Miami Palmetto High School junior Nicolas Perales created a community service project called Misson Hygiene which collects hygiene products to be given to Palmetto students in need. He started the project with his friend Oliver Cannings, and they work closely with the social worker.
Read more County releases the 2026 Biscayne Bay Report Card
“We started in December 2024,” he says. “We do drives with the school and outside the school. We also ran a couple of drives with the Pinecrest Premier Soccer Club. This year we only ran three drives, and they were all sufficient enough that we haven’t had to run them again.”
They collect toothpaste, deodorant, razors, shaving cream, socks and tampons. The goods are placed in a section of the Panther Pantry.
Perales says he gets plenty of support for the drives.
“When we do it through a club, you get incentives, such as a point for the club,” he says. “Kids are pretty good at participating.”
They usually publish a flyer with the list of requested products.
“I tell kids you can go to the Dollar Store or to Publix,” he says. “One of our beginning drives, we were able to collect 250 individual hygiene packets.”
They not only donate the products to help the kids at school, they have also donated to the Miami Rescue Mission.
“We raised money for that, we bought these hygiene kits,” he says. “The kits have a toothbrush, toothpaste, razors and shaving cream.”
They have also donated tampons, but they were separate from the packets.
Mission Hygiene was working to make sure they have enough of a supply to get kids through the summer.
Recently Perales won his second PAW Award. The PAW Award is given to a student who gives back to the school community and has outstanding character. Perales won the Panther on the Move Award his freshman year.
He is the president of the community service club, Interact, a role he will continue his senior year. Perales is vice president of the Health Information Project, the organization that sends juniors and seniors to teach health education to freshmen. He chose to join HIP because the health classes had an impact on him as a freshman.
He’s also the Speaker of the House for Student Council.
“I hold the monthly meetings with the homeroom reps,” he says. “We talk about campus life and how to improve it.”
Read more Bouquet, an interactive floral art installation, now open at Shops at Merrick Park
He will be doing it again next year. Previously he was the vice president of the Class of ‘27.
Perales used to play soccer at Pinecrest Premier. Now he coaches.
“It was a lot more doable than the intensive schedule that we had,” he says.
He says he likes working with the youngsters.
“The best part is before practice even starts,” he says. “We get in a circle and talk about their day. I have formed a bond with them.”
In college, Perales plans to major in political science. His college list includes the University of Florida, the University of Virginia, Florida State University, Wake Forest University, Vanderbilt and Duke.
Outside of school, he is a member of Tutoring for Tomorrow.
“Someone will hire me and they pay me $30 per hour,” he says. “Half of that money goes to a charity. Every Thursday we go to Palmetto Elementary and for an hour we tutor for free.”
He went through a policy fellowship with the Miami-Dade County Youth Commission.
“I drafted a policy about environmental policy requiring a minimum of tree canopy before a project can be completed,” Perales says. “It reduces heat, improves air quality and prevents flooding.”
Linda Rodriguez Bernfeld
ABOUT US:
For more Miami community news, look no further than Miami Community Newspapers. This Miami online group of newspapers covers a variety of topics about the local community and beyond. Miami’s Community Newspapers offers daily news, online resources, podcasts and other multimedia content to keep readers informed. With topics ranging from local news to community events, Miami’s Community Newspapers is the ideal source for staying up to date with the latest news and happenings in the area.
This family-owned media company publishes more than a dozen neighborhood publications, magazines, special sections on their websites, newsletters, as well as distributing them in print throughout Miami Dade County from Aventura, Sunny Isles Beach, Miami Beach, Coral Gables, Brickell, Coconut Grove, Pinecrest, South Miami, Kendall, Palmetto Bay, Cutler Bay and Homestead. Each online publication and print editions provide comprehensive coverage of local news, events, business updates, lifestyle features, and local initiatives within its respective community.
Additionally, the newspaper has exclusive Miami community podcasts, providing listeners with an in-depth look into Miami’s culture. Whether you’re looking for local Miami news, or podcasts, Miami’s Community Newspapers has you covered. For more information, be sure to check out: https://communitynewspapers.com.
If you have any questions, feel free to email [email protected] or [email protected].