Dade College in the fall. All the Peralta children are home-schooled and Stephanie took classes at Florida International University during high school. She is the head of the Drama Ministry that puts on a play for both Easter and Christmas and also a leader in the Youth Ministry.

 

Volunteering has been a part of growing up. "Being with my family and helping people in need are my two favorite things," Stephanie Peralta said. "It keeps me grounded and I've honestly always loved doing it."

 

Eddie and Ydania head the Couples Ministry. The family said they attend church every Sunday, study bible passages on Wednesday, and work on their individual obligations.

 

Even with three kids, a wife, and lots of obligations to the church there is still time to let loose. "One thing we [at the Men's Ministry] love to do together is paintballing," Peralta said. "As brothers we get together and let off steam."

 

"As a father, I can't imagine my life without my kids," he said. "I can't imagine any child not having the love and support of a parent. It's why we hope to make a difference in the lives of the His House kids, show them we genuinely care about them and make this an annual Father's Day tradition."

 

Editor's note: None of the abused or neglected children were interviewed or photographed for this story because many are in the process of having their parents' rights terminated and therefore permission could not be sought.

 

For West Kendall Today

 

Miami-Dade schools may have to cut elective classes in the upcoming school year in order to abide by a constitutional amendment that was passed eight years ago, a panel of experts said Monday evening.

 

State Reps. Anitere Flores and Erik Fresen and Miami-Dade Public School administrators Richard H. Hinds and Iraida Mendez-Cartaya were the panel members who discussed the future of education. They were hosted by the Kendall Federation of Homeowner Associations at the Kendall Village Center in West Kendall where about 80 people attended and listened.

 

The situation began in November 2002 when voters approved Amendment 9, which called for classroom size reductions. Schools were given until the 2010-2011 school year to comply.

 

The deadline is now here and the amendment will cost an additional $94 million for Miami-Dade Public Schools to comply, Mendez-Cartaya said.

 

According to the Florida Department of Education, the November 2002 amendment to the state constitution mandates the maximum number of students in core-curricula courses assigned to a teacher by the beginning of the 2010-2011 school year to be:

• 18 students in Pre-K through grade 3
• 22 students in grades 4 through 8 and
• 25 students in grades 9 through 12

The plan called for reducing the average number of students in each classroom by at least two students per year beginning with the 2003-2004 school year until the maximums were met in the 2010-2011 school year. During the first three school years, average class size had to be met at the district level.

 

During the next three school years, thanks to an extension created by the 2009 Legislature for an additional year, size had to be met at the school level. 

 

Now, with the 2010-2011 school year just a few months away, class sizes must be met at the classroom level or there will be penalties. For each child over the limit, there will be a $2,900 fine.

 

This time the legislature wants voters to pass a referendum in November that would propose to use a combination of averages and hard cap numbers for class size reduction, allowing for flexibility. Legislators said they feel that the use of averages over hard caps is not working. 

 

"That came as a result of conversations over the last couple of years with parents, teachers, administrators, and school board members, saying we have an issue with this flexibility," said Flores, who is chair of the PreK-12 Appropriations Committee. "When you are working with averages you have problems. You can make numbers and averages say whatever you want."

 

Flores further explained: There is a 4th grade classroom at Ludlam Elementary that has 31 students and one that only has 15 students.

 

The current legislation states no individual classroom can be over the limit. The referendum would give the community an opportunity to vote for a mix of averages and hard caps. To pass, it would need a 60 percent vote.

 

The referendum would cost $34 million to implement, Mendez-Cartaya said, which is better than the current $94 million.

 

If the referendum passes, individual classrooms could go up an additional three students in elementary to 21; an additional four in middle, and five in high school. Individual classrooms could go up but the average number of students in each grade level would have to stay at 18, 22, and 25. For example, for any elementary school class that you have at 21, you would need to have another class at 15 in order to make those averages.

 

According to school administrators, most schools are in compliance with the averages, Hinds said. "When you go below the surface, the constitutional language only applies to what are called core classes: language arts, math, science and social studies," Hinds said. "Miami-Dade County has a very rich elective program which easily comprises $100 million of expenditures."

 

Hinds suggested that electives could be cut in order to meet the $94 million shortfall, unless the referendum passes.

 

The constitution states "payments of the costs associated with meeting these requirements [class size reduction] is the responsibility of the state and not of local school districts. The legislature shall provide sufficient funds to maintain the average number of students required by this subsection." But, the state of Florida does not have the money.

 

"Where is the penalty on the legislature for not funding the schools?" said Artie Leichner, vice president of the United Teachers of Dade. "Is this part of the devious plan, to make the penalties so heinous for the people who have been trying to implement it so you are going to force the public into a situation?"

 

The answer to the funding question has to do with the mortgage crisis and downturn in state property taxes, which has caused a shortfall in state revenues.

 

Another problem: The classroom counts will be submitted on the second Friday in October and penalties will be assessed, but the election for the referendum is not until November. According to Frensen, this is because a similar referendum was being looked at last year but was not made available to the voters because it didn't pass. There is an upcoming election in August but according to the law, referendums must be in the general election in November.

 

One loophole: School districts not in compliance who submit a plan to the Department of Education stating the reasons why and how they will comply in the future may be eligible for a penalty refund between 75 to 100 percent.

 

But it's a catch-22 for the school district. "This really shows, in my personal opinion, the way the situation is cast now is just not an intelligent approach to public policy," Hinds said. They can comply with the current constitution and cut elective teachers to hire core teachers before the October deadline. But if the referendum passes, they will have too many core teachers and not enough elective teachers, causing the opposite to happen the next school year. If they don't comply, they will be hit with penalties, even if the referendum passes.

 

"The only way we can cope with it is by cannibalizing our program."

 

Broward schools announced Thursday they will cut electives in 120 schools in order to comply.

 

For West Kendall Today

 

 

Desiree Rodriguez, of West Kendall and a fellow of Leadership Miami, hands out  new

uniforms to the Edison Red Raiders Chorus on April 14. Pictured at right is freshman

Emmylou Morency, 15. The chorus will compete nationally in New Orleans April 29 - May 2.

Desiree Rodriguez of West Kendall and her colleagues from Leadership Miami walked into the Miami Edison High School music classroom and the students erupted in applause and cheers.

 

No, Rodriguez is not a famous musician. She and her team from Leadership Miami raised money for the Edison Red Raider Chorus - which debut this year after more than a 10-year absence. And now it was uniform unveiling day. The students were excited to see the uniforms they had designed for their upcoming performances. The boys, who wore red pants and jacket, and the girls, who donned a black and red sequined sweetheart top and black skirt, strutted around the classroom showing off their new fancy uniforms.

 

Sponsored by the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce, Leadership Miami is a nine-month program designed to develop emerging professionals into community leaders through networking, monthly educational sessions, and community service. Rodriguez, the chief of staff for the Office of the Senior Vice President of External Relations at Florida International University, was nominated for Leadership Miami by her supervisor.

 

Rodriguez said she enjoys the Leadership Miami program because it exposes her to new things, and though she was born and raised in Miami, she has learned a lot about the history of the city. The most meaningful part of her experience has been working with the students at Edison, she said.

 

"I think the opportunity to work with kids on the other side of town who I would have never been exposed to has been the most touching part; the most real part, to see the fruits of what we've done and see them in uniforms, to see them performing," Rodriguez said.

 

Rodriguez's Leadership Miami team chose to sponsor the student chorus after learning that they were in their first year. Edison High has not had a chorus in about ten years, and after students year repeatedly requested one, the administration decided to bring it back.

 

The Leadership Miami team has raised more than $21,000 through happy hours, corporate and private donations, and selling tickets to a Florida Marlins' game where the students performed the National Anthem. They have paid for a trip to Daytona Beach, taken the students to the music schools at the University of Miami and Florida International University, visited Esteban Studios, and arranged for a performance in front of hundreds of people in Little Haiti. Next, the funds will pay for students to compete nationally in New Orleans this Thurs., April 29 through Sun., May 2.

 

Jonathan Joseph, 17, never thought a chorus would be successful at Edison. "I didn't think that many students would enjoy singing," Jonathan said. "I thought that they would think it was stupid, but the number of students we have here is just phenomenal. For us to expand our vernacular in music, and progress as student-musicians is just great."

 

Leadership Miami has done more than help the chorus pay for field trips and uniforms, they have changed the attitudes of the students in a way similar to the hit TV show, Glee. "When I first came [to Edison High], the students didn't care," Jonathan said. "It was just so dull and I felt out of place. I thought there was a need for a change and Leadership Miami has been that change. The kids are more involved, we're more focused."

 

Jonathan and the other students understand that performing and traveling with the chorus is a privilege and they must do well in their other classes to participate.

 

Chorus Director Robert Phillips has been teaching music for 20 years. Although it is his first year at Edison, he said he was excited to have the opportunity to start a new chorus and build the program from the ground up. "Vocal music is my love and choral music is my passion," Phillips said.

 

The popularity of the elective class grew throughout the school year. What began with 45 students has grown to 75. After asking the students to dream big for next year, Phillips received suggestions of trips to places like New York City and Atlanta, but when one student suggested China, Phillips said: "I'm going to shoot for the stars and where we hit is great but, we are going to shoot for China."

 

Before joining the chorus, Daniel Imani Beaufort, 19, had different plans for his future: "I was going to go into neuroscience at FIU and before I knew I wanted to sing, but I didn't think it would be something that I would go to college for or something to study."

 

"Once I got a taste of the chorus, it was like I knew this was something I would enjoy doing in high school, college, and even after as a job," Beaufort said.

 

Beaufort received a scholarship to attend Bethune-Cookman University in Daytona Beach where he will study music. He still wants to study neuroscience, but after he has finished his music education.

 

"The sky's the limit," Rodriguez said. "Regardless of the struggles you have, your economic status, regardless of anything you face, if you work hard you can achieve something."

 

 

I was assigned to cover a public plea. The family of 17-year-old Nicole Roselin begged for information that might solve her murder. Its always difficult to see people that are very emotional but its my job to document their pain. I hope that by telling their story more information is uncovered about the death of a teeneager and this helps the family gain closure. I find assignments like this upsetting but I am glad that I do. The day I loose empathy is the day I need a new job.

 

   
Business assignments tend to be a little dry most of the time but this one was definitely an exception. I went to Monkey Jungle to photograph the owner and the park. The reporter and I were shown an area of the park which will be open to the public for small private tours soon. Visitors will be able to feed and interact with the monkeys which, as you can see, are very curious and love their food. Even when I didn't have food near me they would use my body to get from one side of the bridge to the other, and climb all over me to inspect what I was holding. One even sat on my head and started combing my hair. My point-and-shoot allowed me to take a photo of a monkey inspecting my lens and for the reporter to snap a few photos of me "at work." I love my job!

  

 

Photographed Montpellier (in white) verses Chambery (in black) at the American Airlines Arena for the Miami Herald. I had never been to a handball match, and don’t remember ever seeing it one TV but it was really cool. The sport is super fast, which I love, and the players are incredible athletes. They don’t wear any sort of body protection and throw themselves in the air and slam their bodies on the ground all the time. They also basically beat on each other the entire match. I didn’t understand how penalties worked since people were in headlocks and no one seemed to get in trouble. The first photo is one I took before getting pelted in the calf by the ball. The ball is sticky and a little quishy but still stung when thrown with the force these guys have.