At only four years old, a young Yaset Fernandez stepped onto American soil along with his parents and thousands of other Cuban immigrants. He was wide-eyed, confused, and afraid. All he knew was that he was leaving his home for an unknown, faraway place.
But after traveling for hours, Fernandez and his family finally arrived in the United States of America—a country that offered the Fernandez family the promise of a new life and better opportunities.
“I still have moments where I remember the scarce conditions of the voyage itself… which was horrific. I remember vomiting in a bucket…I even continue to hold the vivid memory of a U.S. Navy Guard pulling me out from the boat and welcoming me onto land,” shared Fernandez about his arrival in Key West when he was only four years old.
New Beginnings
From the very beginning, this new life, in a new place was challenging. But Fernandez was determined. He knew his parents had made the ultimate sacrifice for his future, and he pushed through any adversities that came his way. He graduated out of the English for non-native speakers, in second grade. He became a good student and started working to build his future.
Through education, which he calls “the great equalizer,” and the endless support of his parents, Fernandez found, that “in the United States, anything is possible.”
While in high school, he began tutoring elementary school children and loved the feeling that he got from helping young children succeed. Not only did he help a student solve a math problem, Fernandez helped those kids learn how to work through equations in the future. In short, he showed them that they could do it. A lesson, he hopes, resonated way later. This is what drew him to a career in education.
“What always attracted me was having an impact on the life of kids,” said Fernandez. I would like to be seen and remembered as someone who always worked to the best interest of these kids.”
An Educator, a Leader, a Father
There is no boundary Fernandez did not break. Soon after graduating from Hialeah-Miami Lakes Senior High School in 1994, he attended what was then Miami-Dade Community College and then earned his undergraduate degree in education from Florida International University (FIU). Then, he pursued a Masters Degree in Educational Leadership at Florida International University (FIU) and began teaching.
His first job as an educator was at Twin Lakes Elementary, a Title l School where he inspired many of his students to surpass any of life’s limitations. One of these several lucky students was Miami Lakes Educational Center’s (MLEC) own Ms. Samantha Cardet, who teaches tenth and eleventh grade English. She still remembers Fernandez, who was her fifth-grade teacher.
“He was the one person who was constantly pushing me to be my very best. He eventually pushed me enough to become part of our school’s gifted program,” said Ms. Cardet. “To this day, I am still more than grateful to have had him as a teacher, because if it weren’t for him I wouldn’t have even imagined myself graduating high school with an AICE diploma, attending Brown University, and starting my own career in teaching.”
Mr. Fernandez loved the classroom but, he said, he wanted to move into educational leadership. Eventually, he got his first opportunity. In, what seems a bit of serendipity, he got that chance because of an opening at Miami Lakes Educational Center (MLEC).
In 2007, MLEC’s principal –Mr. Parker – went on medical leave. As a result, one of Barbara Goleman Senior High School’s assistant principals – Mr. Christopher Shinn – came over to MLEC as an interim principal. Because of that, Mr. Fernandez was promoted to his first assistant principalship at Barbara Goleman, filling in for Mr. Shinn.
After that, Fernandez went on to work Mae M. Walters Elementary and later Henry M. Flagler Elementary.
In 2010, Miami-Dade County Public Schools then recognized Fernandez’s many achievements and promoted him. He took a district role where he worked to help improve students’ learning gains at lower performing schools. One of these schools was Jose de Diego Middle School, where he was able to assist in raising the school’s overall state grade.
But after holding the Administrative Director position for almost a decade, Mr. Fernandez was granted the opportunity to lead MLEC, a school known for its outstanding and hardworking students, recognized as the Nation’s Best Magnet School—and with all of his experience, he is more than ready for this new job.
“Life is about the opportunities you are granted. In schools such as this, you are provided with exceptional opportunities,” added Fernandez. “This is a special place, and now it is my responsibility to ensure that every one of you feels welcomed, safe, accepted, and educated.”
