Ingram spends much of his time advocating for quality education for poor youth similar to the way Booker T. Washington did for disadvantaged Blacks.
Education is part of Fedrick Ingram’s vision to help youth overcome the odds to achieve the impossible. During his career as a music teacher at Miami Carol City Senior High and Booker T. Washington in Overtown, Ingram has helped more than 250 of Ingram’s students obtain music scholarships to college.
At predominately Black Carol City, Ingram created a program that was popular in white schools: an advanced placement Music Theory curriculum that allowed students to earn college credit while still in high school.
In 2006, Ingram was named the Francisco R. Walker Miami-Dade County Teacher of the Year.
As president of the United Teachers of Dade, Ingram spends time in Tallahassee fighting against funding cuts in art and music education. Like Booker T. Washington, Ingram believes schools should provide alternatives to an academic education. Ingram stresses that art and music often gives students reasons to stay in school. “I chose to be an educator because I wanted to be able to influence kids the way my teachers influenced me,” Ingram said.
“Music saved me and kept me coming to school. Music is a subject that made me realize that I was really good at something and I wanted to excel in it. My teachers ultimately helped guide me to my mission in life, which is to ensure that all kids have an opportunity for a great education.”
Ingram’s vision for youth is based on his own life. A product of the Liberty Square Housing projects, Ingram had a severe stuttering problem growing up. But a music teacher helped him master everyday speech using breathing techniques for singing.
In 2013, Ingram was elected president of the United Teachers of Dade, where he aims to increase parental and teacher involvement in the lives of youth. “I believe that our children are the life blood of who we are,” Ingram said. “They need our help.”
