John,

My name is Nicholas Ferroni. I’m a social studies teacher in New Jersey, and like all of you I have a passion for helping kids. It’s so fulfilling to go to school every day knowing that there are so many young people who count on me to help them grow into the confident, well-educated, amazing individuals they all are.

I was featured in People and on the Today show this month because I just launched a new project called “My Favorite Teacher”—actor Matthew McConaughey was my first guest interview and musician and producer Swizz Beatz and his son Nasir Dean were the following week. This Tuesday, I released a video with Michelle Yeoh, Jenny Yang and Justin Chien talking about their appreciation for teachers.

Please check out the videos.

I want to be everyone’s favorite teacher, but that’s not the reality. The truth is each teacher is different and every child is unique. It’s humbling to do these “My Favorite Teacher” interviews with influential public figures around the country because it reminds us that our impact will stay with these kids throughout their lifetimes.

I’m thankful to have the support of the AFT on this project, and I look forward to sharing more videos and connecting with you. You’ll be able to find future interviews on the AFT’s social media channels and on mine, with new videos coming out every week.

Feel free to stay in touch on Instagram, Facebook and Threads.

In solidarity,
Nicholas Ferroni
AFT Member