A nationally acclaimed educator, author, entrepreneur and speaker, Chuck Herring is the K-5 Enrichment/Gifted Coordinator for the South Fayette Township School District. Dr. Herringâs students call him the âG.O.A.T. â The Greatest of All Teachers,â while parents love him because âhe always wins debates with children.â Check out Herringâs inspiring TEDx talk, âFrom 2.3 to D.O.C.: Mentors, Mantras and Hip-Hop,â here and get to know him below.
What upcoming events are you excited to attend?
Iâm super excited to attend the birth of my first grandchild in early October. Iâm going to spoil the heck out of him/her! And, my grandbaby will call me âGregarious P.O.P.â or âGPâ for short, lol.
What is the best part of your job?
The best part of my job is that I get to go to a place where we âput kids first.â And because of that philosophy, I am afforded many opportunities to meet my students where they are academically, psychologically and emotionally.

What is your big idea for Pittsburgh?
One of my big ideas for Pittsburgh is already being carried out by the nonprofit, Omicelo Cares. In essence, the idea is that we continue moving forward as a city (e.g. academically, financially, societally) without leaving folks behind. Omicelo Cares is âreâ-gentrifying neighborhoods by providing training for people in the communities to learn how to become homeowners and small business owners that would allow them to be a foundational part of helping their communities grow.
Podcast youâre addicted to:
Malcolm Gladwellâs Revisionist History, he is a masterful storyteller. In essence, I see him as a 21st-century Paul Harvey. He definitely frames it as âthe rest of the story.â
Whatâs been bugging you lately?
One of the biggest challenges I believe that many educators have today is having to educate parents that their children are going to be alright. Unfortunately, many parents believe that their child should be analyzing the work of Maya Angelou or utilizing the Pythagorean theorem by third grade. The irony of it all is that the parents want differentiated instruction, but they want the same results â for their kids to go to attend Stanford, MIT or an Ivy League institution. However, each school year, my goal is to help parents understand that as human beings, focusing more on social/emotional intelligence than on academic intelligence is vital to having a happy, well-adjusted child.

What song in your playlist is on endless repeat?
I have several songs that are at points and times on endless repeat: Princeâs âAdore,â Elton Johnâs âRocket Man,â Run-DMCâs âSucker MCsâ and Queenâs âAnother One Bites the Dustâ (a very violent song by the way). But currently, the song on endless repeat is Lupe Fiascoâs âKick, Pushâ (I donât ride a skateboard, but that song makes me feel like I can be Tony Hawk, lol).
What is the one thing what would surprise Pittsburghers about you?
Although, I am a Golden Age of Hip Hop Head, I also love musicals. âThe Sound of Music,â âHair,â âThe Wiz,â âOliver,â âMary Poppins,â etc. I love them all : )
Who should be the unofficial Mayor of Pittsburgh?
Mr. Rogers should be named the Mayor in perpetuity, lol. However, I believe that the Mayor should be Emmai Alaquiva because he has his finger on the pulse of every aspect of the cityâs culture. And, Iâll be one of his top advisors.
Favorite place youâve traveled:
As a lifelong Disney enthusiast/influencer, my wife and I spent a week in the Western Caribbean on the Disney Fantasy cruise ship with Captain Jack Sparrow, Mickey, Minnie, Princess Ariel, Princess Tiana, etc.