Thomas Alba Edison honor the name of our school. Thomas Edison, the younger of seven children, was born in Milan, Ohio, on February 11, 1847, to Samuel and Nancy Edison. Home schooled and an avid reader, Thomas began his Scientific experiments at age of ten when he built a laboratory in the basement of his house stocked with chemicals either bought or found in the town dump. Thomas' early experimentation was almost stopped when his mother became tired of bad odors and fumes filling the house. He began his first career as a "tramp telegrapher " going from place to place including Ontario, Cinccinatti and Nashville, offering his skills as a telegrapher.   He finally settled in Boston, working the New York wire for Western Union. Thomas was an inventor known for his influence, his intelligence and most importantly, his perseverance. During his life time more than a thousand American patents were granted on work of his own or, of teams under his supervision. Three of his invention: the phonograph, a practical incandescent light and electric system, and a moving picture camera helped found giant industries that were to change the life and leisure of world. In other areas Thomas managed to affect over twenty industries including the military, medical field and the stock market .   Edison Park Elementary School was built in 1950 in an area of Miami that was refered to as Lemon City. The school population was predominately white middle class. In the 1970s, with the coming integration, the student population began the transition to predominately black American. In the 1980s, the influx of Haitian refugees caused the area to be known as Little Haiti and the school to have a population of predominately Haitian students. In the late 1990s, the student population was approximately 7 % Hispanic, 70% Haitian American, and 23 % Black American.    Mrs. Yecenia, Martinez began serving as principal of Edison Park Elementary School at the end of the 2007 school year until the present. Previous principals include Mrs. Gwen Haynes Evans, Mr. John H. Williams (7/12/91 - 7/17/99 ), Mrs Melanie Revman-Fox ( 7/14/88 - 7/12/91),Mrs Arletha Walton ( 7/01/83 - 7/01/88 ), Mrs Della Albert Zaher ( 01/24/74 - 06/30/83 ), Dr Joe Galocy ( 01/23/74), Mrs Bertha Brahm (1950 - ), Ms. Veronica Swindell-Wesley (6/1/2004-12/21/2007)