About LifeChanger of the Year
Sponsored by the National Life Group Foundation, LifeChanger of the Year recognizes and rewards the very best K-12 educators and school district employees across the United States who are making a difference in the lives of students by exemplifying excellence, positive influence and leadership.
Each school year, LifeChanger of the Year receives hundreds of nominations from all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Seventeen individual LifeChanger of the Year awards will be given during the 2019-2020 school year.
· (1) Grand Prize Winner – will receive $10,000 to be shared with their school/district.
· (4) Grand Prize Finalists – will receive $5,000 to be shared with their school/district.
· (10) LifeChanger Award Winners – will receive $3,000 to be shared with their school/district.
· (1) Spirit Award Winner – This award is given to the nominee whose community demonstrates the most support for their nomination. The winner will receive $5,000 to be shared with their school/district.
· (1) Spotlight Award Winner – This award is given to a nominee in a specific discipline each year. For 2019-20, the Spotlight Award will be given to a nominee who has made a proven impact on school safety. The winner will receive $5,000 to be shared with their school or district.
Winners are announced via surprise award ceremonies held at their schools. The grand prize finalists will also be honored at a national awards ceremony in April 2020 in Florida, where the Grand Prize Winner will be revealed.
Winners are chosen by a selection committee comprised of former winners and education professionals. Nominees must be K-12 teachers or school district employees. To be considered for an award, nominees must
· Make a positive impact in the lives of students
· Enhance their school or district’s atmosphere, culture and pride
· Demonstrate exemplary leadership at the school and/or district level
· Possess a proven record of professional excellence
· Show commitment to building a nurturing environment that supports learning
· Adhere to the highest moral and ethical standards
A resource page with ideas for how to celebrate nominees can be found at http://lifechangeroftheyear.com/showspirit/.
Katie Daley was nominated by her colleague, Pamela Porter.
“I can’t even begin to explain the amount of time and effort that Katie Daley puts into her ‘job’ as the alternative high school English teacher,” said Porter. “I say ‘job’ because to her, it’s not just a job. She follows her students’ progress daily, even after school hours and on the weekends. She’s literally only an email away for each of her students.”
The vast majority of Mrs. Daley’s students are high-risk, and she connects with them one-on-one to meet their needs. Her students normally don’t have an average home life; many of them are dealing with adult situations such as pregnancy, parenting, drug addiction. They have so many personal challenges that sometimes, the idea of finishing a class can seem like the least of their problems. Mrs. Daley will continuously support and encourage her students to get their diploma, not only to instill pride in themselves, but for the opportunity it opens to give them a better life in the long run.
Additionally, Mrs. Daley is the campus team leader. She always goes above and beyond to encourage and support her fellow teachers and staff.
“Without a doubt, Mrs. Daley meets all the criteria to qualify as a LifeChanger and then some,” said Porter. “I only wish I had the skills to eloquently express all she does for her students and coworkers.”
