AUBURNDALE, Fla. — Not every kid loves going to school.

But apparently nearly every student at Berkley Accelerated Middle School and Polk Pre-Collegiate Academy wants to be in Niki Fernandez’s class.

The Director of Dance and Arts at the school, her so-called "performing hearts" class is a big hit.

Despite the pandemic, the beat has gone on for this A+ Teacher on her campus. An 18-year master teacher, Fernandez has made sure of it.

All dance classes are outside, and even remote learners, never miss a step.

"I've been dancing since I was 3-years old, and then we owned a studio for a while in Winter Haven,” said Fernandez.

A Polk County native, Fernandez takes the performing arts to an even higher level of learning for her young adults, teaching life skills and exposing them to different cultures.

"Teaching them how to care for other people, how to respect others and how to love each other,” said Cathy Carver, Principal at Polk Pre-Collegiate Academy.

Jill Bolender, the Principal at Berkley Accelerated Middle School, said the kids flat-out love Fernandez.

"Ms. Fern" leading a dance class. (Berkley Accelerated Middle School and Polk Pre-Collegiate Academy)

"They are so in love with her as a person,” Bolender said. “Because she makes them feel comfortable and that they can do anything.

"The waiting list for her class is a mile long because everyone wants to have Ms. Fern."

But it's not always easy for this A+ Teacher to get kids movin' and groovin'. So, for their first lesson, no dance moves. Just building trust, rapport and compassion.

"I'm asking them a lot by stepping outside their comfort zone,” Fernandez said. “A lot of them have never danced before, or even performed, or even completed a speech in front of another person, so we do a lot of team building, a lot of class building, we make them really comfortable with each other."

And with the Polk County community. Her students held performances for hundreds of veterans before the pandemic.

Fernandez said her extended campus family is a blessing and her immediate family helps her immensely. Her husband Frank, along with two daughters, assists with stage design and makes the props for all her shows.

"I feel very honored that students want to take my class, and that I am that person,” she said. "I want them, first of all, to be a good person and a kind person in class, and then to realize that there are things are going to happen in life that are scary and new, but they will make it and they will be stronger in the end.”