LifeChanger of the Year Nominee Profile

Crystal McDowell was nominated by a colleague, Lisa Guilbeau.

"I am pleased to recommend Mrs. Crystal McDowell for the LifeChanger of the Year Award," said Guilbeau. "As her former administrator, I enjoyed observing Mrs. McDowell's Science class at Greenbrier High School. I worked closely with her on the NMSI grant (National Science and Math Initiative) to recruit more minority students in science courses focusing on AP Science. We met with the AP Committee on how to recruit more minorities. We were proud to offer several scholarships to minorities who succeeded on their AP exam and took more math and science AP courses.
 
I had the opportunity to observe her pedagogical skills in the classroom for many days. She reflects all that is right with the teaching profession. She has a gift of great rapport with her students, teachers, and parents. She impressed me with her ability to articulate complex concepts and readings and her passion for student learning, curriculum, and authentic teaching experiences for her students."

Mrs. McDowell serves as the Science Department Chair and a member of the School Improvement and Leadership teams, and she graciously mentors new teachers. She creates a climate of trust and respect daily. Mrs. McDowell models compassion and has a strong desire and love for learning that transfers to her students. She is the Teacher of the Year for 2023-2024 at Greenbrier High School and has won numerous Science Awards. She is a finalist for the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching and was recently awarded the Spirit of Ruth Patrick Award.

Mrs. McDowell's work ethic is outstanding, and she is considered a powerhouse in the field of science. She is brilliant and has led professional learning for other teachers. She consistently invests in giving her time and energy to young people. She instills in them an engaging experience with authentic labs that infuse a genuine love for science! Even in challenging times due to COVID-19, she found a way to give her students real-life learning experiences utilizing Google Classroom. She was effectively observed using peer learning teams, project-based learning, and differentiation. Her Biology and AP Biology labs completely immersed her students in the learning process and problem-solving. She held many after-school and weekend tutoring review sessions for her students. 

Mrs. McDowell gave many formative assessments, progress monitoring, and data link assessments to assess learning gaps and opportunities for growth. Her school switched to giving core assessments on alternate days so teachers didn't overload students with many assessments. This simple change made a difference in student performance, and she was a positive change agent for the Science department and the entire school. She had a rubric for her students to review their summative assessments and analyze what they missed and why they missed the information. After their analysis and some tutoring, she allowed her students to retake the summative assessment. She models a dedication to learning, and her students are quick to praise her. They know she is fully invested in science and her students. 

Mrs. McDowell taught electrophoresis within 45 minutes, allowing the students to be the ones to pour the gels, set up the apparatus, and lead the DNA to see how it travels. The students conduct investigative labs on disease diagnostics, agriculture, etc. These labs allowed the biotechnology unit in regular biology and AP Biology to truly understand how electrophoresis works. 

Mrs. McDowell is gifted endorsed, further enhancing the student's learning experiences in her classroom. She has a rare servant's heart that is open and flexible to change. She is very open-minded, and her intellectual curiosity is commendable. Mrs. McDowell is an integral part of Greenbrier High School.

"It is clear to me, as I hope it is to you, that Mrs. McDowell is an exceptional teacher," said Guilbeau. "I am certain that she will continue to do extraordinary things in the future. She is always searching for new ways to help her students learn at a higher level of learning. Mrs. McDowell is a stand-out individual who will impress everyone she meets."