As Spring Break comes to an end, students reflect on how they spent their week. Even though these four students did not travel on a vacation, they used their time to either relax or to further their academic interests.
Freshman Maximillian Eckert competed at the Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) State Leadership Conference in Orlando towards the beginning of break. “I competed in the Business Law category, but aside from that, we also visited Disney Springs and had an amazing dinner. My favorite part of the experience was spending time with my friends and seeing so many of them qualify for nationals,” he said.
Advocating for the environment, sophomore Anagha Iyer spent her break helping the Broward Sierra Group (a subsection of the national Sierra Club for wildlife and resource protection) host their annual Earth Day event and plastic waste art contest for local high schoolers. Additionally, municipal elections were going on in her city of Pembroke Pines during the break, so Iyer assisted District 3 Commissioner candidate Maria Rodriguez with her campaign, contributing to her victory. “I’ve met so many amazing people through my work, and my favorite part was getting to take a break and enjoy spending time with all of them,” Iyer said.
Junior Shreyan Singha focused on unwinding during the break. While spending time with his friends and family, he made it a priority to connect with nature. He visited the beach with his friends, hosting a volleyball tournament and putting together a picnic with home-cooked food. “I made one of the best plays I’ve ever made during our impromptu volleyball tournament, and I was very happy that I helped my team win,” Singha said.
Senior Carla del Rio took the break as an opportunity to dedicate more time towards ice skating. As a professional skater who has competed internationally, she enjoys inspiring other younger students by coaching them. She spent most days of the break at her rink, Pines Ice Arena, teaching private and group lessons to students as young as 4 years old. “I love interacting with children because they get really excited about both skating and life in general. As I encourage my students to keep trying until they master each skill, I love seeing the profound impact that I can have on them,” del Rio said.
Students waited in anticipation before the FBLA States award ceremony March 17, which freshman Maximillian Eckert remembers as a major part of his Spring Break. That evening, 25 students won awards, advancing to the National Leadership Conference to be held this summer. (Photo/Maximillian Eckert)
Sophomore Anagha Iyer created the Junior Team at the Broward Sierra group, allowing high school students to get involved with the environmental protection initiative. From left to right, Isabella Morales (Franklin Academy), Hayat Talpur (Franklin Academy), Leila Murray (St. Thomas Aquinas High School), Iyer, sophomore Sasha-Kay Lindo and Abigail Kohl (Western High School) are all members of the Junior Team who volunteered at the Earth Day event. (Photo/Anagha Iyer)
