By the time I reached middle school, I launched my school’s first independent newspaper and was an award-winning junior columnist for The Miami Herald. In high school and college, I held a variety of roles in student publications and helped take both Highlights at Coral Gables High School and The Hurricane at the University of Miami to #1 in the nation. All of those early successes would not have been possible had it not been for the encouragement of my mentors who saw the talent and ability within me and helped me develop my craft. The greatest gift we can give each other is encouragement. Success is embracing your natural strengths, putting them into practice, learning from your missteps and then sharing your insights with others so they may embark on their own respective journeys.
