Members of our team have been taking LifeChanger of the Year on the road again, stopping in the past week in New Hampshire and California.
And for the first time ever, a LifeChanger award has gone to a dog. Yes, that’s right, a dog. And his handler, Gail Dubois.
She is a paraprofessional at the Highland-Goffe’s Falls Elementary School in Manchester, N.H. A big part of her work also involves a therapy dog named Remington, an English Cream Golden Retriever.
Dubois uses Remington to help students and staff, including a boy with cerebral palsy walk with confidence while holding on to his collar, and another child struggling with behavior become more patient and responsible by seeing to Remington’s needs.
The LifeChanger award actually went to Dubois. But because Remington is so central to her work, the LifeChanger team made sure to prepare a certificate and a banner – and a dog bowl – specially for Remington, as well.
In Orange, Calif., Mary Ann Ballestero, who is a third-grade teacher at Handy Elementary School, was also surprised last week with the announcement that she’s a LifeChanger winner.
She was recognized for her dedication to her students’ needs well beyond the classroom. She is a volunteer dedicated to fundraising and extracurricular events.
But she also works hard to help students and their families in times of crisis, such as working with families who are going through divorce, or making sure that students have Christmas presents under their tree.
Both teachers were presented personal checks for a $1,500 prize and their schools received an equal amount.
Four of the five finalists for the Grand Prize have already been notified and the last will get a surprise ceremony next week. The finalists will travel to our annual Conference of Champions in Bermuda in May when the top prize will be announced.
Above, Mary Ann Ballesteros stands with some of her class. At top, Gail Dubois and Remington at her award ceremony.