LifeChanger of the Year Nominee Profile

Jennifer Reinhart was nominated anonymously.

In 2022, Ms. Reinhart was selected as the first runner-up for the State of Alaska's Teacher of the Year award. This award has never been given to a lower elementary teacher because special projects at that level are often overlooked. The Kenai Peninsula School District comprises 42 very diverse schools, many of which are in Native Alaskan or Russian Old Believer communities.

"Last weekend, I was a patient in our local emergency room, and one of the nurses had been a student in Jennifer's first classes. This lady described Jennifer's profound influence on her and said that Jennifer is the only one she remembers of all her elementary teachers. When Jennifer arrived, she remembered this former student and details about her life and family from almost 20 years before. Watching them interact, I was reminded, again, of the profound and life-long influence the kindergarten and first-grade teachers have. They build a life-long love of learning and believe that 'I am a successful learner,'" said the nominator. 

After one week of school, one previously very anxious 5-year-old sighed as his mother dropped him off and said, "I sure do love this place!" Another cried when she learned that the next two days were weekends and there would be no school. Paul Banks Elementary is the local school of choice for special needs children; many of Ms. Reinhart's students need additional support. When the school year ends, Ms. Reinhart assures the students they can always come to her when they need help. As a result, she often has students drop into her classroom as they navigate the higher classes in their school. Ms. Reinhart also has gone to the local 3-6 school to advocate for a student who was having difficulty.  Due to her skill as a teacher, she is a Lead Teacher in her school.

The District has given Ms. Reinhart leadership positions in curriculum development, their new-teacher mentor program, and the hiring committee. She has been the keynote speaker for the District Administrators' Conference and is part of the problem-solving team at her local school and the District level. Around 400 children and young adults now consider Ms. Reinhart a person they can count on—always! Because of the relationships she built as their K-1 teacher, she has guided some out of unhealthy and dangerous paths as they navigated high school.

"I know Jennifer Reinhart is a LifeChanger of the Year," said the nominator.