“Go-go, Gators! Go-Go-go, Gators!”

   On November 13^th, 2015, at 5 a.m. Miami High’s top sophomores were chanting at the top of their lungs on their bus ride to the prestigious University of Florida campus.

It all started when principal Mr. Valdes visited English teacher Ms. Berrios, while she was teaching her English 1 Honors class. Since he knew that Ms. Berrios was a Gator alumna, he proposed to her to create a field trip to the University of Florida for the top sophomores and that he would pay all the expenses.

The selection process began by looking at any sophomores that had a 3.5 GPA or higher. “It was difficult to select students because they’re so many brilliant ones,” Ms. Berrios stated.

There were 50 invitations given out, and the first 45 students to turn in $8 for a special field trip T-shirt were selected. The purpose of the shirts was not just to add a memory onto memory lane, but for everyone to have the same dress attire.

After a 6-hour bus ride, the Stingarees arrived in Gator territory around noon. As the Coach bus exited Interstate 75 at Gainesville, Miss Berrios started giving a mini-tour and history lesson about the city.

“I didn’t know Udonis Haslem, Miami High alumnus and state champion, graduated from UF,” said Honoria member Cesar Flores.

First stop on the UF campus was to Broward Dining Hall, where a buffet lunch was provided for free for the top sophomores. “The food felt different, honestly,” said sophomore Diego Padua. “I am not used to American cuisine since I come from a predominantly Hispanic city.”

After lunch, the top sophomores took a 15-minute walk to the Reitz Union, the University of Florida’s unique welcome center where UF’s student ambassadors, the Florida Cicerones, led Miami High’s visitors on a 90 minute tour of the campus which included stops at: the French Fries, a sculpture and a meet up place for students; Century Tower, located in the center of the campus where students from the School of Music play once in a while; Plaza of the Americas, where forums are held for students and organizations present their ideas; and Ben Hill Griffin football stadium.

Miami High has a high population of students who will be the first college students in their families. For that reason, the top sophomores next attended a panel discussion for first-generation college students. At the panel, students learned the different opportunities that prospective UF students can have, such as scholarships and tips from a financial advisor.

Top sophomore and National Honor Society historian Daymee Sanchez stated, “I learned so much at the panel discussion such as the Florida Machen Opportunity Scholarship which I probably would have never found out anywhere else.”

At six p.m. the Stingarees left Gainesville and were on their way back to Stingtown. “I was in love with UF’s architecture,” said Class of 2018 Secretary Kelin Escobar, “because it was gigantic and beautiful. “It also reminded me of Hogwarts.”

“My favorite thing about the bus ride was being able to socialize and jam to music with my friends,” said Future Educators of America historian Adalain Sans.Mi