Marian Center students serve ‘Santa’s Workshop S. District’

By Cristina Cabrera Jarro -

MIAMI GARDENS | In early December 2024, students of the Marian Center, a school and Adult Day Training program, gathered in the school’s art room. The design for this year’s Christmas ornament was up for discussion. Before they brainstormed, Veronica Curbelo, a student, suggested renaming their workspace to something more fitting for the holidays. She approached Maite Roca, the art coordinator at the Marian Center, with her idea.

“She told me ‘Maite, we live in the south. Santa’s workshop is in the north. This is like the south district,’” Roca explained.

The group, all adults with special needs, agreed. So, they dubbed the space “Santa’s Workshop South District” and immediately decorated the chalkboard wall with the new name written in cursive, accompanied by drawings of candy canes, a palm tree wrapped in lights “representing the south,” and even a flamingo wearing a Santa hat.

Over the last five years, students of the Marian Center have begun their holidays by making a variety of ornaments. There have been clothespin people ornaments designed in the style of the Holy Family, and Lucille Ball look-alikes fashioned in the iconic “I Love Lucy” style, but with a Cuban twist as Lucy holds a plate of croquetas or Cuban coffee. There have been custom-themed Christmas trees, winter season cork figure ornaments, like snowmen and Santa, and custom flowerpot people made in the likeness of whoever purchases one.

This season the Marian Center adapted the theme of “Angels Among Us.” The adult students created a series of 12 whimsical angel ornaments inspired by art, teaching, music, farming, theatre, students, the beach, silliness, culinary arts, animal lovers, planet Earth and sign language.

“They have all of this imagination and went through dozens of ideas. We narrowed it down to 12 that will be made and sold as ‘limited editions,’” Roca said.

The students painted the angels, which stand under five inches tall and 1.2 inches wide, with wings that are almost four inches tall and wide. Ordered online, the figures arrived assembled in clean wood, with flexible arms and legs that can be posed in any way desired. Accessories were also added, some handmade by students.

The Florida Catholic caught up with five of the “designers” Dec. 5, 2024, just as they were beginning the festive work.

Steve Williams, a student and a part-time employee at the Marian Center, designed the Earth angel.

“I picked Earth angel because I work outside to clean up different things, and pick up different things, like the leaves. And I work with different people,” Williams said.

His angel features the recycle logo, and its accessories include a sculpted small clay model of the Earth, a printed and clipped tiny Earth-themed book, leaves, a cart, water, a bag, and a radio. “My angel’s message is ‘Keep the oceans blue, the planet green, and the animals safe.’”

As the team leader of the Marian Center’s Paw Pal Club, Jamie Bloom designed an animal lover’s angel. Her angel holds an animal book and poster, the Paw Pal Club logo, and a dog bone for a furry friend. She hopes her angel’s message can inspire animal advocacy.

“If we can teach people about wildlife, we can protect our animals because humans want to save things that they have,” Bloom wrote in a design sheet.

Bernadette Guilarte, inspired by her own knowledge and passion for sign language, created a sign language angel, with the message, “Be kind. We all smile in the same language.”

Although she can hear, Guilarte said she became fluent in American Sign Language to communicate with those who cannot. She’s taught members of her family how to sign, and she believes there should be a more universal version of the language.

Veronica Curbelo designed a music angel. As a musician in the Marian Center handbell choir, and also vocalist, Curbelo loves to sing and listen to Christmas carols during the holidays. Along with a bell, guitar, and sheet music accessories, her angel’s message is, “Music is the voice of the soul.”

Octavis Williams selected a student angel for his design, complete with a notebook, pencil, glasses, ruler and computer. Its message of “Every day is a chance to learn,” is one he carries as a personal philosophy. A graduate from the Marian Center’s class of 2023, Williams appreciates all of the teachers that taught him and continue to teach him.

“I love to learn and love to teach my friends things I know, being a gentleman and writing cards, and coming up with great ideas,” he explained.

In a Christmas card he sent to the Florida Catholic he expressed his gratitude for the Marian Center, which he called “a second home,” and for the opportunities it has presented not only to him, but to all who have been students, teachers, volunteers, friends and supporters.

“We all have a wonderful gift, and we all have a talent, and being taught well with special people,” Williams wrote. “With everyone, we work as a team together as a family from God, and Jesus, and Mary and St. Joseph. With the Sisters (of St. Joseph Benedict Cottolengo) we will be celebrating many years, enjoying life and having the best ideas.”

Since June 2024, the Marian Center School and Services has collected recipes from students, staff members, volunteers, parents, the Sisters of St. Joseph Benedict Cottolengo, and other friends to compile their first-ever “Culinary Arts Recipe Book, Volume 1.”

The book’s inscription reads, “A culinary journey of memories, inspiration, tradition and creativity that teaches us as much about life as it does about food.”

The collection includes recipes for appetizers, salads, dressings, jams, spreads, sauces, soups, entrees, desserts, cakes, snacks, coffees, teas, mocktails and cereal. A vast majority of the recipes have also been cooked and served at the Marian Center by students in the Adult Day Training program.

“People think the clients are a little bit lower functioning, and some are non-verbal. Yet here they are cooking all of these recipes and different foods,” said Roca, who helped edit and design the 200-page book.

So far, 500 copies have been sent to print. The Marian Center expects them to be delivered before Christmas, in time to go home with their students, teachers, supporters, and anyone interested in purchasing a copy. All proceeds will benefit the Marian Center.

“It’s not only a recipe book, it’s a storybook. You get so much more out of it. You could not imagine the depth of creativity and love and everything that went into that book,” Roca said.

The Marian Center is located at 15701 NW 37th Ave. in Miami Gardens. To purchase a Christmas ornament or a copy of the “Culinary Arts Recipe Book, Volume 1” contact the Marian Center at 305-200-8927 or visit www.mariancenterschool.org. Follow them on Facebook and Instagram @mariancenterschool.