Michael Ferrer

Michael Ferrer is a 1976 graduate of Lorain High School. During his time at Lorain High, Michael distinguished himself academically and creatively. He was the only student allowed to take specialized Drama courses focusing on Shakespeare, Molière, and Euripides during his last three years. In his senior year, he performed one-act plays every 9-11 days for invited classes in the school auditorium. Michael also recalls playing chess weekly with Mr. Aten, who helped keep him focused, and he won all his chess matches during his freshman year. He earned Honor Roll recognition and received multiple Drama and Speech awards.

Following graduation, Michael attended Bowling Green State University, earning a Bachelor of Arts in Communications in 1984. His commitment to service led him to enlist in the United States Army, where he received specialized training and was recruited to serve in the Old Guard as part of the personal escort (Commander in Chief's Guard) for President Ronald Reagan, requiring Top Secret SBI Clearance. He also completed Air Assault Training in helicopter rappelling.

Michael's distinguished career has spanned education and community service. He served as Director of Education for Lorain Business College and Executive Director of Palmer School in Philadelphia. For 15 years, he was Director of Youth Services for El Centro, followed by three years as Director of Youth Services for the Lorain Salvation Army, and later as Director of Youth Services and then all services for The Lorain County Urban League.

Among his most notable achievements, Michael created and operated the Summer Theater Enrichment Program (STEP) for El Centro, which earned two Department of Labor recommendations for the President's National Award on Youth. The Annenberg Foundation created a PBS National Documentary, "Calculating Change," citing STEP as one of the four most innovative programs in the country positively impacting at-risk populations.

Michael spearheaded the nationally recognized Save Our Sons (SOS) program in Lorain County, which received national awards for positively affecting the health of African American and Hispanic males. His work has been highlighted in the Journal of the National Medical Association, published books, and the National Urban League's "State of Black America."

In 2015, Michael founded the ACES Project (Achievement through Community Education and Support), which continues providing mentoring and suicide prevention services to hundreds of middle and high school youth annually. He also created the free Summer of Innovation (SOI) STEAM project in 2016, utilizing his ACES youth to teach younger students rocket building, roller coaster construction, and astronaut training.

Michael has served on numerous boards He also numerous honors include being a two-time recipient of the Distinguished Hispanic Ohioan Award from the Governor of Ohio, two-time nominee for the President's National Award for Youth Programming, the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Coalition for Hispanic Issues & Progress, and recognition from NASA, the National Urban League, and many other organizations.

Michael lives in Lorain with his wife Dina. Together they are the proud parents of six grown children and seven grandchildren.

Michael Ferrer's Induction Speech