One of Coral Gables Senior High’s esteemed magnet programs, the Academy of Finance provides students with a strong foundation in business skills for use in their future careers. Behind the scenes of AOF, one lead teacher is responsible for the program and is dedicated to making sure everything runs smoothly in the background so students can thrive. With Mr. Ball-llovera departing from the coordinator role, one individual steps up to the finance world and takes the mantle to succeed him, Mrs. Hernandez.
“Mrs. Hernandez is totally fit for the position because of the years of experience she’s had as a lead teacher already. She brings her own ideas and standards for the Academy of Finance and is solution-oriented and has great attention to detail,” Mr. Ball-llovera said.
Having studied at the University of Florida 30 years ago, Mrs. Hernandez, being both an ambitious and assertive college student, graduated with a Bachelor’s in Public Relations, and later a Master’s in Education Leadership from the American College of Education. Beginning working with magnet programs as a Magnet Lead Teacher at iPrep Academy for 12 years, Mrs. Hernandez joined Gables in August 2022 as a Media Specialist. Taking on the additional responsibilities of Advanced Placement and Dual Enrollment Coordinator later that year, she tested her resolve by applying and taking charge as AOF Coordinator.
“I’m very excited to work with Mrs. Hernandez, she’s very organized and driven. I can’t wait to work with her to create new unforgettable memories for the next school year and bring AOF to another level of experience and education,” senior Avani Tembe said.
As AOF Coordinator, Mrs. Hernandez’s main goal is to use her unique skills to provide incoming students with information on the benefits of joining AOF. In order to achieve that on a yearly basis, Mrs. Hernandez enters into the realm of logistics by making mutual partnerships with the city and local businesses around the school.
“When I tell people about this program it’s like ‘Wow that’s a great program’, they don’t know it, so that’s the big change. Marketing, we’re gonna market ourselves, I want us to be out there and just in your face telling people what a great program this is,” Mrs. Hernandez said.
Nonetheless, this does not mean that she is uninvolved with the student body at Gables. Still staying as a teacher at heart, Mrs. Hernandez welcomes students of all grade levels to come to the library, where she can offer questions with technology and media found in the library to enrich students’ education. Concerning AP testing or DE registration criteria, students should also visit Mrs. Hernandez to make sure they meet requirements for graduation, especially those in AOF.
“There’s a lot of questions you may have about college applications, getting jobs, interviews, for internships, you know, that’s where I like to really work with students,” Mrs. Hernandez said.
Ultimately hoping to use her years of expertise, Mrs. Hernandez provides her students with the necessary resources to succeed. She aims to get students the valuable experience they need for their futures. Mrs. Hernandez looks forward to her future filled with enjoyable learning experience for her students and herself.
