Featured Alumni:

Class of 2002

Ernesto Medina

Family, support and striving for excellence are some of the first words that come to mind when I think about Conchita Espinosa Academy. I began Conchita in pre-primary and graduated in 2002. When I reflect on my time at CEA, I can't help but think of all the great times had and valuable lessons learned.

The importance of family is one of the key lessons I learned at CEA. Not only was I the youngest of three that graduated from Conchita, but my mother was also a teacher at CEA for many years. For me, the CEA community is an extended family and I value the lifelong friendships made with classmates and faculty during my time there.

Whenever you were sick at CEA you knew that anything Mrs. Recio said would make you feel better, an ice pack could alleviate anything, and a little bit of kitty litter would go a long way. From the times in PE when Coach made you run extra laps because "you thought it was funny," to the times you needed help opening your potato chip bag, memories were made on a daily basis. During my time at Conchita I tried to be involved in as much as possible participating in baseball, basketball, flag football, flag bearer, drama, Cuban dance and Amor en Acción. Also I enjoyed playing Santa in the 8th grade Christmas play. One of my favorite memories from Conchita was being awarded the "cubanazo" medal at graduation.

After CEA I attended St. Brendan High school. I went on to graduate from Florida International University with a Bachelors degree in Business Administration. In 2014 I became licensed as a Certified Playground Safety Inspector (CPSI) and in January 2015 I opened my own business, Ernie's Playground Inspections LLC. Additionally, I am a licensed Building Contractor and am currently the qualifying agent for a Construction company, Ocean Builders Group.

The support, academic discipline and sense of family experienced at Conchita positively impacted my life and laid the foundation for who I am today. I thank God for blessing me with the opportunity to be part of the Conchita Family.