Felix Varela Senior High School is a public high school located at 15255 SW 96th St. in The Hammocks, unincorporated Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. Past principals include Millie Fornell (2000–2005) and Connie Navarro (2005–2011). The current principal is Nery Fins (2011–present). The school was named after Father Félix Varela (1788–1853), a Cuban Roman Catholic Priest, human rights advocate, teacher, and an admired figure throughout the Cuban American exile community. The school opened its doors to approximately 2,000 9th and 10th graders (classes of 2003–2004) on August 28, 2000. The school is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. History Varela was built as an overcrowding relief school for G. Holmes Braddock High School and Miami Sunset High School. Construction began in 1998 but due to delays during construction (mainly on concerning funding and local area politics), the school's opening date was delayed and pushed back several times. Varela opened its doors to students on August 28, 2000. In 2010, the school enrolled 51 survivors of the 2010 Haiti earthquake, the second highest number of any Miami-Dade school. Principal Connie Navarro had installed extra counselors to assist the students in case they had any trauma. The students mostly came from the middle and upper classes, and many had previously attended the Lycée Alexandre Dumas French international school and the Union School, both private schools. Varela High installed extra Advanced Placement (AP) classes, including AP French, to cater to them. Michael Winerip of The New York Times interviewed 10 survivors at Varela. They all spoke Haitian Creole, French, and English, and their English did not have any accent. They all indicated that the academic work at Varela was less rigorous than the work at their private Haitian schools. Demographics Felix Varela is 89% Hispanic, 7% White non-Hispanic, 3% Black, and 1% Asian. As of 2019 the school had 2,595 students. Academics The school offers Advanced Placement (AP), university preparatory, and dual enrollment programs. The school has a barn with livestock used for its veterinary training course. Students in the program often arrive at school early to perform their duties. There are several professional programs offered at Varela including some magnet programs. One of the newest is the iPrep program that focuses on the use of technology to enhance learning. Athletics and extracurricular activities The varsity sports program began with the 2001–2002 school year alongside its first junior class. Felix