There are many teachers who go above and beyond for their students, all while leaving a meaningful impact in their lives. Amongst these teachers is Miami High alumna Mrs. Yanelle Perez, who is an extraordinary history teacher and the sponsor of the Law and Leadership Honor Society.

Her high school years at Miami High were filled with, “activities and fun memories.” She was in cheerleading and BETA. One of her favorite high school memories was in former Miami High teacher Ms. Cardona’s creative writing class. “This class allowed us to be creative and free to a level that was usually prohibited in the other course’s curricula. Ms. Cardona took a genuine interest in each and every one of her students and brought our talent out,” she remembered.

After her graduation from Sting Town, she attended Florida International University and NOVA. “I went to NOVA Shepard Broad College of Law and did one semester at FIU Law. It was tough on me,” Ms. Perez said. “I honestly didn’t know what I was going to do after law school. It was a time of self-reflection, and it took a lot of courage to try something completely new, but I’m glad it led me here today.” Outside of college, she worked for USA Today newspaper, and The

Miami Herald’s customer service department.

Ms. Perez decided to become a teacher back in 2016 when she shifted careers to try out something new. “I knew I didn’t want to be sitting behind a desk from 9 to 5 my entire life, and I was seeking a career where I can interact, make a difference, and feel fulfilled by giving back to my community,” she said.

She loves teaching history and will always try to make it fun for her students. She said, “History is relatable to all aspects of life and gives me the freedom of having fun with my lessons.” In Ms. Perez’s class, you’ll always see her having classroom discussions or her students working on projects. Her favorite part of being a teacher is, “Motivating students by building up their self-esteem and academic foundation for the future.”

Sponsor of the incredible Law and Leadership Honor Society, Ms. Perez recommends students to join because, “It’s an excellent way to join in on community service, meet community leaders, and share ideas and moments with like-minded students who are interested in leadership roles.”

It has been an honor and an amazing experience for her to keep the Law and Leadership Honor Society together after its founder Ms. Suarez left Miami High to start her law career. “The students have made this experience an awesome and pleasant one which I truly enjoy. These members always blow my mind with their professionalism, and knowledge,” she said.