10th 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 10th annual Miami-Dade County Public Schools (M-DCPS) MEGA NAF Student Conference! This annual conference features a college and career fair, employers from different NAF pathways, and industry-related workshop sessions, plus opportunities for students to interview for internships with industry partners. The premier event was hosted at Doubletree by Hilton Miami Airport Convention Center and special greetings were delivered by Dr. Jose L. Dotres, Superintendent of M-DCPS, and Dr. Don Applyrs, Senior Director of Strategic Engagement at NAF.
The goal is to expose students and teachers to in-demand topics and skills and connect employers with the local high school talent pipeline. Eighth graders from two local middle schools were also invited to be a part of this valuable learning and networking experience.
As another highlight, and for the first time ever, the opening session was run by students with 3 student MCs, Maria D. and Azul M. from J.C. Bermudez Doral Senior High School and Carys M. from Southwest Miami Senior High School.
Session topics included Bitcoin and Blockchain, AI, Life Skills, Finance and Legal, Hospitality, Engineering, Cybersecurity, Entrepreneurship, and Becoming a Drone Pilot, among others.
Torrance Hampton, Founder, Creative Director, and Executive Producer for G|FACTOR FILMS, and author of Genius Factor: Make Your Passion Your Paycheck served as the keynote speaker.
He shared, “The M-DCPS MEGA NAF Student Conference is an amazing event and I’m grateful for the opportunity to serve as the 2024 keynote speaker. I believe all students are Geniuses and the NAF design is a prime example. Whenever I speak, my goal is to inspire students to make their passion their paycheck, so they can live in a world where work and play are one. I hope my message has a lasting impact and I look forward to working with M-DCPS NAF academies in the future!”
Carlos Vazquez, Chair of the STEM Board, reflected on the highlights, “This year we had a record number of applicants from industry professionals to present workshops and have integrated interviews for the Summer Youth Internship Program as well. It was so amazing to have the support of the employer community, as all areas were represented, and the students were glowing throughout the day.”
NAF currently supports more than 113,000 students, with more than 24,000 being in Miami!
M-DCPS holds the highest number of Model and Katherine Blasik Distinguished academies in the NAF Network and continues to act as an exemplar.
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.
To learn more, visit: https://www.miaminaf.org/
