Growing up, Erceg never received a formal diagnosis, but he knew something was different about his speech. He recalls dreading having to say his first name as a child—not because he didn’t like it, but because saying the letter “D” was difficult. He has what is known as “block” stuttering—a type that causes a temporary interruption in speech where no sound comes out. For Erceg, those blocks were not just frustrating; they were isolating.

“In elementary school, I was very self-conscious,” he shared with the students. “I often avoided speaking, just so people wouldn’t notice.”

But help did come. A family friend introduced him to tools and techniques that helped him navigate those moments. Still, Erceg admitted that while he always believed he would go to college, he wasn’t sure what career paths would be open to someone who stuttered.That began to shift when he attended the College of Saint Rose Fluency Council’s Fluency Weekend—a gathering of people who have speech disfluencies. “It was life-changing,” Erceg  said. “I heard others speak who shared my experience. I learned techniques that helped. But most importantly, I learned to accept myself.”

That acceptance, he explained to his young audience, gave him the courage to pursue his dream of becoming a teacher—and later, a school leader. Now as Superintendent, he uses his story to inspire others.

The visit with the students was filled with thoughtful questions. They asked if he had ever been made fun of or if he disliked being called on to read in class. His answer was yes to both. “I had to learn to stand up for myself when others made comments about me even when I was older,” he told them. He explained that he would often count ahead to the paragraph he was expected to read and practice it repeatedly to help avoid stuttering.

He also shared how he practiced “covert stuttering,” a strategy where people who stutter try to avoid it by swapping words, speaking less, or developing tricks to mask it. “But here’s what I want you to remember,” he said. “You don’t have to hide who you are. Learn tools that help, give yourself grace, and never give up on what you want in life.” 

Shanley and Mendoza focus on emphasizing the importance of acceptance, empowerment and advocacy along with other strategies that align with such practices. Inviting Dr. Erceg to join as a guest speaker was one example of teaching the students not to let their stutter hold them back.

For students who had only heard of famous figures like Ed Sheeran, Tiger Woods, and Samuel L. Jackson as examples of people who stutter, getting to meet someone in their own school community who shared their experience made a lasting impact. After all, if their own Superintendent of Schools has achieved professional success and is able to speak so openly about stuttering, then there is nothing that can hold them back either. 

Dr. Erceg’s message was simple but powerful: “You’re not alone. And your voice—however it comes out—deserves to be heard.”