At Miami High, Miguel Zapata, an 11th grader, is involved in several organizations including Key Club, Debate, English Honor Society, Law and Leadership Honor Society, and BSU. He holds leadership roles as co-captain of Debate, historian for Key Club, and sergeant-at-arms for Law and Leadership. Out of all his activities, Debate is the one he enjoys the most because he is passionate about speaking, learning, and analyzing arguments.  

Clubs and Activities  

    Miguel also contributes to the Miami Senior High  football program as an analyst/engineer, where his responsibilities are similar to a team manager and part-time trainer. What he values most about school is the opportunity to be part of something bigger than himself. While he does not have one single favorite high school memory, his best moments come from being around groups of people he enjoys and having meaningful conversations together.     

Personal Life 

      In his personal life, Miguel does not look up to just one specific person; his many friends and the people around him motivate him to keep improving. For elementary school, he attended Ramz Academy, Sunflower Academy, Mae M. Walters, and James H. Bright. For middle school, he went to Henry H. Filer, Sunflower Academy, FLVS, and Kinloch Park.  

       Miguel’s mother is a Cuban who moved to Venezuela, where Miguel and his sister were born, before they came to the United States in 2013, so he grew up mostly around Cuban culture. He has one older sister and a younger stepbrother. Miguel would say his family life with his cousin feels distant because they do not talk or see each other much, but whenever any of them needs support, he knows there is still a reliable group of people he can count on.  

  College & Future 

      Miguel sees himself attending the University of Florida. He has always liked the school because it is far enough from Miami to experience independence, yet close enough for him to return home whenever he wants. He plans to major in English and minor in philosophy, as both fields reflect his strong interest in literature and his curiosity about the way humans think.  

       In the future, Miguel hopes to work in the legal field for some time and eventually become a teacher. His passion for law has been long-standing, and his desire to teach comes from the powerful impact school has had on his own life. Ultimately, Miguel’s biggest goal is simple: he wants to be happy and live without regretting the opportunities he chose to take or leave behind.  

Upcoming Senior Year 

     As Miguel approaches his senior year, he said, “I’m excited about the many activities ahead, knowing they will be some of the last moments I will share with people I have grown up with over the years.” 

    His main goal is to take advantage of every opportunity available and fully enjoy the time he has left. He plans to stay involved in Debate, Key Club, and possibly SGA or class office, English Honor Society, Law and Leadership Honor Society, and football.  

      Miguel believes he has already built a strong foundation and has does not need to make major changes to prepare for what comes next. Above all, he hopes to be remembered for something meaningful he did that helped or inspired others. 

Five fun and random facts about Miguel Zapata  

1. Miguel has appeared on Telemundo and Univision.

2. He has attended eight different schools.

3. When he was in fourth grade, he completely lost his voice and couldn’t talk for two days.

4. He gave a presentation in third grade for over 150 members of the Asturian Center of Miami.

5. Miguel once fell asleep at school and didn’t wake up until around 10 p.m. and had to walk home.