LifeChanger of the Year Nominee Profile

Beata Borto was nominated by a colleague, Cassandra Shannon.

"If you are seeking a true LifeChanger, then look no further! She is dedicated, kind, and truly inspirational. She is Mrs. Borto! Mrs. Borto has been a teacher of English Language Learners for 24 years. During that time, she has helped countless students and their families. With her incredibly warm nature, she has the admiration and love of anyone who comes in contact with her," said Shannon.

"Year after year, Mrs. Borto inspires students of all educational, cultural, and linguistic backgrounds and abilities. As an ELL teacher, it happens inherently every day. Most English Language Learners are incredibly quiet in their regular classes. However, she creates a warm, nurturing environment in her class. When they set foot in her classroom, they become different students- brave, willing to take chances, and therefore learning," said Shannon.

"She truly goes above and beyond for her students and families. She has assisted with translating for parents, teachers, and office staff during IEP meetings, parent-teacher conferences, registration, placement, etc. Mrs. Borto has been an invaluable liaison between the immigrant parents and the classroom teachers and staff. During COVID-19, she went as far as booking COVID-19 testing appointments for her students so they could return to school after an illness. She also helps students with various needs, such as distributing free Halloween costumes or Valentine’s Day cards to those in need. She has assisted in getting clothing for those in need (especially winter coats) and coordinating a giving tree for families in need during the holidays. The list goes on. She has shown dedication to her profession and, above all, her students," said Shannon.

"Mrs. Borto helps create a strong culture of respect at our school. One way is by teaching special lessons on international Holidays and cultures through the school-wide video announcements. She inspires students (many times with the help of parents) to share special traditions, songs, or dances. It is also a great way for non-English speaking community members to get involved and gain appreciation and respect for other cultures. Even our elementary school staff learn about other international cultures from these multicultural announcements," said Shannon.

"Over the years, she has obtained many classroom supply grants as well as two Target field trip grants, which enabled our disadvantaged students to participate despite their financial situation," said Shannon.

"Mrs. Borto not only stays in touch with her former students but also continues to support them in any way she can. Recently, a family of three former students was facing deportation. The family, who refers to Mrs. Borto as their 'Angel,' reached out to her for help. Mrs. Borto investigated the current educational needs of the youngest student (underaged, even though a U.S. citizen, now facing deportation due to her parent’s immigration status). Mrs. Borto wrote a compelling letter to the judge, stating that for the family to go back to their country (which happens to be a developing country faced with many economic, political, and social issues) at this time would have had a detrimental effect on the girl’s educational future. She backed it up with specific data, making a solid case for the family. The judge ruled in the family’s favor, and they all received their residency status; therefore, they work and continue their education in the USA," said Shannon.

"Another example of Mrs. Borto’s life-changing magic is a very recent one. Another one of her ESL students with special needs, for whom Mrs. Borto provided home instruction during her post-surgery time, ended up visiting her home country last summer. Unfortunately, due to very complex family and political issues, the student and her mom were not allowed to leave the country. All the teachers and staff had developed a strong bond with the little girl and her family. We knew she needed special accommodations to function at any school which were waiting for her here in the U.S., but not in her home country. She was not able to enroll at school there as kids with special needs are required to attend special schools, and the process of getting into one is not easy. The student could only complete the work Mrs. Borto and others provided while she was waiting. But it didn’t stop there! Mrs. Borto decided to go as far as seeking help from U.S. government officials. It wasn’t easy, but we got assistance from the U.S. government as the little girl is a U.S. citizen. We learned yesterday that our student and her mom returned home after four months of legal battles! Indeed, it was the Happiest New Year’s message we could have gotten," said Shannon.

"Mrs. Borto has been rated highly effective (the highest rating on our teacher evaluations) and always stays current with the latest educational trends. She successfully taught the summer program, providing more support and enrichment to her ELL students. She has helped numerous students who couldn’t attend school due to illness or post-surgery/ treatment by providing home instruction. She even made meals and delivered them to the hospital of one of her sick students," said Shannon.

"Mrs. Borto is exceptionally skilled in teaching English to Language Learners and is truly admired by parents, colleagues, and students. She speaks four languages, which truly comes in handy when working with the ELL population and their families," said Shannon.

"Mrs. Borto has the admiration of many parents of students she has taught over the years. She has kept in touch with many families and students she has taught. She has attended sporting events, performances, and even some family events of her current and former students. It has recently come to my attention that a former student (who has now graduated and currently attends Rutgers University) said that Mrs. Borto was the highlight of her time in the Hillsborough Schools," said Shannon.

"For these reasons, we can never forget Mrs. Borto! She is extremely dedicated, not only to the profession but to her students and their families. She is flexible, understanding, and always willing to lend a hand. Her warmth and kindness resonate throughout the building, as evidenced by the smile of any student she comes into contact with or the laughter she shares with colleagues," said Shannon.