Embracing hard work

Seventh-grader Henry Fernandez loves being challenged.
  Sometimes, that means putting in some serious fast miles in cross country, scoring goals in soccer, or dashing past a competitor in track.  

  “I love going fast because it asks a lot from your body,” he says.  

  Fernandez also loves playing piano, but he prefers rehearsing more contemporary music like Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believing” or Billy Joel’s “Piano Man.” 

  “I think I want to go into music,” Fernandez said. “I really feel good about it because it’s a skill that’s difficult to acquire.”
  Fernandez makes a point to practice each day after school, no matter how tired he may feel from a long day of classes and after school sports. With his busy schedule, he wishes he had even more time to tickle the ivories. 

  Fernandez also loves to read, and his favorite book is The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. "I love reading a thriller, and I am excited to see the movie.”

  He looks forward to writing his own book one day. 

By Diana Fernandez '12

Heart of a lion

Ever since he started fighting, his head is constantly messing with him. Doubt flows through him like a man who has never seen battle. 

  This soldier is Blake Rubin '12, and he is an Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighter. 

  When Rubin turned 12, a family friend, Christian Garcia, also a former Olympic Judo champion, inspired him to learn Judo. Garcia brought Rubin under his wing, leading him to several tournament victories. Garcia later introduced Rubin to Jiu Jitsu, marking the beginning of the young athelete's MMA career.

  Two years ago Rubin stepped onto the mat for the first time in formal competition. His head was spinning with negative thoughts.

  "I didn't even know if I was prepared for it," Rubin said. "I felt like I'm going to war without my weapon."

  He would go on to win first place.

  "After I won that first fight by an arm bar, I said to myself, if it worked the first time I might as well try it again," Rubin said, explaining how he advanced to actually win his first major tournament.

  Rubin has also worked with Danillo Villefort, a professional fighter, and now trains under light-heavyweight former Ultimate Fighting Champion  Thiago Silva. 

  " I hope to have my first amateur fight in a few years under all of my coaches' names, and I will win that fight," he said. (For more photos, see "Blake Rubin wins NAGA" under "Image Gallery.")

By Alejandro Martinez-Oletta '14

Putting in the hours to get serious results

Austin Miller '12 enters Southland Fitness in downtown Miami and throws out his empty protein shake, which he ritualistically downs before each workout.  "It gives me energy and allows me to perform my best," Miller said, adding that he also drinks another protein shake after his workout to help his muscles repair.  It's Saturday, and Miller heads to the squat rack, his favorite stop. Today is his "max day," and he places four-hundred pounds on the bar. 

  He grunts as he squats down and explodes up, completing one complete rep. He feels satisfied and accomplished, and waits several minutes before moving on to the next exercise.
  Miller likes to focus on each part of his body equally, and he pays careful attention to stay in proper proportion. He began lifting in the eighth grade while training for baseball, and quickly fell in love with the weight room. Just two years later he began lifting more seriously, adding heavier weights and more intense workouts to his routine.
 At the shoulder press, he completes eight reps of 70-pound dumbbells. He feels the burn pulsate through his upper body. "It's a sign of hard work," Miller says, as he drops the weight after his last repetition and heaves a sigh. 
  He's done for today, and he heads for the showers. He still has homework to complete, including an English paper to finish.
  "Tomorrow, I will focus on my back and arms," he says.

By Jonathan Chang '12

Accomplishing what few can

  Few understand the value of hard work more than Ms. Katherine Jones, who is much more than just an English teacher.
  For years, her friends urged her to train for a triatholan, which, at the time, she considered "nuts."
  "Eventually, I thought to myself if I can't beat them I might as well join them," she said.
  In 2008, Ms. Jones began training to complete in what’s known as a “triatholon sprint,” which requires a ¼-mile swim, 12-mile bike ride, and 3.1-mile run. She showed no signs  of  slowing down. Less than a year later, she competed in her first half-triatholon, where she completed a 1.2-mile swim, 56-mile bike ride and 13.1-mile run in about 6 hours.
  In 2010, Ms. Jones wanted something even more challenging, so she decided to compete in an Ironman competition, finishing a 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike ride and 26.2-mile run, all in just under 14 hours, 30 minutes.
By Sofia Penton '14

Dr. Llinas becomes dad

Danielle Rothfeldt '14 recently spoke with Dr. Llinas about the joys of becoming a new father, as well as some of the challanges that come along with new but welcome responsibilities.