Mast Academy

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Congratulations Lynn Paisley
TEACHER OF THE YEAR

For over twenty years, Lynn Paisley, has consistently demonstrated an extremely strong commitment to her teaching, the highest professionalism, and desire to expand an already deep familiarity with Spanish language, literature, and culture.  Lynn has lived in Spain.  She has traveled the country extensively and en route developed what is, without a doubt, a passion for things Spanish: dance, cuisine, literature, language, and history. In the classroom and on the academic conference circuit, Lynn has repeatedly demonstrated that she possesses as much depth as breadth where Spain’s language and culture are concerned. 

Lynn Paisley is a National Board Certified Teacher in Spanish.  Her passion for teaching has provided her students with an avenue into the full panorama of Spanish life. Pass by Lynn’s classroom and the students are always engaged. They might be involved in language study; they might be learning flamenco steps from this acclaimed flamenco dancer--or they might be engaged in a discussion of Cervantes, Unamuno, or Llorca. Ms. Paisley has one of the richest and most stimulating language classrooms in the United States. 

Time and space prevents us from addressing at length Lynn Paisley’s work on two editions of Nuevos mundos, a Spanish language textbook published by John Wiley. But we do need to mention her much-lauded oral history project, “Proyecto Abuelos,” her scholarly work on Julia Alvarez and Achy Obejas, and her 1998 AATSP (Madrid) panel on Spanish Language Teaching and Technology.

Congratulations Lynn Paisley, MAST Academy’s Teacher of the Year!

Congratulations to Dr. Ochatt!  

Winner of the 2011 Beckman Coulter Science Educator Award for “outstanding efforts and continued support in the area of science and education”, the “NSTA Senior High School Science Teacher of the Year Award”, and the “DCSTA Award for Outstanding Contribution to Science Education”. 

South Florida students competing in robotics competitions
By Thomas Johnson, The Miami Herald, May 15, 2011

November 12, 2010
Congratulations to the Girls' Swim Team on their performance at States!

Sun, Oct. 31, 2010.
Students reduce energy use at MAST.

Students at MAST Academy recently compared energy consumption at the school between 2009 and 2010 for the August/Sept period. Download the PDF Article.

President Obama, Department of Education Announce Race to the Top High School Commencement Challenge Finalists - April, 29, 2010

The White House and the Department of Education announced today the six high schools selected as finalists for the first annual Race to the Top High School Commencement Challenge. The Commencement Challenge, launched in late February, invited the nation’s public high schools to submit applications showing their dedication to providing students with an excellent education that will prepare them to graduate ready for college and career choices. Applications were judged based on the schools performance, four essay questions and supplemental data. The six finalists were selected for their dedication to academic excellence and for showing how they are helping prepare students to graduate college and career ready, and prepared to meet the President’s goal of having the highest proportion of college graduates in the world by 2020.

MAST Academy Wins East Florida Regional National Ocean Sciences Bowl, March 6, 2010
MAST Team A won in the final second of the game to advance to the NOSB National Competition from April 23-25, 2010 in St. Petersburg, Florida. Congratulations to team members Joseph Andreoli, Maya Becker, Shanique Martin, Michael Ronzetti and Mitchell Rosenstein. Coach and Marine Biology teacher Mark Tohulka was not able to participate, and this reporter stepped in as Head Coach. In addition to an all-expenses paid trip to Nationals, MAST Team A was awarded $1,000, a suite of classroom textbooks, and tickets to Sea World.

TREEmendous reforestation day at MAST Academy - January 14, 2010

 While the extended cold snap caused iguanas to drop from trees in Key Biscayne, volunteers braved bitterly cold morning rain and wind on January 9 to restore the native habitat at MAST Academy in Virginia Key. The effort was a collaboration between the 'Trees for Tracks' outreach program of Florida rail company CSX, the Alliance for Community Trees (ACT), and its local partner, TREEmendous Miami, the Care Force division of the City Year national youth service program, and MAST Academy

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Food Educators Network International (FENI) 2010 Educator Awards and Recognitions

FENI executive director Daniel von Rabenau with Secondary Educator of the Year award winner Chef Ana Plana, culinary arts teacher,  MAST Academy (photo credit: Eric Futran)

The 2010 FENI Secondary Educator of the Year is Ana Plana.

Chef Plana is a culinary arts teacher at Maritime and Science Technology (MAST) Academy in Key Biscayne, Fla., and has taught 9th through 12th graders at MAST Academy since 2007.

As the school's only food-production and event-planning instructor, she not only teaches during class time, but also heads up a variety of school and student events to offer students real front- and back-of-house experience and the chance to showcase their work.

As a former board member of Les Dames d'Escoffier International, Plana uses her experience and contacts from the catering and event planning industry to arrange internship opportunities, guest speakers and financial support for her students and for the school.

A sponsor of Women of Tomorrow for the past two years, Plana acts as a mentor to the young women at MAST, ensuring they have strong female role models when they begin their careers.

Last year, she received a grant from Slow Food to plant an edible garden at the school, which will be used to teach students to appreciate and understand organic gardening.