Sandy Hook Teacher Nominated for National Award

Reader Submitted:

Former first grade teacher at Sandy Hook Elementary School, Kaitlin Roig-DeBellis, has been nominated as a 2014-2015 national Life Changer of the Year.

Life Changer of the Year is a national program that annually recognizes and rewards K-12 school district educators and employees who are making a significant difference in the lives of students by exemplifying excellence, positive influence and leadership.

Roig-DeBellis was nominated by a member of the community, William LaRovera, who was inspired by her story. In December 2012, during a school shooting that took the lives of 20 students and six staff members, Roig-DeBellis hid her 15 students in a small, locked bathroom. In the aftermath of the event, Roig-DeBellis founded Classes4Classes as a way to help her students recover and to teach empathy to students. Roig-DelBellis told LaRovera, “When you teach kindness, compassion, love and empathy, there is no room for hate.” Classes4Classes now aims to change the lives of students all over the country.

Each school year, the Life Changer of the Year program receives hundreds of nominations. In the spring, ten winners will be selected by the selection committee to receive cash awards that are split between the individual winner and their school. The national Grand Prize award is $10,000. The top three winners are also honored at a national awards ceremony.

Nominees must be full-time school employees. Award winners are selected based on the following criteria:

· A proven ability to make a beneficial difference in the lives of students

· An ability to positively add to the development of the school and/or district’s atmosphere

· A leader in his or her activities at the school and/or district level

· A proven record of excellent performance at the professional level

· A commitment to producing a nurturing atmosphere

Nominations for the program will be accepted through the end of January 2015 with winners to be announced in spring 2015.

To view Ms. Roig-DeBellis’s Life Changer of the Year nomination, or to nominate someone from your school community, visit www.LifeChangeroftheYear.com

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