Mia Moreno, 17, maintains a 4.3 weighted GPA, has completed more than 520 community-service hours and has founded two student-focused legal-education initiatives before finishing high school, according to a Community Newspapers profile.

Moreno, a senior at Saint Brendan High School who lives in South Miami-Dade, founded Little Lawyers of Florida and LawTalk Interviews to give middle school students a window into the legal profession. The story was filed under the outlet's Cutler Bay coverage, where Moreno's outreach has reached local students.

Little Lawyers of Florida focuses on civic education, service

Little Lawyers of Florida runs educational presentations on law, leadership and civic responsibility for middle school students. According to the Community Newspapers profile, the initiative has also organized service projects, including a schoolwide book drive benefiting Saint John Bosco.

LawTalk Interviews takes a different approach. Through the platform, Moreno conducts interviews with judges, attorneys, elected officials and other legal professionals, giving students a firsthand look at careers in law. Moreno's LinkedIn profile says her interview subjects have included a former Florida Supreme Court justice and Miami employment attorney Diane Perez.

County officials, Florida Bar take notice

The work has drawn attention beyond the classroom. The Florida Bar's Daily News Summary highlighted Moreno's story Thursday, Aug. 20. Miami-Dade County Tax Collector Dariel Fernandez met with Moreno Wednesday, Aug. 12, and posted about the conversation on Instagram.

"Supporting young people who are curious, ambitious, and committed to serving their community is an investment in the future of Miami-Dade," Fernandez wrote.

Moreno completed county youth program, multiple internships

Moreno was also selected for the Miami-Dade Youth Engagement Program, a two-week initiative run through the county commission chair's office. The program ran Monday, July 13, through Friday, July 24, and gave high school students hands-on exposure to county government, public policy and legislative leadership, according to the county's website.

According to the Community Newspapers profile, Moreno has completed internships and externships with the Federal Courthouse, the Downtown Development Authority, Kaufman Rossin and Starboard Group.

How to get involved

Families and students interested in Little Lawyers of Florida or LawTalk Interviews can follow the organizations on Instagram at @littlelawyersofflorida and @lawtalkinterviews. LawTalk Interviews content is also available on YouTube.