LifeChanger of the Year Nominee Profile

Dr. Erick Hueck was nominated anonymously. 

"Dr. Erick Hueck is more than a teacher, more than a mentor. He is a passionate and dedicated educator who will inspire, encourage, empower, guide, and make you feel like anything is possible," said the nominator.

In his thirty-five years of teaching, he has inspired and positively impacted the lives of hundreds of students. Because of his ability to steer students in the right direction, he has been affectionately called "captain," "dream maker," and "miracle worker" by students, parents, and colleagues throughout his career. 

"I first met Dr. Erick Hueck in 1988 as a shy and awkward fifteen-year-old attending high school and trying to find my place in the world. My parents were working-class immigrants who had fled a dictatorship to start life in a new country. I was the youngest of three children and the only one in my family born in the United States. Struggling to hold on to their identity, my parents did not allow me to speak English or stray away from our Cuban culture. Feeling like I didn't fit in, I spent most of my youth trying not to be seen or heard. Unbeknownst to my parents, I joined BETA, a service club where Dr. Erick Hueck was the advisor. He was at every meeting and made it a point to talk to every member, and as much as I tried to hide in the background, Dr. Hueck made it his mission to get to know me. Dr. Hueck's infectious energy and kindness made me trust him. I hoped to attend college away from home; he introduced me to the college counselor, encouraged me to take honors and advanced placement courses, and offered to speak to my parents. At home, I spent my life hearing, 'You cannot,' but from Dr. Hueck, all I heard was 'You can, you are smart, you can do it.' Dr. Hueck believed in me even when I did not believe in myself. To say he changed the trajectory of my life seems like an understatement. Dr. Hueck met me as a broken-winged bird and left me soaring to new heights. I went from hiding in a corner as a shy sophomore to speaking on stage as a confident student leader by senior year. I not only received scholarship offers from leading universities, but I was the first person in my family to earn a graduate degree. Like me, many of the students Dr. Hueck has taught are first-generation students and children of immigrant parents facing adversity and uncertain futures," said the nominator.

His students face daily challenges that would be difficult for the most prepared adult to overcome. Dr. Hueck's support and steadfast encouragement have not just been inspirational; they have been life-changing. His unwavering commitment to empowering oft-ignored and marginalized students is without measure. His ability to positively impact the lives of so many students is evident in their many successes as graduates of Ivy League schools and as leaders in their fields, as well as in the numerous accolades and accomplishments he has received over the years, including being inducted in the 2023 National Teachers Hall of Fame, receiving the National Education Association Excellence in Education Award, Florida Education Association Excellence in Education Award, Florida Governor's Excellence in Education Award, Yale Educator Award, the Phebe and Zephaniah Swift Moore Teaching Award from Amherst College, and being named District Teacher of the Year and a Community Gamechanger by the Marlins Foundation. In addition to his work as an educator, he has served as President of the Dade County Science Teachers' Association and the Florida Association of Science Teachers. He has mentored countless teachers in the community. Because of his profound and positive impact on the lives of his students and his community, it seems only fitting that he is recognized as a LifeChanger.