County Commission Chairwoman Audrey Edmonson, Vice Chairwoman Rebeca Sosa, Commissioner Eileen Higgins, and Commissioner Esteban Bovo, Jr., along with Commission for Women members, present the Young Women Achiever scholarship checks. (Photo by Ryan Holloway/Miami-Dade County)

MIAMI – The Miami-Dade County Commission for Women presented its fifth annual “Young Woman Achiever” scholarships to three outstanding graduates from the Young Women’s Preparatory Academy. The $1,000 scholarships were awarded to Melanie Cardenas, Emilia Mendez, and Aisha Tahir at the June 18 meeting of the Board of County Commissioners. Cardenas will be attending Florida International University, Mendez will be attending the Honors College at Miami-Dade College, and Tahir will be attending New York University. Funding for the scholarships was generously donated by the following sponsors: County Commission Chairwoman Audrey Edmonson, Commissioner Jean Monestime, Commissioner Eileen Higgins, Commissioner Joe Martinez, and Commissioner Jose “Pepe” Diaz.

The Young Women’s Preparatory Academy is a distinguished public magnet school for girls and is consistently ranked as one of the top 100 high schools in the United States. Just this year, U.S. News and World Report magazine ranked the Young Women’s Preparatory Academy number 59 among the top 100 high schools in the country and number 8 in Florida. In 2017, The Washington Post ranked it number 39 among the most challenging high schools nationwide.

The Commission for Women has developed a partnership with the school and awards annual scholarships to its graduates. Although located in Little Havana, as a magnet school, the Young Women’s Preparatory Academy boasts a diverse student body with girls who reside all over Miami-Dade County.

Created in 1971, the Commission for Women falls under the purview of the Office of Community Advocacy, a division of the Office of the Chair, and serves as an advisory board to the Board of County Commissioners, the County administration and the public at large about issues pertaining to the status of women.

The Commission for Women advocates for women in the community and strives to improve their quality of life. Follow the board @MiamDadeWomen on Twitter, and Fans of Miami-Dade County Commission for Women on Facebook.

For more information, please contact Miami-Dade County Commission for Women Director Laura Morilla at 305-375-4967.