We have used Nick for a number of speaking engagements here at Spotify, with particular focus on how, through the use of music, he's able to educate and empower the people around him. Nick is not only an expert in his field, he is a great speaker and a pleasure to work with
Nicholas Ferroni
Award Winning Educator and Activist, “Kids who are loved at home come to school to learn, but kids who aren't, come to school to be loved”
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Nicholas Ferroni
Biography
Nicholas Ferroni is a high school teacher and nationally recognized social activist who educates, mentors and inspires students to reach their goals while driving a national dialogue about education.
Nick was named "Upstander of the Year" by the HRC (Human Rights Campaign) for his outspoken advocacy and support for LGBTQ youth, Nick was also noted as one of the "100 Making a Difference,” one of the "Most Influential Educators In America," and honored by The Foundation on Gender Equality, the American Conference on Diversity and the United Nations Women’s Division. He is a featured guest on various media platforms including ABC's 'The View,' MSNBC, The TODAY Show, and more. Nick has also been featured in USA Today for his advocacy and work for teachers, focusing on his “No Summers Off” campaign, where he featured teachers in every state and shared what they do over the summer and to expose the myth that teachers have summers off.
As a history teacher to extremely diverse students in his hometown of Union, New Jersey, Nick developed a "Teach the Truth" campaign to incorporate more minority figures in social studies curriculum, as well as including the history of the Gay and Lesbian Civil Rights movement. In addition, he helped found his school's Gay Straight Alliance and Feminist Club.
Ferroni has become renowned for employing innovative and unique approaches to teaching his students. His social experiment on the importance of gender equality in politics went viral, garnering the attention of news outlets and television programs nationwide. The View's Whoopi Goldberg called “The best social experiment ever."
Nick has dedicated his time and his platform to not only celebrate educators, but fight to increase the pay, support and resources that teachers receive. He is a part of the Teacher Salary Project team that introduced the “American Teacher Act” in Congress.
Nicholas Ferroni
Featured Keynote Programs
Passion and Compassion Before Knowledge
Charlie Chaplin once said, "Kindness is much more important than cleverness." Knowledge is valuable, but compassion in many cases is far more valuable, especially in the classroom or in the office. I have found that the most effective educators are not the ones that know the most, but who care the most. This always applies to the business world. How can we expect students and employees to care about their grades or their work if they believe that their teachers and bosses don't care about them? And we rarely truly understand something or learn something until we experience it directly.
Inspiration Over Information
Inspiring people inspire others to do inspiring things. It is easy to believe in yourself, but a truly inspirational person has the unique ability to inspire others to believe in themselves. Being an inspirational person is as simple as finding something that you are passionate about and that inspires you, then using that passion to inspire others to do the same.
Creativity Changes the World
With smart technology we tend to have dumb people. Creativity is going extinct in many cases. We must nurture creativity in all arenas or we will lose our ability to think and to think differently. As a teacher, I do everything I can to nurture my students creativity and to get them to think not about what is, but what can be. Employers should focusing on the same thing: nurturing their employees creativity to see further and differently than anyone has before.