Seventeen educators out of 27,000 staff members in the Palm Beach County School District have been nominated for the 2018-19 national LifeChanger of the Year award.
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.
The following educators from the western communities have been nominated by students, colleagues and parents: New Horizons Elementary School music teacher Nues Sartre; fourth-grade teacher Christine Salehi and third-grade teacher Janice Harris from Panther Run Elementary School; and English teacher Trent Laubscher and debate coach Paul Gaba of Wellington High School.
Other district nominees include: Heather Brace of Allamanda Elementary School, Andrea Kennedy of Congress Middle School, Patrick Glover of Conniston Middle School, Gwen Asia-Holley of Glades Central High School, Michael Rebholtz of Heritage Elementary School, Sarah Cummings of John I. Leonard High School, Barbara Maimoni of Orchard View Elementary School, Seth Erstein of Palm Beach Gardens High School, James Gray of Santaluces High School, Angela-Brent Harris of Sunrise Park Elementary School, Patricia Nelson of Village Academy and Joyce Rodriguez of West Gate Elementary School.
“As someone who has worked in Palm Beach for a while, I’m excited to see so many of our educators are being celebrated as LifeChangers,” said Amanda Sorrell, a representative of ValuTeachers, one of National Life Group’s agency partners. “Getting to know each of these nominees, and helping to provide this recognition from LifeChanger of the Year, is a true pleasure. Their commitment to doing good for students is one of the many reasons why they’re LifeChangers in our community.”
Last year, Conniston Middle School science teacher Stephanie Killingsworth was named a LifeChanger of the Year Grand Prize Finalist. She received a $5,000 award to be shared between a $2,500 individual award and a $2,500 donation to her school.
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 2018-19 school year. 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 May 2019 in Hawaii, where the grand prize winner will be revealed. Winners are chosen by a selection committee comprised of former winners and education professionals.
For more information, visit www.lifechangeroftheyear.com.
