Olive Township Elementary School 4th Grade Teacher, Casey Gumm, has been nominated for the 2015-2016 national LifeChanger of the Year award.
Sponsored by the National Life Group Foundation, the national LifeChanger of the Year program recognizes and rewards the very best K-12 public and private school educators and employees across the United States who are making a difference in the lives of students by exemplifying excellence, positive influence and leadership.
Gumm knows how to make learning fun, challenging and meaningful.
"She knows that building relationships with them is the first part of helping them learn in class," said Tara Bush, Principal of Olive Elementary. "She also goes the extra mile to help make students' lives better."
Gumm implemented a weekly student activity called "I wish my teacher knew," which helps her get to know her students, refine her teaching methods, and find ways to support her students. During this weekly activity, one student indicated that she spoke a little too fast in class so Gumm worked to slow her pace of speech so that all students could fully understand the lessons. When a student writes about more personal issues, Gumm takes it seriously and does her best to help, which often times means providing extra attention and care.
"Above all, Mrs. Gumm knows the importance of making sure her students know that she genuinely cares about them as individuals," said Bush. "Her dedication and care for her students shines through in the strong classroom community she has created. Her students, in turn, treat other people well because of the example she sets in class."
Each school year, the LifeChanger of the Year program receives hundreds of nominations. For 2015-2016, a total of 16 winners will be chosen 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 five winners will also be 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's atmosphere
- Is involved in leadership activities at the school and/or community level
- A demonstrative record of excellent performance at the professional level
- A commitment to producing a nurturing atmosphere
- Adherence to high moral and ethical standards
Winners will be announced in spring 2016.
This year, a new prize, called the "LifeChanger Spirit Award," will be given to the nominee whose community demonstrates the most support for his or her nomination. Support can be demonstrated through positive comments on the nominee's profile page, social media posts, and school and community recognition activities. A resource page with ideas for ways to celebrate nominees can be found at http://lifechangeroftheyearnominees.com/showspirit/.
To view Ms. Gumm's LifeChanger of the Year nominee profile, visit www.LifeChangeroftheYear.com.