We wrapped up our surprise pop-up ceremonies for LifeChanger of the Year award winners over the past week with stops in Georgia and California.
Thomas Keith is a math teacher in Georgia.
Thomas Keith treated to his surprise at Carollton High School in Georgia where he is a math teacher.
Thomas was recognized for the way he is able to connect with his students, many of whom have similar backgrounds to his own. He grew up in a single-parent, poverty-stricken home. He had pivotal role models in school and he now strives to become the same thing to students throughout the high school where he teaches.
For example, at the start of every class, he tells his students a “daily nugget” of his own life story so they can hear his own success story and how he moved from a background similar to many of theirs to become their teacher.
In California, we honored Jose Nino, the photography teacher and tennis coach at Corona High School.
Jose, a first-generation American, has taught his entire 48-year career at Corona. In other words, generations of Corona students.
Throughout his career, Jose has helped students succeed at photography and tennis by loaning them equipment, even restringing his players’ tennis racquets so they don’t have to pay to have it done.
Both Thomas and Jose won $3,000 as national LifeChanger winners, half for themselves and half for their schools.
Our five Grand Prize finalists are headed to Bermuda in about two weeks for our awards ceremony.