Mending the Heart of the Keys
A Creek resident launches a nonprofit to help the Keys after Irma What began as a Facebook post asking for unused hurricane supplies soon became a nonprofit organization with long-reaching effects. Coconut Creek resident and Winston Park Elementary School teacher Krystal Langley began gathering goods for her hometown of Marathon, the day after Hurricane Irma
Liquid Salvation
This past summer, Adyant Khanna, a junior at Miami Palmetto Senior High School, led a mission in India to provide clean water to more than 1,000 residents in three different villages. “My family is from India, and I’ve visited there for as long as I can remember,” he says. “It’s impossible not to notice the
Making Their Point
With just a few words, 17-year-old Anh-Thu Le brings the room to silence. Not an easy feat, considering the room was packed with more than 200 guests from the county. Anh-Thu’s speech was part of the third annual Debate Initiative, a luncheon fundraiser for Broward County Public School’s debate programs. The Debate Initiative serves more
Along for the Ride
There were a few snags during Michael Sayih’s first race. It was a duathlon: a 5-kilometer run, followed by a 30-kilometer bicycle ride, followed by another 5k run. He was 5 and was strapped to the back of the tandem bicycle steered by his father, Jim. Jim found their position at the start line, braced
Art for All
When Erika Valbuena first told her students that they would be part of Coconut Creek’s first art show for students with special needs, many of them couldn’t contain their excitement, asking her every day when they could start on their creations. As the autism coach at Tradewinds Elementary School, Valbuena always looks for ways to
Giving is a Real Kick
With gently used soccer balls and cleats, Mica Wenger, a senior at Miami Palmetto Senior High School, helps give back by moving forward. “For as long as I can remember, I’ve watched my brother play competitive soccer,” she says. “Over the years, it’s been hard not to notice how easily his equipment would get destroyed
A Special League
Joe De Braga was adamant that his kids grew up knowing they had no boundaries, that they could do anything. For his son, who has Down syndrome, Parkland Buddy Sports sets that message. In the early 2000s, the city of Parkland recognized the need for an athletic program where children of varying ability could play
A Stocked Pantry
Stephanie Silverman Houser has a spiel. As director of The Cupboard, a new kosher food pantry in Davie, she’s responsible for its day-to-day operations. She efficiently gives the breakdown, explaining how the pilot program has been helping 100 families struggling with food insecurity. But when asked why there’s a kosher—adhering to Jewish religious dietary laws—food
Reaching Out to Help
“The first thing you see is, it’s a beautiful place,” Isabella Damacena says, recalling the fog rising each morning to reveal the mountains in the South African village of Thubelisha. Despite its natural beauty, however, many in the region are living in extreme poverty. Damacena was one of 11 visitors to Thubelisha from Coastal Community
Campus Memories
In the late 1960s and early ’70s, the young city of Coconut Creek saw an explosion of growth in education. Coconut Creek Elementary debuted in 1968, Coconut Creek High School opened its doors in 1972, and Atlantic Technical College followed one year later. Another higher-education entity planted roots during this era—Broward College’s North Campus, then
Immersive Learning
For a little more than 10 years, North Broward Preparatory School quite literally has been a home away from home for international and national students alike—and all homes need some upgrading once in a while. As a boarding school with a focus on inclusivity and diversity, NBPS plans to expand by building new housing, due
In the Beginning
Doug and Kelly Young recall the early days of Creek’s first neighborhood Doug Young has a sign in his office that reads, “I wasn’t born in Florida, but I got here as quick I as I could.” For Doug and Kelly, his wife of 50 years, that sign might as well read, “born in Coconut
