May 12, 2008 8:30 am US/Eastern
Silver Knight Winner Says Award Changed Her Life
MIAMI (CBS4) ―
CBS4 is proud to present some of the attendees of this year's Silver Knight Awards and this year, it's a reunion of sorts, celebrating 50 years of remarkable South Floridians.
When Nadeige Laleau arrived in South Florida from Haiti more than twenty years ago she barely knew a word of English. She studied hard inside the classrooms at Jackson Senior High school and learned several languages. After earning a master's degree and several prestigious awards later, she now teaches other children how to overcome any obstacle.
Laleau says she's kept the newspaper clipping to remind her of her win as the Miami Herald's Silver Knight Award recipient in foreign language.
But times were tough before that night twenty years ago. She spent some time at Jackson Memorial Hospital for severe depression.
"It had brought hope and life back to me, I did not even want to live and when I got that award I felt, hey, you can do anything that you want to do in life," she said.
But there was a slight problem with her gift.
They misspelled her name on the certificate. But misspelled or not, Laleau said she will always remember that night she used the ticket get into the auditorium to receive her award.
"This is like a Willy Wonka ticket to me.. it is why cause this is the world.. this opened the door to a new beginning a new life," she said.
Before that evening, Laleau said questioned whether she would attend college. That night changed her life.
Laleau, who now holds a masters degree in early childhood special education, works for the Miami Dade County Community Action Agency which helps teachers help children.
The 50th anniversary of the Silver Knight Awards will be held Tuesday May 20th from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Adriene Arsht Center in Miami.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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