MIAMI, Apr. 11 – The Miami HEAT announced today the five recipients of the 2018 HEAT Scholarships presented by BankUnited and the Miami HEAT Charitable Fund: the Alec Kessler Student-Athlete Scholarship, the Dr. Jack Ramsay Scholarship and three HEAT Scholarships. In its 22nd year, the HEAT Scholarships offer $25,000 in funds to high school seniors attending school in Miami-Dade, Broward, Monroe or Palm Beach counties. The scholarships, valued at $5,000 each, are awarded based on excellent academic performance, outstanding community service, and unmet financial need. HEAT Legend, Alonzo Mourning, BankUnited Senior Vice President of Corporate Development, Lisa Shim and Vice President and Executive Director of the Miami HEAT Charitable Fund, Steve Stowe, will host a special halftime ceremony to honor the 2018 HEAT Scholarship recipients during tonight’s matchup against the Toronto Raptors. The scholarship recipients are as follows:
Ashley Aguiar, recipient of the Alec Kessler Student-Athlete Scholarship, will graduate from Miami Springs Senior High School with a 4.8 weighted district GPA and a 3.9 unweighted state GPA. Aguiar is involved in several extracurricular activities, being the Vice President of the Student Government Association, President of the Engineering Club, Captain of the Garnet and Gold Dance Team, and an active member of the National Honors Society. Aguiar is a member of the Miami Springs Senior High School Varsity Girls’ Softball Team and Cross Country Team. With over 900 community service hours, she volunteers her time with the Miami Springs Chapter of Ten80 National STEM League, participating in community car washes, bake sales, and various fundraisers. She also took part in canned food drives, performing dance routines for the elderly at the Fair Haven Nursing Home, and assisted in the collection of toys for families affected by Hurricane Irma this past year. During the summer of 2016, Aguiar completed an internship with the Miami-Dade County Public Schools (MDCPS) Office of Academics and Transformation, Department of Math and Science, where she worked with the MDCPS Chief of Academic Officer and Superintendent. In the fall, Aguiar will pursue a double major in Business and Psychology at Florida International University.
Brian Williams, recipient of the Dr. Jack Ramsay Scholarship, will graduate from Miramar High School. His dedication to academics is exemplified by his 5.6 district weighted GPA and his 3.9 unweighted state GPA. He volunteered over 500 hours of community service working with Miramar High School Key Club, participating in many community outreach activities including Thanksgiving holiday food drives and beach cleanups. He also volunteered with the Miramar Branch Library, shelving returned books and assisting with all guests and events held there. Williams is the Senior Class Director of the Miramar High School Key Club, and an active member of the Mu Alpha Theta Math Honors Society, Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA), Science National Honor Society, National Honor Society and Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) which focuses on key issues in the LGBTQ community. He is also a student athlete on the Miramar High School baseball team. Williams will be attending Massachusetts Institute of Technology and will pursue a major in Biomedical Engineering.
The first recipient of the Miami HEAT Scholarship is Kirby Gilmore. Gilmore will graduate from School for Advanced Studies – Homestead Campus with a 4.9 weighted district GPA and a 3.7 unweighted state GPA. At her school, Gilmore serves as the President of the Miami Dade-County Public Schools District Student Government Association, and is also a member of her high school National Honors Society, Speech and Debate Club, and Mu Alpha Theta. She has dedicated more than 1,000 community service hours with several local organizations. Volunteering with Students Working Against Tobacco (SWAT), she created and participated in city council and commission presentations to advocate against tobacco use. Gilmore is also a Girl Scout Troop Leader that assisted with coordinating events, youth training and developing social media campaigns. Gilmore will be attending Florida Atlantic University, pursuing a major in Business.
The second recipient of the Miami HEAT Scholarship is Carina Espinoza. Espinoza will graduate from G. Holmes Braddock Senior High School with a weighted district GPA of 4.9 and an unweighted state GPA of 3.5. At G. Holmes Braddock Senior High School, she is the president of Women of Tomorrow, where she created many opportunities for educating, inspiring, and mentoring female community members through activities meant to empower and provide opportunities for growth. She was also an active member of the National Honor Society and serves as the director of the Key Club. Espinoza is a student athlete on the high school Track & Field, Tennis, and Cross Country teams. Espinoza has dedicated almost 700 community service hours, volunteering with the Zoo Miami Foundation and Special Olympics Florida. With Zoo Miami Foundation, Espinoza served as a Conservation Teen Scientist, participating in conservation training classes, exhibit interpretation, special events, and working with the Children’s Zoo. With Special Olympics Florida, she volunteered at the Sandra DeLucca Development Center, assisting with the intellectually disabled athletes at competition events, camps, and fundraisers. Espinoza will be attending Florida State University, pursuing a major in Environmental Science.
The third recipient of the Miami HEAT Scholarship is Maria Gonzalez from School for Advanced Studies- Wolfson. She will graduate with a 4.7 weighted district GPA and a 3.9 unweighted state GPA. At her school, she created the first Health Occupation Students of America (HOSA) and serves as the Executive Director. She is also an active member of the National Honor Society and serves as the Special Advisor for the Medical Club, researching case studies and organizing meetings to advise students on their medical path. Gonzalez is also a student athlete on the high school Tennis and Cross Country teams. She volunteered over 400 hours of community service, mainly with the Key to Knowledge Organization, where she helped conduct supply drives to children in Latin American countries and Aquaboats Marine, C.A., located in Venezuela, assisting with the renovation of classrooms in the town of Dos Camino Tacarigua. Gonzalez will be attending the University of Miami and will pursue a double major in Neurosciences and Health Science.
“BankUnited is proud to join with the Miami HEAT to honor these five students who exemplify excellence through their academic achievements and community service,” said BankUnited President and CEO Rajinder P. Singh. “We congratulate the scholarship recipients on their achievements and wish them well as they continue their educational journeys and pursue their passions.”
About The Miami HEAT Charitable Fund
Established in 1997, the Miami HEAT Charitable Fund supports programs for the betterment of at-risk families in South Florida. Beneficiaries include SafeSpace, a domestic violence shelter for women and children, the Jackson Memorial Foundation’s Guardian Angels and Holtz Children’s Hospital. The Miami HEAT Charitable Fund also provides educational scholarships for high school seniors and partners with inner-city elementary schools to fund the HEAT Academy, which provides after-school tutoring and mentoring programs. Through these initiatives, the Miami HEAT Charitable Fund continues to inspire the youth of South Florida to envision their dreams and achieve their goals.