LifeChanger of the Year Nominee Profile

Amber Taylor was nominated by Rachel Leach, a colleague.

Ms. Taylor is the principal at Silver Stage Middle School, a small school located in the rural, highly impoverished community of Silver Springs, Nevada. She has worked in the school for the last seven years, and has done tremendous work improving the culture of the school and the image the school maintains in the community. By constantly striving for improvement and challenging norms, Ms. Taylor often works outside of her comfort zone, taking on new challenges and inspiring her staff to do the same. 

"She builds incredibly strong relationships with students, staff, parents and community members, always focusing on the positive aspects that each person brings into any situation. Students, in particular, adore her, and many times Amber has helped a student work through some life trauma, literally being the reason that student stays in school," Leach said.

The status quo is never good enough for Ms. Taylor, and she consistently walks the walk, participating in trainings and attending conferences even when they threaten to overwhelm her already tight schedule.  She supports her staff and encourages their innovative ideas, and she is always willing to listen and help guide a struggling colleague without solving the problem for him or her.  At the same time, she is always willing to jump in and help when asked. Whether she is joining the staff donkey basketball team or using her artistic talent to paint a mural on the school garden shed, she can always be counted on to be there and support her school.

"In addition to being an outstanding instructional and school leader, Amber is a devoted mother, wife, daughter, sister and aunt, and anyone who knows her knows that family is her number one priority," Leach said. "Quite simply, Amber is exactly the kind of principal every school deserves.  She has changed many lives and epitomizes what it means to be a LifeChanger."