Gabriela Diaz, a high school senior in Miami-Dade County Public Schools, hopes to one day represent her Miami and Cuban heritage on Broadway. To help pave her path into musical theater, Gabriela was one of six high school seniors awarded a Green-Garner Scholarship for their outstanding academic excellence.

The students were chosen by Miami-Dade School Board Member Marta Perez, recognized as the 2021 Urban Educator of the Year and recipient of the Green-Garner Award. Sponsored by the Council of the Great City Schools and Scholastic, Perez was presented the award and a $10,000 college scholarship at the Council’s virtual 65^th Annual Fall Conference in October.

Each graduating senior received a $1,700 scholarship toward their continued education. This year’s Green-Garner scholarship winners are:

• Gabriela Diaz will attend the Tisch School of Arts at NYU, with plans to pursue musical theatre;
  
  
• Vanessa Guerra, a graduate of Felix Varela Senior High, will attend Florida International University;
  
  
• Ariel Ugardes, a graduate of Miami Sunset Senior High School, will attend Miami-Dade Community College and plans to become an entrepreneur;
  
  
• Katherine Gonzalez, a graduate of G. Holmes Braddock Senior High School, will attend the University of Florida and pursue a degree in electrical engineering;
  
  
• Juliana Ngo, a graduate of John A. Ferguson Senior High, will attend Princeton University and hopes to become a Supreme Court justice; and
  
  
• Elina San Blas, a graduate of Miami Coral Park Senior High School, will attend Princeton University and plans to pursue cosmetic dentistry.