National Life has been traveling the country again this week surprising educators as LifeChanger of the Year award winners.
Eric King speaks at his pop-up ceremony in South Carolina. In photo at top, Gloria Pereyra-Robertson speaks to video teams in Oregon.
The team popped up this week in Oregon and South Carolina.
Gloria Pereyra-Robertson is a kindergarten teacher at Washington Elementary School in Medford, Ore., who was nominated for the award by several members of the community.
She was recognized for using her own cultural heritage as an inspiration and teaching tool for her students. Gloria is the daughter of Mexican immigrants and one of 20 teachers in her family. She experienced discrimination growing up and even as an adult.
She has many students who speak only Spanish or other languages and she helps them and their parents navigate an often confusing society. She also works with migrant families with things such as food or clothing.
“Mrs. Robertson’s teaching style, work ethic, differentiated lessons, and innovative techniques creates success for all kids. The only regret I have, is that I can’t have Mrs. Robertson be my child’s teacher all the way through high school,” one parent wrote.
In South Carolina, Eric King is a behavioral specialist and in-school suspension teacher at Edisto Elementary School in Orangeburg.
He won a LifeChanger award because he is so committed to changing any students’ negative behavior to positive. One of the ways he does that is through the Brother’s Keeper program he runs for 60 boys.
He has taken students with extreme behavior issues and turned them around into being honor students and star students in the classroom. He also takes them on field trips and encourages them to be mentors to the other students in his school. Mr. King is an excellent role model and has done great work in changing the lives of these young men.
He continues that work as the head basketball coach for the Carver Edisto Middle School.
Both Gloria and Eric are among LifeChanger’s 10 national award winners and were presented with $3,000 cash awards at surprise pop-up ceremonies at their schools. They split the awards evenly with their schools.
Lou Martinez of ESI represented National Life at Gloria’s pop-up along with Jamila Nathaniel of Appreciation Financial. Gabriel Kelly of the retirement services team represented National Life at Eric’s ceremony and was joined by Vivian Hubbard of ValuTeachers.