M. A. Milam K-8 Center

M.A. Milam K-8 Center is located at 6020 West 16th Avenue Hialeah, Florida 33012 opened in 1961 as an elementary school to serve the area of West Hialeah.

The school was built on the grounds of dairy tycoon Marcos A. Milam after whom the school was named. Milam's principal is ANNA M. HERNANDEZ. The school colors are white and green, and it also has a mandatory uniform policy, that is extremely strict (involving tucked in polo's and identification cards for all). The school mascot is the colt.

Most of the elementary-level students go on to the school's Middle Learning Center (or MLC) as the additional two floor middle school building is called. The MLC was opened in the 1998-1999 school year and the first Milam eighth grade class was the class of 2001 (which is now in its sophomore year of college). The MLC was named in honor of Dr. Valenzuela's semifinal status for Principal of the Year during the 2004-2005 school year.

The majority of the middle school students go on to Hialeah-Miami Lakes High School or Barbara Goleman High School The school has greatly expanded its extra- curricular program with organizations such as SECME (Science Engineering Communications Mathematics and Education), and National Junior Honor Society (or NJHS). Milam scored as an "A" school for the 2005-2006 school year under the State FCAT grading system.

Clubs

*The first Milam NJHS was formed during the 2004-2005 school year with efforts from Math teacher and Class of 2005 sponsor Mrs. Frances Gomez and the Milam Class of 2005

*The Milam SECME program has thrived since the 2002-2003 school year when the school placed second and third at many competitions, the school peaked in achievement during the 2004-2005 school year when it received numerous golds, silvers and bronze. The school was the national SECME mouse trap car champion, under the leadership of the sponsor of that competition, Mr. Andres Vega.

*The Milam student government is the Leadership Circle which is elected at the end of 7th grade year and represents the whole school from the 8th grade student body.

*The peer counselors are taught to deal with the growing pains of the adolescent years, and how to be powerful reasonable individuals under the careful leadership of Ms. Idania Avila.

*Students in the school's Art Department have recreated "Irises" by Vincent Van Gogh, paintings by John Cena

Traditions

*The Milam 8th grade class of 2007 has an informal graduation at the Barbara Goleman Senior High school where they receive awards and are able to be with their peers one last time before high school, while classes that departed before them all had their graduations at the Sheraton Mart.

*Milam middle schoolers have traditional field trips, the sixth grade field trip tends to be to Dave & Busters (the first class to participate in this was the class of 2006), the seventh graders tend to go to the EPCOT Center at Disney World (the first class to participate in this was the Milam class of 2002). The eighth graders go to Universal Studios Islands of Adventure. This has been a tradition since the first 8th graders Milam housed in 2001 (class of 2002 did not participate due to the 9/11 tragedies).

*Milam has periodical seasonal dances, such as Spring Fling, Winter Dance and the Valentines Dance. The big one is 8th grade "Prom". There are also the quarterly "spill ins" (outside the school) that occurred from the time the MLC was opened for the middle school students until the departure of the class of 2005, during which the 2005-2006 school year the school had "spill ins" (within the school). With the departure of the class of 2006 the traditional "spill outs" were reinstated.

*The Milam middle school yearbooks were all softcover (with the exception of the class of 2004 yearbook which was never created due to issues with contracts) until the class of 2005 yearbook which was the first hardcover since then the sponsor has been Mrs. Miriam Torres and the books have been hardcovers. For the class of 2007, the year book is hard covered with the title: "M.A. Milam 2007, A Piece of the Puzzle" with a puzzle design on almost every page.

Honors

*During the 2004-2005 school year the Milam Principal, Dr. Robert G. Valenzuela was a finalist for Principal of the Year.

*Milam was the district winner for the Middle School division of SECME in Miami-Dade County during the 2004-2005 school year.

*The 2004-2005 Milam Mouse Trap team won SECME nationals in North Carolina.

*Milam has a consistent record of scoring as an A school for the State FCAT grading system.

*Milam was the Do The Right Thing winner, for most finalist in the program for all of the Dade Middle Schools during the 2004-2005 school year.

*During the 2006-2007 school year the cheerleaders won 3rd place in competition at an Orlando, Florida competition.

ee also

*Miami-Dade County Public Schools
*Education in the United States

External links

* [http://www.dadeschools.net/ Miami-Dade County Public Schools]
* [http://facilitiespictures.dadeschools.net/images/schools/3421.jpgMilam K-8 Center Picture]