LifeChanger of the Year Nominee Profile

Kendra Anderson was nominated by her principal, Julie Johansen.

"I recommend Kendra Anderson for the LifeChanger of the Year Award. Kendra is an incredible Social Studies Teacher who has taught at Creswell Middle School for 25 years! In addition to being an incredible teacher, Kendra has coached students in volleyball for 25 years, basketball for 14 years, and track for 12 years. Kendra has also provided countless opportunities for students in the community of Creswell through additional experiences, field trips, and extracurricular activities," said Johansen.

"Kendra Anderson gives back to the community by selflessly helping students make gains on social studies standards in the classroom and athletic gains on the court/field. More importantly, she helps them become better citizens capable of getting jobs after high school and participating in our society. Kendra easily spends 10-12 hours a day, even on weekends, ensuring that students have engaging, standards-aligned, and culturally appropriate lessons to learn each day at school," said Johansen. "She is the first to offer unique opportunities like You Science, Future Business Leaders of America, and CSI for students to learn real-life skills."

"Kendra has done an excellent job advocating for our students and school, gaining grants and experiences for our students and staff, and participating in ongoing professional development as a teacher to ensure that the information she provides students is culturally relevant and responsive. She currently serves on grade level, content level, school site, District-wide committees, and as a mentor to new teachers at CMS," said Johansen.

Some of the additional experiences Ms. Anderson has provided for students more recently include: 

• 2014-present: The Junior Achievement Finance Park - financial literacy program and simulation
• 2014-present: The Classroom Law Project "We the People" - a curriculum with simulated congressional hearing statements designed to help students understand the U.S. Constitution, Bill of Rights, and U.S. government
• 2015 and 2022: The Classroom Law Project Mock Trial
• 2019, 2021, 2022: Elevate Lane County Expo - a middle school expo for students to learn about potential careers
• 2021-present: You Science Careers Oregon Department of Education Pilot Program Coordinator
• 2022-present: Money Vehicle Financial Literacy Pilot Program Coordinator at CMS
• 2022-present: Started and served as Advisor for FBLA (Future Business Leaders of America) and HOSA (Health Occupations Students of America) Clubs at CMS

"Kendra is the most passionate teacher I've ever met as far as furthering her own education to support students. She has taken so many professional development courses to improve," said Johansen.

Some of the more recent courses she has taken include:

• Classroom Law Project: Educate, Engage, and Empower with Current Events Workshop Series (2022-23); Civics Conference (2014, 2018, and 2020); James Madison Legacy Project (2016)
• Onward Book Club: WREN (2022-23)
• Next Gen Personal Finance: Virtual PD 40 hours (2020-2021)

"On a personal note, my son was so blessed to have Mrs. Anderson as his Social Studies Teacher and Track Coach. Although he has graduated middle school, Mrs. Anderson continues to follow his successes and attend sporting events. This is the type of person that Kendra is! She truly goes above and beyond for others and is such a LifeChanger for her students," said Johansen.

"Overall, Kendra Anderson is an incredible teacher and person. She goes above and beyond for kids and our Creswell community and deserves the LifeChanger Award," said Johansen.