Bienvenidos Hispanic Heritage Month with Latino Student Daniella B.

As we gear up for the cool, colorful autumn days, we’ve got an exciting student activity to kick off the season – Hispanic Heritage Month! It’s a time when we honor and cherish the rich cultural tapestry woven by Hispanic and Latino communities, celebrating their contributions to art, history, and society. At the heart of this celebration is the inspiring story of one of our amazing students, a beacon of excellence at Florida Virtual School (FLVS), whose accomplishments not only shine a light on Hispanic heritage but also exemplify the power of determination, intellect, and athleticism.

From Cartwheels to College-Level Courses

Daniella’s parents were born in Argentina but moved to the United States for work. As an FLVS student for more than nine years, Daniella has truly embraced learning in an online environment. A gymnast since age three, she turned her passion into a full-blown commitment in the third grade. Due to an increase in the number of practice sessions, she switched to online learning with FLVS. Now, she is an impressive level-10 gymnast and trains over 26 hours a week. Next, she’s looking forward to qualifying for Regionals to reach the National Championships. 

She also participates in FLVS clubs and is currently the President of the National Spanish Honors Society. As the club President, she loves to tutor other students, help elementary students learn Spanish, and plan events, such as the Day of the Dead event. “Hispanic Heritage Month is about learning about different Latino cultures and recognizing their work. Being there for other Latinos is important for me as its norms can be seen as different in society,” said Daniella.

BBQs and Family

Daniella’s heritage shines through in her family traditions. Her Argentine roots mean she knows her way around a grill, and Argentina’s famous asados (BBQs). It’s a very complex meal, with Argentinians starting to cook in the morning for a late afternoon meal. Even though she’s vegan, her family makes sure there’s a veggie option because in Hispanic culture family meals are sacred due to the interaction between family members. She sums it up best: “Hispanic culture is good food, good music, and good people coming together.”

Miami, Messi, and More!

Growing up in the vibrant Hispanic-influenced atmosphere of Miami, Daniella’s all about the celebrations happening during Hispanic Heritage Month. She’s proud to see her community come together to honor their heritage and is especially excited that Lionel Messi has joined the Inter Miami team. “For Argentinians, the celebration will commence and end with soccer all month long,” she said.

Heritage, Language, and Life Advice

When asked about how other Latinos can celebrate Hispanic/Latino heritage, she said to own your heritage and use your native language. Practice it and constantly find opportunities to use it. She knows that these skills can open doors in your future, whether you’re job-hunting or globe-trotting.

From FLVS to Med School Dreams

Daniella takes her own advice to heart and took four years of Spanish with FLVS. While she may have had a leg up in speaking, learning how to write Spanish has been extremely helpful to her, and she looks forward to using these skills later in college and in her career. 

Besides having a robust class schedule with her AICE courses, Daniella also finds time to participate in the National Honors Society, Science National Honor Society, and Young Entrepreneurs Club where she created her own non-profit, V4Green, which brings awareness to the movement of veganism along with its benefits to the planet and to animal rights. 

Daniella credits several teachers for helping her throughout her very successful academic career, including Sra. Rodriguez, her Spanish Honor Society sponsor, Mrs. Lalanne, her sophomore AICE English Language teacher, and Mrs. Bell, her junior AICE Environmental Management teacher. 

For someone so involved in school and with extracurriculars, Daniella is looking forward to focusing on her studies in college, with the ultimate goal of going to medical school.  She is thankful for the FLVS AICE program to prepare her to reach this goal. “The AICE program was transformative to my high school journey,” she said. “I was able to take part in courses that were deep and genuinely exciting. We took part in forums and discussed topics from the course and how they relate to current times.”

Daniella’s Top Tips for Success

As a senior looking back on her impressive academic career with FLVS, Daniella has a few pearls of wisdom for her fellow students:

• Learn how to manage your time
• Find a system that works for you to complete your assignment on time and prevent procrastination 
• Reach out to your teachers for help and advice, they’ll always be there for you 
• Most importantly, have fun! FLVS has many clubs to offer where you can meet new people and make friends

Let’s Celebrate Together!

Join us as FLVS celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month from October 9-12. The party kicks off on Monday, October 9, at 9:45 a.m. EST, and you won’t want to miss it! Some of the fun presentations and activities during the week include making your own musical instrument, learning about Hispanic countries, the history of kites in Guatemala, and how to dance salsa. You can see the list of FLVS Hispanic Heritage events here.