LifeChanger of the Year Nominee Profile

LaConya McCrae's nominator would like to remain anonymous.

"I wholeheartedly recommend Dr. LaConya McCrae for the Life Changer of the Year award. Dr. McCrae's unwavering commitment to education over the past 25 years makes her an exceptional nominee for this prestigious recognition," said the nominator.

"Dr. McCrae is an educator who is deeply committed to the promotion of childhood literacy, and her work to implement different reading programs in our district over the years can attest to this," said Dr. Alvin Hudson, Deputy Superintendent of Valdosta City Schools.

Throughout her impressive career, Dr. McCrae has demonstrated a commitment to excellence in education. She has served in various roles, including being a highly regarded classroom teacher, where she stood out among her peers and became an Instructional Lead Teacher. In her third year of teaching, she received the Excellence in Teaching Award, Wal-Mart's Teacher of the Year, and the Teacher of the Year at her school.

One of the most remarkable aspects of Dr. McCrae's work is her commitment to instilling the belief of infinite possibilities in her students. She encourages them to aspire to greatness, whether through education or other avenues, reminding them that hard work is the key to success. During her principalship, Dr. McCrae had each classroom adopt a college or university. Teachers decorated their doors with the colors and mascots of their chosen college or university. College pennants and banners with graduation dates hung vividly throughout the hallways as a gentle reminder to her young scholars that graduation was the expectation and enrolling in a college or university was an option if desired. For many of her students, attending a college or university was a foreign concept or idea. In conjunction, she implemented the IMAGE Awards (I Must Achieve Greatness Every day), which recognized the academic and behavioral efforts of scholars at her school. At the ceremony's opening, she would address the student body as the class of the expected high school graduation year that coincided with each grade level. The student body would then recite a pledge that Dr. McCrae wrote herself:

Today, I pledge to cooperate in school.
Learn in class and obey the rules.
I promise to behave and be respectful, too.
I can accomplish my goals with the right attitude.
I must first take responsibility to invest in my future and always believe in me.
I am unique, and that’s a fact.
I am a proud scholar, and I won’t take it back.

The program later evolved to include recognizing parents and community leaders who made a substantial impact on the school and the lives of the students.

Dr. McCrae's impact extends beyond the classroom. She actively collaborates with the community, forging partnerships to benefit students, such as providing brand-new shoes for perfect attendance and organizing car giveaways to fund essential student resources. Her initiatives allowed her to transform her school into a 1-to-1 learning environment, ensuring every student had access to a Chromebook to aid their education.

Teachers attest that working under Dr. McCrae’s leadership is inspiring. 

"Her kindness, empathy, and tireless efforts have given me hope and a renewed sense of purpose," said a colleague.

Her dedication to improving students' lives is evident in her continuous efforts to enhance her craft through professional growth opportunities. She is known for her natural ability to connect with everyone, being easy to talk to, and consistently reminding others of their goodness and the possibilities when they are willing to do the work. She affectionately shares with her peers, "The only place that success comes before work is in the dictionary."

Dr. McCrae's dedication to students extends beyond the classroom to her work with underprivileged children through various organizations and programs. She has been quoted as saying, “Children should not be limited based upon their color and/or zip code.” She has been invited to speak and present at many events hosted to motivate school-age children because of her ability to reach them through lively, interactive, judgment-free, and self-esteem-building presentations, including being a commencement speaker for a local private high school.

“Dr. McCrae is a highly motivated educator and accepts and accomplishes all tasks with a spirit of excellence. She welcomes and embraces new challenges and tasks as a true team player. Her grave passion for education has been the driving force that consistently motivates students and staff to accomplish the most optimal success. Dr. McCrae is more than just an educator; she is a mentor, evangelist, role model, motivational speaker, encourager, trailblazer, and community engager. Dr. McCrae is dependable, trustworthy, well respected, resourceful, and possesses high energy and great interpersonal skills. We are extremely grateful to have such a dedicated and exceptional colleague among us in the Valdosta City School District's workplace," said Owen Clemons, Human Resource Director.

In Dr. McCrae’s current district-level position as an Induction Support Specialist, she is privileged to collaborate on the development, coordination, and support of the Comprehensive Induction and Retention Programs for new staff. Her work includes mentor recruitment and training, a critical component of ensuring the success of new educators and the school system. She has forged valuable partnerships with the Governor's School Leadership Academy and Valdosta State University to facilitate exemplary teacher candidate training, district induction, and the retention of quality educators who are deeply committed to the strategic goals and objectives of Valdosta City Schools. She works closely with administrators, academic coaches, and assigned mentor teachers at each school to help develop new educators. To provide ongoing support, she conducts classroom visits and informal observations to aid induction teachers.

Additionally, she has implemented a Positive Learning Environment (PLE) training program for administrators and induction teachers, fostering a culture of effective classroom management and professional growth. She continuously solicits, monitors, and reports exit survey data, ensuring that her district's induction programs are as effective as possible. Her commitment to the success of new educators and the educational community is unwavering. She is dedicated to making a lasting impact in this role. Additionally, she has created a comprehensive website for induction teachers that serves as a one-stop-shop full of resources to benefit them throughout their first years of teaching. Her efforts to train induction teachers and provide opportunities for professional development have set teachers in her school district up for success and a long career in education. `

In conclusion, Dr. McCrae is undoubtedly a LifeChanger. She has made a lasting impact on the lives of countless people and continues to be a source of inspiration. She lives by her mantra "I aspire to inspire before I expire".