LifeChanger of the Year Nominee Profile

Brenda Drury was nominated by her colleague, Valerie Johnson.

Mrs. Drury, also known as "Ms. Brenda," splits her time between two elementary schools, but she pours her heart and soul into each of them. She makes a phenomenal difference in the lives of students on a daily basis.

Every day, Ms. Brenda sees children for a multitude of ailments, from bumps and bruises, to itchy mosquito bites, to upset stomachs and head lice. She treats every child with respect and dignity, and she does her best to fix their problems. Where Ms. Drury really goes above the call of duty is with students who are going through difficulties on the inside, who need a listening ear more than a Band-Aid.

"We are a small Title I school, and we don’t have a full-time school counselor," Johnson explained. "I’ve had several students bond with Mrs. Drury. They know they can talk to her about their adolescent issues, having parents in jail, or whatever difficulties they are facing outside of school. 'Ms. Brenda takes the time to speak with them, even when we both are fairly certain they don’t have a physical ailment."

As if that weren’t enough, Ms. Brenda also goes out of her way to help parents who are having trouble with their children’s medications. She can help them figure out who to call when they are having trouble with getting a refill, or with their insurance or Peach Care. Ms. Brenda does everything she can to ensure her students have what they need to be successful in school.

Ms. Brenda is always a positive force in her school. She does anything she can to help students, teachers, and other staff. Her pleasant demeanor is always welcoming, and she definitely makes her school a better place.

In addition to all of her nurse duties, Ms. Brenda has been instrumental in training the staff in basic life-saving procedures. She helped obtain bleeding control kits for her school and has taught staff how to use them.

"She even went out of her way to demonstrate proper use of the tourniquet for me, when I was confused as to how it worked," said Johnson. "Mrs. Drury has also helped with CPR and AED training, as well as teaching us how to administer the EpiPen and EpiPen Jr."

Ms. Brenda adheres to a high moral and ethical standard. She always displays professionalism and adheres to all rules of confidentiality.

"Ms. Brenda has changed the lives of several of my students," Johnson concluded. "My life at school is better with her in it, as well.  I would like to recognize her for all she does, and thank her."