Five on Fridays: Felix Yerace, Ph.D.

Today’s “5 on Fridays” comes from Felix Yerace, Ph.D., a high school teacher and coadvisor of Student Government and the Work2BeWell chapter in McDonald, Pennsylvania. He was also a member of our Greater Good Educators 2024-2025 program.

We asked Dr. Yerace the following questions to get a sense of how he cultivates learning and well-being at South Fayette High School.

1. Who or what is a source of inspiration for you these days?

My students always inspire me, whether it’s an insight or answer in the classroom or something they do out of the classroom. For example, I am one of the Student Government advisors at our school, and we just wrapped up our annual toy drive for Toys-for-Tots, and we brought in over 4,000 toys! Our final collection day when we bag all the toys for delivery is one of my favorite days of the year and always is the start of the holiday season for me. It’s always great when I get to see my students give back to the community.

2. What is a piece of advice or wisdom that you carry with you? Who gave it to you, and in what context?

When I was in college, a supervisor of mine at an on-campus job was reorganized out of her position, and that same day several other people and I helped her move out of her office. Afterwards, not really knowing what else to say to her, I simply said, “I’m sorry.” With a smile on her face, she shook my hand and said, “Do great things.” I thought if someone who was in that position could be that positive, that I owed it to her to try and “do great things.”

3. What are you currently reading?

I am reading Moving the Needle: What We Know (and Don’t Know) About Developing Leaders by David Rosch, Scott Allen, and Daniel Jenkins. I teach a College in High School leadership course through the University of Pittsburgh and am the Education and Engagement Coordinator for the National Association for Student Activities (NA4SA), and I am always interested in current research into leadership development, especially for younger leaders.

4. In a world where people report that they feel increasingly disconnected and even lonely, how do you foster connection and community in your school or classroom?

I believe everyone has three needs: They want to belong, they want to matter, and they want to be able to add value to where they are at. I do not think there is one way of doing this, I think it happens in a lot of “micro moments,” whether it’s providing students with different pathways and opportunities, getting to know them and their interests and background, or meeting them where they are at. Everyone has strengths and sometimes the strengths people have are not as valued in an academic context, but it doesn’t mean those strengths are not important, so it really is about trying to look at everyone from a strengths-perspective. I think if you do all of these, you can help give someone a positive identity and a sense of connection.

5. What do you wish you knew about student and/or teacher well-being before you started teaching?

For both students and teachers, well-being is something you need to cultivate. It’s like a garden. If all you do is clear the land, you’ll wind up with a field of dirt. You need to intentionally pick out what you want to grow, and then take the time to care for what you plant. It’s not a one-off event, nor is it something that just happens; it requires a lot of intentionality. And it can be hard to find that time! Both teachers and students are very busy, and it’s easy to let well-being slip. But if we do, we won’t be able to show up for the academic part of education, so it’s critical we take the time to ensure our well-being.