From cheer mats to coastal cleanups, Pembroke Pines Charter alumni Dasia Bohler (‘18) has turned her leadership skills into a passion for protecting the environment. The alumna’s experience at charter allowed her to transform from a “quiet but smart” cheer captain to an advocate for environmental sustainability.
During her time on campus, she balanced cheerleading, schoolwork, and formed strong bonds with teachers like Mr. Bertrand, who made school a welcoming environment. In high school, it is common to have bad days, but Mr. Betrand always found a way to lighten her mood. Bohler states, “Mr. Bertrand was a hilarious and a sweet guy who would tell you things as it is. He was definitely one of my favorite teachers.”
Outside of school, she also participated in cheer coaching, which kept her schedule full. Bohler recalls homecoming and pep rallies as her favorite high school memories; her reasoning being that, “homecoming and pep rallies were the moments when we got the opportunity to perform.” She added, “we got to display our efforts and dedication that we put into our routines and helped build a stronger sense of community.”
After graduating from Charter, she decided to attend Florida Atlantic University (FAU), since it was closer to home. This allowed her to stay near her family and especially near her sister, Daylin Bohler who currently attends PPCHS. Family distance played a crucial role in her independence and success, so her best choice remained somewhere that prioritized both.
Bohler’s description of FAU was characterized as diverse and friendly, a place she deemed as a “melting pot”, which made it easy to form connections. During her first two years at FAU, she lived on campus; it was then Bohler decided to commute after purchasing her own car. According to the alumna, the drive to FAU was about an hour, which essentially posed a minor inconvenience in itself. Given the distance, she took the Tri-Rail to save her time.
Bohler divided her daily life among chores, leisure, and academic work by creating a schedule that dedicated certain days to studying, working, exercising, and spending time with family and friends.
Like many students graduating within that time period, Bohler’s college years were disrupted by COVID-19, which limited her internship opportunities. Despite that factor, she remained involved throughout multiple volunteer-based marine conservation projects, including beach cleanups, recycling efforts, and oyster restoration projects that improved water quality and coral reef conditions.
As of today, she is currently employed in the hospitality industry, working at Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse in Aventura. Although Bohler’s job is not directly related to her degree, she believes her job allows her to develop professional skills while she remains involved in the environmental work outside of her job. As said, her experience as a cheer coach also taught her valuable leadership and communication skills.
Beyond education, Bohler remains passionate about marine science, nature, and sustainability, often participating in monthly environmental cleanups and exploring new nature centers around South Florida. She believes in maintaining fitness and mental health, emphasizing mobility, hydration, and exposure to the outdoors as an essential part of her overall well-being.
She credits her family and her long-term boyfriend, Patrick Eugene (who also attended PPCHS), as her most prominent supporters in life. As well as her little sister, who also motivates her to keep growing as a person.
When it comes to internal challenges, one of the most complex aspects of her life was learning how to seek extra help and build self-confidence, despite not completely understanding something. It took the strength within Bohler to view challenges as a mandatory part of growth rather than setbacks.
She defines success as not just reaching a major milestone like marriage and buying a house, but as steady personal progress, consistency, and self-improvement. Her final advice to current Charter students is to trust themselves, believe in their abilities, and recognize that “the little steps do matter”; overall, Bohler states that “you’re always doing better than you think.”
