LifeChanger of the Year Nominee Profile

Valery Gabriel was nominated by one of her colleagues.

Marian Wright Edelman, a child advocate, once said, “Education is improving the lives of others and for leaving your community and world better than you found it.” Ms. Gabriel is a true testament to that quote. Since 2017, Ms. Gabriel has shown an immense amount of dedication towards her students. For almost half a decade, she has shown enthusiasm during lessons, constant and consistent high expectations of her students, and passion, all of which are respectable and admirable! 

Working with children is by no means an easy task. The COVID-19 pandemic significantly amplified the challenges on a global scale. However, Ms. Gabriel has consistently been able to rise to the challenge to this very day. This is because she is aware of her students and their individual needs. She is able to engage all types of learners, whether they're receiving a general education, a special education, or enrichment. She is punctual, driven, ambitious, and altruistic.

On a daily basis, Ms. Gabriel shows her dedication to her students and professional growth. She is also seen as a leader among her peers and is capable of assuming that position with ease, aplomb, and measurable success. Ms. Gabriel's positive attitude is always evident and contagious when she works with her students. Elementary school fits her well; she is sometimes as excited as her students seem to be. Her positive temperament and light-heartedness is exactly the attitude her students need.

In addition to her personal qualities, which are important for all educators to have, Ms. Gabriel's content pedagogy is an area of strength. She is aware of the big ideas of the school year and how they build throughout the school year and in future grades. Ms. Gabriel is able to compose purposeful and thoughtful lesson plans that accommodate the students' various learning styles, needs, and interests. This is especially true when Ms. Gabriel teaches guided reading; her ability to aggregate data yields very high academic growth. Nonetheless, Ms. Gabriel possess excellent classroom management skills which support high classroom engagement and deeper learning. Her yeoman's work ethic is visible based on the physical set-up of her classroom, as well as the decor and visual resources that she purposefully obtains and creates. 

"Lastly, Ms. Gabriel has maintained a positive disposition with her students. She understands the importance of open communication between teachers, parents, and students in regards to learning progress. She is in constant communication with her students' families about progress," said her colleague.