9th Annual M-DCPS MEGA NAF Student Conference Recap: More Than 1,800 Students Prepare to Be Future Ready
Last month, more than 1,800 students participated in the 9th annual Miami-Dade County Public Schools MEGA NAF Student Conference! This annual event featured a college & career fair, employers and post-secondary partners from different NAF pathways, and industry-related workshop sessions, plus opportunities for students to interview for internships with industry professionals! The overall goal was to expose students and teachers to in-demand topics and skills and connect employers with the local high school talent pipeline – truly the epitome of being Future Ready!
This year’s theme was “Developing Our Future Leaders and Innovators” and NAF alumna, Jennifer Arbelaez, acted as the keynote speaker, sharing her NAF journey and career expertise. She attended Miami Lakes Educational Center & Technical College and was in the NAF Academy of Information Technology pathway, before going on to DeVry University to study Network Engineering. Below are four key takeaways from her speech:
- Believe in yourself: Self-doubt can be your biggest enemy. Trust in your abilities and remember that you are capable of achieving great things.
- Embrace diversity and support one another: The impact of a simple act of kindness can be life-changing. Let’s build a community where everyone feels welcome and supported.
- Seek a mentor who believes in you: A good mentor can challenge you, inspire you, and help you grow. Find someone who believes in your potential and is willing to invest in your future.
- Never stop learning: Pursue knowledge and growth relentlessly, as it will propel you forward in life. Whether it’s through formal education or personal exploration, never stop seeking new experiences and opportunities to learn.
Carlos Vazquez, Chair of the STEM Board, shared the best part about putting on the conference:
“The look of the students when they enter the space — their excitement is priceless! They are very appreciative of the experience and arrive eager to learn and take it all in,” he said.
In terms of preparing students for the conference, topics are shared with them ahead of time and they are encouraged to do research on the speakers and focus areas. Teachers review the pathways with the students and help them brainstorm questions for the presenters.
“We try to combine trending topics and content with soft skills advice and mentorship,” Carlos added. “AI has been a big topic, so we brought in speakers to explore and help demystify that world for the students.”
It is the students that keep partners coming back! Events like this annual conference helps them remain connected to the mission.
Carlos elaborated, “We use the momentum from the event to help build awareness and emphasize the importance of getting involved in the community. It provides momentum for board recruitment and outreach and gives us a collaborative project to execute.”
NAF CEO, Lisa Dughi, was also in attendance and provided remarks to the audience. She reminded each and every student that they are “A leader in the making, and as part of NAF, has the support of a national network, who is deeply invested in preparing them for college and career success!” She also added that “The experience they gain from immersive, career-focused learning in leading industries, as part of their academies, as well as work-based learning and internships, will put them miles ahead, as they take their next steps.”
NAF currently supports more than 112,000 students, with more than 22,000 being in Miami! Additionally, this year, Miami had nearly 50 Katherine Blasik Distinguished and NAF Model academies, with 6 joining the roster for the first time. This is NAF’s highest level of achievement and Miami continues to act as an exemplar to our entire network.
Looking ahead, Miami-Dade County Public Schools continues to seek to expand its impact and provide opportunities to more students, by identifying emerging academies across the district.
Check out these videos from business partners, volunteers, and supporters on why they are involved with NAF:
Claudia Monroig; HR Manager at Loews Hotel Miami Beach
John Curran; Certified Financial Planner, Cetera Investment Advisers LLC., on STEM Board at Miami
